Xinja is one of several emerging Australian fintech and neobank startups hoping to change the way Australians get mortgages.
We don't have a lot of information about Xinja's mortgage plans at this point, but we will update this page when Xinja launches.
Quick verdict
The good
- Xinja is promising a convenient, mobile-friendly mortgage solution.
- Xinja seems genuinely committed to using customer feedback and data to guide its product development.
- Judging by its prepaid card, a Xinja mortgage will probably have low fees and plenty of flexibility in how you make repayments.
The not so good
- Xinja hasn't launched its mortgage product yet, and is still a very new company. We just don't know enough about it yet.
- Xinja is definitely for tech savvy people and not for those who want to have access to a physical bank branch.
- Neobank and fintech mortgages are usually not for self-employed or bad credit borrowers.
Xinja lender profile
- Xinja launched in 2018 as a digital startup aiming to create convenient online finance products that are "mobile first" and not dependent on the legacy systems of older, more traditional institutions.
- The company has already launched its app and prepaid card (in beta) and is planning to roll out home loans and transaction and savings accounts soon.
- Xinja is currently waiting to get its banking license, but it does already have a Restricted Authorised Deposit-taking Institution license under APRA.
- Xinja is partly funded through equity crowdfunding, which allows members of the public to fund an organisation in exchange for a small stake in that organisation.
Xinja mortgage features
At the moment there's very little information about what Xinja's mortgage product (or products) will look like. We don't know how competitive the interest rates will be, if the mortgages will have offset accounts or whether investor loans will be offered.
Judging by Xinja's prepaid card we can guess that their mortgage will be a flexible and low fee product that's very easy to use. That's Xinja's whole pitch, after all.
The company is currently trialling a mortgage product to a very small network. According to Xinja's website:
"We’ve already launched Xinja Home Loans to a limited number of friends and family and we’ll be rolling it out to the public in 2019. We are developing home loan products that will not only be highly competitive, but simple and fast to apply for, and will include new features designed to make getting, paying off and managing your home loan much easier."
Can I apply for a Xinja mortgage yet?
You cannot apply for a Xinja mortgage right now. But you can join Xinja by signing up to their website with your phone number and email address. This will keep you informed about upcoming product launches.
Fintech mortgage competition is growing
Xinja is one of a growing number of fintechs and neobanks looking to shake up Australian mortgages and finance more generally.
- 86 400. This digital bank is planning to launch in 2019 with savings accounts first, then home loans. They don't have banking licenses yet but they've hired an impressive line up of banking talent.
- Volt. Another neobank startup, Volt hasn't launched yet but has the distinction of being the first lender of its kind to get a full banking license. Products are currently being tested.
- Athena. A fintech that's solely focused on mortgages, Athena launched in 2019 with competitive products for investors and owner occupiers, and bills itself as "the home loan wrecker."
- Revolut. This UK challenger bank is already helping Australians send money cheaply overseas and is eyeing a more robust rollout of financial products, including mortgages.
- Tic:Toc. Acting more like a traditional lender, Tic:Toc's high-speed application platform can process a borrower's application in real time.
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