Subscribe
Sign in
Aster Key
p/aster-keyStart your mortgage anonymously
Start new thread
Chris Messina

Aster Key - Start your mortgage anonymously

by
Top Hunter
Start a home loan anonymously with our ultra-secure app. Get lender-ready and connect with privacy-focused lenders without revealing personal information. Product Hunters are tech leaders—perfect for exploring Aster Key to protect friends and family's data!

Add a comment

Replies

Best
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
📌
Hello, Product Hunters! ❤️ I’m Brad Blumberg. Along with my brother Eric and our fantastic team of makers, I’m excited to introduce Aster Key—a groundbreaking app for lenders and privacy-conscious consumers. Today, we announce an industry first: You can start a mortgage process anonymously with mainstream lenders in the United States. Our previous start-up made waves with mobile apps and data solutions for the residential real estate industry. That company was acquired, and we founded Aster Key out of frustration with financial institutions’ vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and data breaches. Yes, our data has been hacked from lender databases! This was in the news this week: "Massive data leak may include the personal data of every person in the US, UK, and Canada," so maybe you've experienced losing your data as well. The Problem When you apply for a mortgage, the harsh reality is that your data is treated like a hot potato—passed between lenders, tech vendors, and intermediaries. This exposes your confidential information to numerous massive, centralized servers, making it a prime target for hackers. Our Solution 🏦 Aster Key provides a channel for mainstream lenders, enabling consumers to bypass the initial application process and start their loans anonymously. 💪 Empower Consumers: Our free and ultra-secure Aster Key app gives consumers control over their financial and personal data. Aster Key’s Security Features 🔒 Secure Storage: Financial data is encrypted and stored directly on the consumer's mobile phone, never on our servers. 🔒 Data Anonymization: Personally identifiable information is removed from financial data, which is then encrypted and stored separately. 🔒 Automated Verification: Financial data is updated and verified via end-to-end encrypted integrations with Plaid and Argyle. 🔒 Field-Level Encryption: We aim to encrypt each piece of financial data individually with changing keys, not just at the database level. Key Features for Consumers 🔒 Centralized view of all financial information for lifetime use. 🔒 Dynamically generated personal financial statements and proof of funds. 🔒 Single passphrase and biometric authentication for enhanced security. 🔒 Anonymous Communication: Protects email address when contacting lenders. 🔒 A private, ad-free environment. 🚀 Anonymous mortgage initiation. Additionally, the app allows you to create verified financial statements and self-serve automated proof of funds letters in the U.S. and several supported countries. We’re planning global expansion, so feel free to reach out if you’re interested in collaborating. Unlike other finance apps like NerdWallet or Credit Karma, Aster Key prioritizes data privacy and ownership, not marketing your data. We're embracing defi principles and have an on-chain, Web3 roadmap. Today, we turn your mobile phone into a decentralized node, a mainstream on-ramp to the future. As Product Hunters, you’re likely the tech-savvy person in your circle—whether at work or in your personal life. Together, we can protect people’s financial assets, and we’d love your feedback and support. ❤️ Thank you.
giorgi khatiashvili
@bradblumberg Cool Product, How quickly can I start a mortgage application using Aster Key?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@giorgi_khatiashvili2 If you are looking for a home in the United States—TODAY! Just download the app from iTunes or Google Play. We'll work on other countries where we can verify data. If you are in countries supported by Plaid, you can create ultra-secure financial statements and a proof of funds letter on your mobile device (we don't store them on servers) to start your journey and share them with your lenders when ready. In the US, we have lenders in our marketplace in every state.
Joseph Abraham
@bradblumberg Well done on bringing your idea to life! Wishing you continued success and great experiences. What’s one feature you’re particularly excited about?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@kjosephabraham Thank you for the question, Joseph. The hard part was getting all your financial data verified on YOUR mobile phone while not storing any of it on Aster Key servers! But my favorite feature is that you can Start Your Loan Anonymously with MAINSTREAM lenders. That breakthrough, having customers, is huge for a start-up!
André J
Question: Who validates and manages the ledger that says you're capable of handling the mortgage? This anonymouse certificate must be managed somewhere and updated continuously?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@sentry_co Your phone connects you to validating sources, which update when you open the app. We use services like Plaid and Argyle to verify assets, debts, and income. Unlike other apps, we encrypt that data end to end and strip out the personally identifiable information. On your phone, your financial and personal data are stored and encrypted separately. We proof-hash the data to ensure it is not tampered with, but no lender can use the proofs yet, so it's not on-chain (yet) in that manner, but it will be as we build internal tools for lenders. It's a process to change everything :).
