The Federal Reserve is expected to follow the first post-crisis rate rise by lifting US borrowing costs again in March, according to a survey of economists. More than two-thirds of the 42 top economists polled expect another 25 basis point increase in the central bank’s benchmark rate and be raised two to three times in 2016.

Prosper.com and LendingClub.com are expected to achieve continued growth in a time of rising interest rates. Lenders will be rewarded over time with an increased return and borrowers will indeed face higher rates, yet lower than the conventional bank rates.

These changes will not impact the bottom line of online lending growth in a negative way, and MoreMerchant.com believes that the online lenders may actually see a positive with money available for lending and borrowers more perceptive to the lower rates charged by the online lending groups.