Small business lending

Sens. Ed Markey and Ron Wyden argue that the Small Business Administration neglected to warn small firms of the risks of merchant cash advances and closed off a key "escape route" from the resulting debts.

The 22nd State Bank in Mobile has been developing its national Always.bank subsidiary over the past year. 22nd State, which was founded in 1917, is eyeing a summertime launch for the online unit.

As gas prices surge, small businesses — particularly in agriculture and transportation — have struggled to keep up. For banks, this has brought a combination of short-term benefits and long-term concerns.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a new version of a small-business lending rule that took 17 years to get over the finish line. Banks are still lobbying for the rule to be repealed.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is poised to finalize a contentious rule mandating the collection of demographic data on small-business borrowers, with the aim of ensuring equal access to credit for women and minority owners.

Australia's national Payments Systems Board has decided to remove surcharges on prepaid, debit and credit cards for electronic funds transfers, while lowering the cap on interchange fees. Also, Wells Fargo is seeking banks for its international payment network, and more in American Banker's global payments and fintech roundup.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michelle Bowman said the Fed's proposed capital framework will inject up to $100 billion into the economy to support small-business loans.

Square, Block's merchant-focused business line, is trying to make more loans to seasonal businesses and first-time clients.

The Chicago-based lender service provider, which has helped build Northeast Bank in Maine into an SBA powerhouse, has expanded its capacity with an AI-driven technology upgrade.

Fintech lenders are positioned to help businesses navigate the latest round of global tariffs announced by President Trump, even as the volatility causes overall decreases in loans.

The Small Business Administration plans to bar green-card holders from receiving federal small-business loans. The result will be devastating for large swathes of the U.S. economy, costing jobs and cutting tax revenue.

Some distressed companies that tapped the Federal Reserve's Main Street Lending Program say they've been crushed by the agency's hard-line stance on modifications.

The latest directive, which takes effect in March, allows only U.S. citizens and nationals to seek government-guaranteed financing. It's drawing criticism from Democrats in Congress, small-business advocates and some lenders.

Democratic senators are attributing a recent decline in lending activity to a Trump administration regulation that puts new restrictions on borrowers with foreign ownership.

A new bill from Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., would streamline the Securities and Exchange Commission's small-business surveys, which the agency uses to consider the needs of small businesses in rulemakings.

PayPal and other fintechs already offer small business loans based on future payment flows, creating a competitive market.

The latest linkup with the software provider Wave gives Fundbox access to more than 350,000 potential borrowers. It's the fourth major partnership that Texas-based Fundbox has announced in 2025.

Philadelphia-area Citadel Credit Union is starting to see a payoff from a major investment in its business banking operations. 

BayFirst Financial, which has reported problems with SBA loans, expects to reach an agreement with its regulators in connection with credit administration and other issues.

In an environment of persistent economic unease, banks have a unique opportunity to help small businesses, Sekou Kaalund, U.S. Bank's head of branch and small business banking, said at American Banker's 2025 Small Business Banking conference.