Investors have just three weeks to buy into a bond issued by the firm which is providing valuable support to the entrepreneurs behind Britain’s ‘sharing economy’.

Issued by a leading digital banking services provider APS financial, the bond is set to raise £5 million through a four year fixed-term bond that gives participants the opportunity to earn 7% gross fixed interest per year.

Responding to a 60% year-on-year growth in demand for its services,the money raised will be used predominantly to bankroll a raft of new credit products in APS’s portfolio of services to help consumers and SMEs boost their cash flows.

The explosion of the UK’s ‘sharing economy’ thanks to fleet-footed tech firms like Airbnb, Uber, TaskRabbit and Deliveroo has seen a dramatic upsurge in demand for credit from entrepreneurs and freelancers as people rush to spruce up their spare bedrooms for paying guests and purchase tools and vehicles.

Investors have until 28 October to invest between £1,000 and £250,000 in the APS financial bond (offered via APS Bonds PLC) in multiples of £1,000, and will receive a gross return of 7% with interest paid twice a year. The bonds are unlisted and non-transferable, and investors will see their initial lump sum returned at the end of the four-year period when the bonds mature.

APS launched its first account for SMEs five years ago as part of its mission to transform the UK’s banking landscape, and added the UK’s first instant approval online, business current account two years later. In just 10 years it has helped over 70,000 start-ups and small businesses disenchanted with high street banks.

Rich Wagner, CEO of APS financial, said: “Within days of opening the bond an investor came to us with a cheque for £250,000. We’ve also had former employees sign up because they know just how strong demand is for products like ours that challenge the traditional banks and payments companies.

“This bond gives investors a great opportunity to participate in the UK’s growing FinTech industry and it will give us the ability to roll out more of the things that make financial services secure and accessible to the grassroots of UK plc.”