André J
@bradblumberg Nice. So Plaid and Argyle will be the authority of valid assets. That's cool they have a lot of skin in the game. That was the issue before. all these mortgage aggregators had no skin in the game so they just Yolo'ed your financial data. How long does the financial data and person data stay separate. until you sign the loan docs. or before that in some due dil process? I guess the most important phase is to guard the aggregation phase. where you get different offers etc? Really cool stuff! can't wait for this to go global. then we are moving away from malignant "Social score systems" and into more benign "decentralised fair game systems".
Chris Messina
Top Hunter
Hunter
This is actually awesome — a way for consumers to apply for mortgages without leaking their identity or financial info to data brokers! The dirty secret of high value transactions like this is that they're swarming with hungry data brokers who are looking for every chance to buy, aggregate, and sell warm leads to loan providers. @bradblumberg was fed up with this problem and realized that he could build a pipeline for savvy, forward-looking providers that are willing to give their customers a piece of mind by not harvesting personal information unless and until the consumer has picked a vendor. There's a bunch of fancy on-device encryption and anonymization that makes this all work behind the scenes and the Aster Key team is finally ready to take on banking, mortgage, and credit union customers who want to offer a more secure, privacy-preserving approach to mortgage applications.
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@chrismessina Thank you. You embody what Product Hunt means to many people, such as community, curiosity, and constructive feedback from people who love to build and solve problems. Thank you for your support and comments.
Majid Izadi
Congratulations on the launch, really cool idea, good job by you and your team. I believe mortgage is not your end game right? where are you going from here? good luck today
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@m4jiz We would like every consumer to be able to track (and revoke) all their data as it moves through any lending ecosystem, from mortgages to auto loans to credit cards. We also don't think credit bureaus deserve the right to hold and market our data. We see a world where they can score it anonymously, but that's it.
Majid Izadi
@bradblumberg amazing vision, best wishes for you, your brother and your team
Elke
This sounds like a game-changer, @bradblumberg! The focus on privacy and security is really timely, especially with the recent data breaches making headlines. Just wondering, how does Aster Key manage to ensure complete anonymity while still providing lenders with the necessary information to evaluate applications? Are you planning any partnerships with specific lenders to enhance the app's initial offerings? Also, any insights on your plans for scalability in the future? This is definitely an exciting launch! 🚀
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@elke_qin Good questions. Some are a manner of timing, i.e., the progression of our roadmap. Today, you can get lender-ready within the app in complete anonymity. You can also Start the Loan Process anonymously with a real, mainstream lender and even communicate via masked email to ensure you like what you hear. You can send your financials, which can be verified, over to the lender without personal identifying information attached. At some point you will have to reveal yourself to complete the loan and federal regs. Don't fear, the latter will change over time. For example, we're already working with the most prominent software provider in the mortgage ecosystem to keep your data anonymous in the next step. Then, we will work with some of the regulatory folks. It's a process, but we are confident this is how mortgage and loans will work within the next few years. If you can support us and our innovative lenders, that would be helpful, takes a community to make change!
Launching soon!
@bradblumberg, we’re sure the most innovative lenders will see a lot of business through this channel. Cheers to the launch!
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@sukhmani_kaur_paperguide We think this will be an option like 'buy now pay later' is for retail - on every mortgage lender application. IE the option to Start your loan anonymously!
Charlie Charles
This is such a valuable tool in todays digital age. The ability to start a mortgage process anonymously is something I think a lot of people will appreciate especially after all the recent data breaches.
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@charliee1122 Yes, that's our origin story! Tired of getting our data hacked, again and again.
Mary Garcia
Wow, @bradblumberg, Aster Key sounds like a game-changer for those tired of data breaches! 🔒 Love the focus on privacy and security—finally, we can break free from those "hot potato" data antics! Can't wait to try out the app and see how it transforms the mortgage process. Excited for the future of decentralized finance! Keep up the great work, Makers!
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@marygarcia Thank you so much. You can also use the app to make an ultra-secure financial statement!
Alena Bacharova
