faq

frequently asked questions

You’ll find an answer to most of your questions here. If you have any other questions, please contact us. We’ll be happy to help you.

Becoming a co-op member

Just fill out our application form and make your payment.

  • 62.50 euros for individuals.
  • 250 euros for legal entities (limited companies, limited liability companies, non-profit organizations, etc.).

No, there are no fees.

Investing in the shares involves certain risks. An investor is exposed to the risk of losing all or part of his investment. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.

Each of these risk factors must be carefully studied and assessed before investing in the shares, especially:

  • The shares are registered (nominatives) and there is no market on which the shares can be traded. Although it is possible for a shareholder to withdraw and transfer the shares, this causes a limited liquidity.
  • In the case a shareholder wants to exit or transfer the shares, he/she will only be repaid at the maximum of the nominal value of the shares.

Before buying cooperative shares, we advise you to carefully read the information note and the key information document.

For when and how you can withdraw your shares, see “How can I sell my shares?” in the section for existing co-op members.

Alterfin is an impact-first investor, so the financial return on a share is intentionally modest. To learn how dividends are decided, what you can expect, see our financial benefits page.

Alterfin’s shareholders are the owners of the co-operative. They have the right to scrutinize and control the co-operative by participating in the Annual General Meeting. The votes of each co-op member are equal to the number of shares he/she owns. However, no co-op member may hold more than 10% of the total number of votes at the AGM. This helps guarantee a democratic decision-making process.

Yes, Alterfin offers gift cards that allow you to give shares of the cooperative as a present. These cards are an original way to invite your loved ones to join a community committed to sustainable and fair financing.

Already a co-op member

To buy more Alterfin shares, simply pay the amount of your choice into Alterfin SC’s bank account:

  • IBAN: BE85 5230 4527 2706
  • BIC: TRIO BE BB

Remember to include your personal structured reference number.

There is no need to fill out the application form again.

In accordance with our bylaws, co-op members can request a partial or total repayment of their shares at any time of the year. The withdrawal itself takes place during the first six months of the financial year (from 1 January to 30 June).

A few important points about these repayments:

  • The amount repaid can never exceed the nominal value of the shares, which is the amount initially invested (dividends received are not included).
  • The shares are registered (nominative) and there is no market on which they can be traded. A co-op member can withdraw or transfer their shares, but liquidity is limited.
  • Alterfin repays its co-op members free of charge. Payment is generally made within one month of the withdrawal request.
  • The Board of Directors may refuse a withdrawal if it would put Alterfin’s financial situation at risk.

In practice: to withdraw part or all of your capital from Alterfin, download the withdrawal form and return it to us, completed and signed, by post or by email.

You have three options:

  • Make a donation to the Alterfin Impact+ Program
  • Reinvest in new Alterfin shares
  • Ask for the balance to be paid into your bank account

Every year, when the dividend is calculated, Alterfin informs its co-op members of the amount deposited in the individual account. Co-op members can then let Alterfin know what they wish to do with their dividend. If you do not respond to this, you can always contact us and let us know what you want to do with the amount.

You have two options:

  1. You can give your Alterfin dividend directly to the Alterfin Impact+ Program. Every year, when the dividend is announced, you’ll receive a message explaining how to do this. Please note that this does not give rise to any tax benefits.
  2. Make a donation via the King Baudouin Foundation. This donation entitles you to a tax benefit equivalent to 30% of the amount of your donation. Make a donation now.

Alterfin provides a private online space for its co-op members: MyAlterfin.

Request an account on MyAlterfin using your email address or via itsme. As soon as we have activated your account, you will be able to view your Alterfin investment online, edit your contact details and download your extract.

In 2025, Alterfin developed a tool that lets you estimate the Human Yield of your shares. It combines an estimate of the number of people reached through our portfolio, relative to the capital invested, with the results of our impact studies, which show how people experience change in their income, resilience and dignity.

Use our Human Yield calculator to see the estimate for your own shares.

The Annual General Meeting is held on the last Saturday of April. All co-op members receive an invitation two weeks before the meeting.

Simply fill out this form.

Simply fill out this contact form.

Alterfin's activities

Cooperative impact investing means people pool their capital to finance organisations that strengthen livelihoods, build communities, and create fairer economic opportunities.

Human Yield is the real improvement in people's lives made possible by your cooperative share — from stronger income to better resilience and well-being.

Smallholder farmers are small-scale farmers, pastoralists, forest keepers and fishers who manage areas of up to 10 hectares (25 acres). The majority of smallholder farmers working with Alterfin have landholdings of no more than 2 hectares (5 acres). Smallholder farmers usually work at a household level, mainly relying on family labor for production and using part of the harvest for family consumption. They often form the backbone of economic activity in developing countries’ rural communities.

A micro-entrepreneur is a person who runs a small business such as a grocery store, a food cart or a service business. They often need access to finance to launch, run or expand their businesses, but traditional banks consider them “high-risk” because they cannot provide substantial collateral and often work in the informal economy. They are financed by microloans: small loans provided by MFIs for people who have no collateral, no credit history, no savings and/or no employment history. These modest loans are often sufficient to get these small local businesses off the ground.

Alterfin finances social enterprises that give farmers and entrepreneurs fair access to loans, savings, and markets so they can build more stable livelihoods.

Alterfin’s emissions largely depend on the investment managers' air travel. To offset its carbon footprint, Alterfin developed a partnership in 2015 with Acopagro, a cooperative of cocoa producers in the San Martín region of northern Peru. Through this partnership, we finance the annual planting of trees on the land of producers who are members of the cooperative. These plantations capture a volume of CO2 equivalent to our emissions during the previous year. Since 2015, we have had almost 64,000 trees planted. In addition, since 2018, we have been hiring investment managers in the region, for which they are responsible. This has reduced the distances travelled.