Why Alchemy Wants to Pay Influencers Upfront for Their Brand Deals & How the $100 Million Fund Works

Influencer marketing deals can be highly lucrative—spending is expected to surpass $10 billion this year, according to eMarketer—but one of the biggest challenges creators face is unpredictable cash flow. Marketing budgets fluctuate, brands adjust strategies, and payments can take months to arrive. With many creators’ earnings tied to brand deals, their income often remains inconsistent.

That’s a problem Alchemy wants to solve. The fintech company, founded by Isaac Wagschal, announced the launch of a $100 million fund designed to provide creators with upfront payments based on projected future earnings. Since January, it has already paid out millions to creators.

I spoke with Wagschal to learn more about the fund and how it works.

At first glance, Alchemy may seem similar to companies like Spotter and Breeze, which offer upfront capital based on a creator’s YouTube AdSense revenue. But, Alchemy differentiates itself in two key ways: its target audience and the model it uses to fund creators.

A Focus on Micro and Mid-Tier Creators

Despite the product being “very flexible,” Wagschal sees Alchemy solving real pain points for micro and mid-tier creators who operate across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more. This is the biggest opportunity, as opposed to macro and mega influencers, where other companies in the space tend to serve.

 “A lot of micro-influencers struggle because, first of all, brand deals are inconsistent. There will be pockets of time where they have nothing. Banks don’t realize that this is a real business, and so they don’t give them any credit for it,” says Wagschal.

Wagschal is right. While more traditional financial institutions like VISA and Mastercard are becoming more friendly to creators with recent initiatives, creators still have a lot of convincing to do when it comes to securing capital, especially those who are still trying to break through.

Creators often get declined for funding or a credit card from banks due to inconsistent revenue. “This is where we feel that’s a problem we fully solve. We eradicate this problem,” Wagschal says.

A Different Approach to Creator Funding

Unlike companies that primarily fund creators based on AdSense revenue, Alchemy takes a broader approach, looking at a creator’s entire income, including brand deals, Patreon, AdSense, and other sources.

By analyzing earnings from the past six months, Alchemy projects future income for the next six months and pre-purchases a portion of that revenue. Creators then receive the upfront payment, with a flat fee of 1.15 (on average) added to the amount Alchemy purchases.

For example, If a creator is projected to earn $100,000 over the next six months, Alchemy may pre-purchase 30% of that revenue, providing $30,000 upfront. When that $100,000 comes in—whether it takes six months or a year—Alchemy collects 30% because that’s the portion it already purchased. The creator isn’t ‘paying’ Alchemy; they’re simply passing along the revenue that Alchemy pre-purchased, plus a flat fee of approximately 1.15 ($4,500). Once the total ($34,500) is repaid, the deal is complete.

No Loans, No Debt

One of the most notable aspects of Alchemy’s model is that it’s not a loan—there’s no debt, interest, or fixed repayment timeline. If a creator doesn’t earn the projected revenues in the estimated time or at all, Alchemy takes the loss.

“We pre-purchase a portion of your projected revenue today— but the payments happen whenever you make it. We may estimate you’ll earn $100,000 in six months, but if it takes a year, that’s on us. The fee never changes, and you only make payments as you earn",” says Wagschal. If a creator never makes back the money, say their Instagram account gets hacked, and they aren’t able to get back on their feet, they owe nothing.

Why Alchemy’s Model Can Work for Creators

Alchemy offers a flexible, low-risk solution for creators who need upfront capital but don’t fit the typical funding models. Whether it’s for living expenses, investing in equipment, or managing income fluctuations, Alchemy helps creators bridge cash flow gaps without taking on debt or giving up content ownership.

In an ideal world, creators would never need to get money from others, but if they were going to, a model like Alchemy is attractive, as it is modeled more like a partnership than a loan.

If you're curious about how much you could qualify for, you can use Alchemy's instant qualification calculator to see what you could unlock today.