2 weeks Ago By Lauren Towner
In The Fintech Magazine Issue #34, we focus on a key player in global economic growth: SMEs. These businesses make up about 99% of all companies and account for 50–60% of the economic value in OECD countries.Yet, they often find it hard to get the financial support they need to expand as traditional banks are usually hesitant to take risks, and SMEs often struggle to provide the data banks need to evaluate them properly, leading to a funding gap.
But things might be changing, thanks to advancements in AI.This issue looks at how AI is helping to close that gap. This bumper issue features insights from Martin McCann and his team at Trade Ledger (page 29), who are changing the way banks approach SME lending.
Robert Downs also shares how Finastra is providing more opportunities for businesses to access loans (page 18), using smarter technology to make credit more available and suited to what SMEs require.We also highlight how various governments are stepping up to back the SME sector.Take the 2025 Singapore Budget – it introduced great tax relief and financial incentives for businesses focusing on digital changes, especially in AI and skill-building.
This shows that the government views SMEs as an important part of the economy, ready to invest in their growth. This approach is quite different from what we see in other regions, where support has been less enthusiastic, particularly from established financial institutions.Another important theme in this issue is the growing focus on non-financial metrics, especially carbon accounting.
As investors and banks look beyond just financial statements, environmental reporting is becoming crucial for lending and investment decisions.However, creating a reliable carbon ledger has its challenges. We explore these issues and potential solutions as the UK aims to improve its carbon accounting system (page 35).
This issue of The Fintech Magazine provides a practical perspective on how fintechs, banks, and governments can better support the often-overlooked but promising SME sector, while also preparing for a financial future that prioritizes transparency and sustainability.The post The Fintech Magazine Issue #34 appeared first on FF News | Fintech Finance..
