Small business

Now the question is: will online portals become a significant source of financing for U.S. small businesses, or will red tape get in the way?

Antonio Weiss, a counselor to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, called Thursday for greater transparency in the pricing of online small-business loans.

Women who own small businesses are happier with their banking experiences than their male counterparts are, according to a study by J.D. Power released Thursday.

Wells Fargo has eliminated foreign transaction fees for transactions made by small businesses made outside the U.S.

"At some point there will probably be a government agency telling us to do this. So why not start now?" says MultiFunding CEO Ami Kassar.

Customers Bancorp in Wyomissing, Pa., is building an online borrowing experience for its small-business clients.

The ease of comparing rates online will make it hard for industry pioneers like Lending Club and OnDeck to keep generating high-margin loans, some observers believe.

OnDeck Capital, Lending Club, Funding Circle and Kabbage in the last week have all announced moves designed to boost their loan volumes.

Community banks, frustrated that online and email marketing often gets overlooked, are trying to get people to engage with local businesses in hopes of landing more clients.

The pioneering online lender Kabbage has raised $135 million in new equity financing, with three large multinational banks among the lead investors, the company announced Wednesday.

Valley National Bank in Wayne, N.J., has named Bernadette Mueller senior Community Reinvestment Act officer.

OnDeck Capital has hired Gary Fearnall as its country manager for Canada.

Empowering women to become more financially independent has been a hallmark of Lori Chillingworth's career as a small-business banker. Now she's on an even bigger mission: to help more women in Utah gain seats on corporate boards and compete for political office.

Marlin Business Services in Mount Laurel, N.J., has partnered with property and casualty insurer Hartford Financial Services Group to expand services for its core clientèle.

Kabbage is one of many nonbank lenders looking to partner with traditional financial institutions. But the firm is facing a tough sell with bankers who worry about the risks associated with ceding control of the loan-underwriting process.

Banks worldwide are in danger of losing significant profits in several lending areas to nonbank alternative lenders, according to a McKinsey study.

Emclaire Financial in Emlenton, Pa., has exited the Small Business Lending Fund.

In comments to the Treasury Department, traditional financial institutions are calling for more oversight of an industry that is fast becoming a big competitive threat.

Fundera, which runs a website where small-business owners can shop for loans, has raised $11.5 million in new equity funding.

Brayden McCarthy and Jared Hecht of Fundera argue that the Small Business Borrowers' Bill of Rights, a self-regulatory document written by online small-business lenders, should serve as a template for future government regulation of the sector.