Google Buys Stake in LendingClub Startup Valued at $1.55 Billion

Google Inc., owner of the world’s most popular search engine, acquired a minority stake in LendingClub Corp. as the peer-to-peer lender closes in on $2 billion in funded loans.

Google was joined by earlier investor Foundation Capital in purchasing $125 million in equity from current shareholders, according to a statement. Google provided the bulk of the investment, Renaud Laplanche, LendingClub’s chief executive officer, said in an interview. The firm’s technology and large customer base made the opportunity attractive, he said.