The Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index reported that loan approval rates from institutional lenders and big banks have risen, reaching 62.2% and 22.8% respectively, marking a significant increase post-Great Recession. In contrast, small banks and credit unions showed stagnant to declining approval rates, with credit unions experiencing the lowest approvals since the index's inception. Experts attribute these trends to rising demand for dollar-backed assets among institutional investors and slow adaptation by smaller banks and credit unions to new lending platforms.

1. 62.2%62%
Highest Spike in Big Bank Lending
since the Great Recession
Big Bank and Institutional Lender Loan Approval Rates Continue to Thrive
OCTOBER 2015Small Business Lending Index
According to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending IndexTM
, a monthly analysis of 1,000 loan applications on Biz2Credit.com
The monthly analysis of 1,000 loan applications from Biz2Credit.com revealed continued growth for
institutional lenders and big banks, but steady decline for small banks and credit unions.
About the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending IndexTM
Biz2Credit analyzed loan requests ranging from $25,000 to $3 million from companies in business more than two years with an average credit score above 680.
Unlike other surveys, the results are based on primary data submitted by more than 1,000 small business owners who applied for funding on Biz2Credit's online
lending platform, which connects business borrowers and lenders.
TM
Loan Approvals at Small banks
Lending approval rates at small banks stayed flat at 49% in October, the same as in September.
“We are seeing an increasing demand from institutional investors who want to buy dollar backed assets that have a decent yield
as well as low regulatory risks. Right now, small business loans fit both the criteria and thus more institutional investors are
buying a greater number of loans at lower yield and longer terms. This also reflects on the growing maturity of marketplace
lending, which is becoming more mainstream now as an asset class. ” - Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora
“
Loan Approvals at Institutional Lenders
Institutional Lenders continued its month-over-month growth, reaching 62.2%, up from 62% in September.
Loan Approvals at Big banks
Big banks ($10 billion+ in assets) saw a surprising spike in their approval numbers -- the highest approval rates since after
the end of the Great Recession. October showed 22.8% of small business loan approvals, up from 22.5% in September.
yearly comparison
22.8%
20.4%
MONTHLY comparison
SEP’15 OCT’15
22.8%22.5%
yearly comparison
49.0%
50.2%
MONTHLY comparison
SEP’15 OCT’15
49.0%49.0%
yearly comparison
62.2%59.7%
MONTHLY comparison
OCT’15SEP’15
Credit union approvals
Credit unions approved 42.5% of loan applications in October, down two-tenths of a percent compared to September.
yearly comparison
42.5%
43.5%
MONTHLY comparison
OCT’14 OCT’15 SEP’15 OCT’15
42.5%42.7%
OCT’14 OCT’15
OCT’14 OCT’15
OCT’14 OCT’15
Small business loan approvals by Alternative lenders
Alternative lenders dropped slightly in October to 60.8%, down from 60.9% in September.
yearly comparison
60.8%
62.1%
MONTHLY comparison
“Alternative lenders approval rates have gone down as they have not been willing to lower their APR pricing thus leading to
higher quality customers turning down their offers and borrowing more money from Institutional lenders through marketplace
platforms. ” - Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora“
OCT’14 OCT’15 SEP’15 OCT’15
60.8%60.9%
“As interest rates start going up, we expect further increase in the Big Banks’ appetite for small business loans. Big Banks are
also warming up to buy more loans from the marketplace lenders. ” - Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora
“
“Small Banks have been slow to adapt to new ways of lending in the small business space, especially incorporating online
platforms, and thus their approvals have started to slide down” - Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora
“
“Credit Union approvals are at their lowest from the time of starting this Lending Index and the main reason is lack of clarity on
the cap which limits credit unions to lend only upto 12.5% of their asset base to small businsses and the pending legistation
which will allow the credit unions to lend up to 27.5% of their asset base as well as lack of investments in the digital space. ”
- Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora
“