Congrats on the launch, Brad! 🎉The ability to initiate a mortgage anonymously with mainstream lenders is truly revolutionary. Best of luck!
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@alena_bach Alena, thank you for your support!
Ted Mann
This is so great. Came along at the perfect time. Going to use it today!
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@ted_mann1 You're the MANN! Thank you Ted, I know your firm CollX, so successful guys like you def want to stay safe and secure.
Zenda
Congrats on the launch! Great idea, it's the first time I saw a housing loan App on PH! I wonder what was your original intention to develop Aster Key? Will there be risk control during the loan application process?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@zenda1122 Our origin story: we were puzzled as to why almost every company we did business with seemed to be getting hacked. It seemed especially egregious in the most complex transaction most of us undertake a mortgage or home loan. As we dug deeper, we realized the obvious. None of us own our financial identity! It's owned by 3rd parties that sell it behind our backs, including 100 year old constructs like credit bureaus. There is so much tech and promise we knew there had to be a better way. We have a plan to de-risk the entire flow of data in the mortgage process, and we're taking it step by step!
Robert H
Besides the great security attributes of Aster Key, it's the privacy aspect that I love the most. Previously you would fill out an application online and get slaughtered for the next year with phone calls, texts and emails longer after your application process was completed. Now I know when I apply, I don't have to worry about getting inundated.
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@bert4332 We hear that ALL the time. Did you know in the US, something insane is allowed? Let's say you go to a lender, and they run your credit through Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian. That lender pays good money to do that. Guess what those credit bureau 💩's do the instant that happens? They sell your info to other lenders, saying you're applying for a loan! If that's not bad enough, a lot of those companies then send you mail that tries to look like the initial firm you are dealing with. Yea, it's a problem. Your data is sent everywhere. It sucks and is unsafe and not private.
Mark Curz
Love the idea of securing personal info during mortgage. Are there any limitations to using Aster Key with different lenders?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@mark_curz As long as you see the lender in our marketplace when you hit APPLY you can apply to one or more. Note, we only show lenders licensed in a particular state in the US. * The only asterisk is if you get the app from a lender directly, like you see a "start your loan anonymously" button on a lender website, you'll only see the lender who gave you the app.
Amensa Hulk
Hello, You haven't upload a demo video. Also the trailer for Android apps is not visible.
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@amensa_hulk Here's one to get you started. yes, we need some more videos, working on it!
Maali Baali
This could be a great tool for privacy in the mortgage industry. How does Aster Key compare to traditional mortgage brokers?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@maali_baali We are not a lender. We power any lender that 1) understands our mission is to always put consumer data privacy and data security first, and 2) when we say power, we mean we give lenders a channel to let consumers start their mortgage anonymously.
Carmen Judson
Wow, Aster Key is exactly what the mortgage industry needs! How’s the user experience so far?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@carmen_judson Since we launched last year, Thousands of consumers have created anonymized and secured financial statements on their phones. This week, we hooked up several lenders who will let you start your loan anonymously. We'll let you know how it goes!
Shelly Swazey
Privacy in our digital world is very difficult and frustrating. I'm tired of personally getting hacked and being notified by credit card companies and my bank that they've been hacked. This app sounds great!
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@shelly_swazey We got you, Shelly.
Trisha Sinha
Congratulations on the launch. Which other countries are on the road map for the product in the future?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@trisha_sinha20 It takes two things for us to launch in a country 1) a lender 2) there are tools to verify assets and income such as Plaid works there. We'll work on Canada, the UK, and the EU as Plaid works there now. I will throw this out there: if any product hunters already work with a lender in their country and want to partner with me, hit me up!
William Grewal
Very interesting.. we've just witnessed a couple vulnerabilities the last 3 weeks. Congrats on charting the course forward here.
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@wgrewal We look at everything we do from the perspective of protecting the consumer first.
Aarav Pittman
Its anonymous mortgage process is intriguing! Does it impact the approval timeline in any way?
Aster Key Brad Blumberg
Maker
@aarav_pittman YES! If you get ready in the Aster Key app, it saves you time, and you get to do it without judgment. Then, for lenders who it costs +/- $12,000 to process your loan, it reduces that cost for them as you are well ahead of the game when you apply.