Half of financial institutions reject micro-business loan applications due to unverifiable legitimacy. Among those with access to third-party data, confidence in credit decisions — and lender profitability — rises sharply. So why do many lenders still rely on incomplete, outdated records that stall approvals and...
A solo dental practice in a small town. A mom-and-pop Italian restaurant in a large city. Or a one-of-a-kind hair salon somewhere in between. Tiny, independently owned businesses with fewer than 10 employees and, typically, brick-and-mortar storefronts are a bulwark of private-sector entrepreneurship that contributes significantly...
Paris-based digital insurer Orus raised 25 million euros (about $29 million) in a Series B funding round to fuel the planned pan-European expansion of its digital platform offering tailored insurance for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Initially operating in France, Orus has begun its international...
Autobooks has added access to flexible funding for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to its platform by partnering with Fundbox. This collaboration brings together Fundbox’s embedded capital infrastructure for small businesses and Autobooks’ platform that provides receivables, payables, accounting and cash flow management tools integrated within...
Small business owners grew more optimistic in May as they reported improvements in their expected business conditions and sales expectations, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose to 98.8 in May, three points higher than it...
Home-buying and financing company Habito said its mortgage advisers now offer support at no cost to U.K. small business owners who are members of Mastercard’s Business Bonus program. This support is available to small business owners who are buying a home, refinancing or investing in...
While Wall Street rejoiced at the U.S.-China tariff truce, small businesses have less to celebrate. As The New York Times (NYT) reported Tuesday (May 27), these enterprises are struggling even after a drop in tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%. “Six weeks ago, 30 percent would...
To thrive in today’s fragmented retail landscape, small and medium-sized businesses must close the digital divide and embrace unified commerce strategies. It’s a good summary of PYMNTS’ new 2025 Global Digital Shopping Index: SMB Edition, which surveyed 18,468 consumers and 3,464 merchants across eight countries, including the...
No longer secondary considerations, the speed and efficiency of receiving non-recurring, or ad hoc, disbursements are becoming critical factors influencing an SMB’s operational stability and competitive position. The payments landscape for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the United States is undergoing a significant transformation,...