Asset finance transforms tangible and intangible assets into bespoke funding solutions. Innovation — structuring capital around assets to unlock value, manage risk, and enable growth has always been the name of the game. From early equipment leasing to today’s more sophisticated models, the field continues to evolve.
It mirrors the evolution of business itself — from ownership to access, from tangible to digital, from fixed obligations to performance-based flexibility.
For professionals entering or reimagining the field, understanding these asset classes isn’t just about history — it’s about designing solutions suitable for the demands of the asset users.
Immovable Assets - Real Estate and Infrastructure
Immovable assets include land, buildings, and long-term infrastructure. Historically, they have formed the foundation of structured finance through mortgages, project finance, and sale & leaseback transactions.
Movable Assets — Equipment, Vehicles, and Technology
Movable assets power the real economy. These assets are financed through leasing, hire purchase and other structures. What began as simple equipment leasing has today evolved into global asset-based platforms that blend credit, residual value as well as accounting and tax strategies.
Intellectual Property — Ideas as Collateral
Today, intangible assets often hold more value than physical ones. Patents, software, trademarks, and copyrights can all be monetized through royalty financing, securitization, and IP-backed loans.
Revenue-Based Finance — The Cash Flow Frontier
Not all assets are physical or intangible: some are streams of income themselves. Revenue-based financing uses future revenue as the asset, linking repayment to performance rather than fixed schedules. It’s a flexible model and it’s influencing how even traditional asset finance structures are designed.