When First Brands Group filed for bankruptcy on September 28, 2025, Wall Street expected a messy restructuring. What they got instead was a financial crime thriller involving $2.3 billion in factoring deals that simply vanished, and a DOJ investigation into one of the most brazen alleged frauds in recent memory.

According to the announcement, Newton Commercial Finance will aim to deliver structured finance solutions tailored to 'essential-use assets backed by strong collateral.' Backed by seasoned institutions, the platform is expected to offer a combination of reliable capital, speed, and flexibility, all essential traits in today’s evolving business lending landscape.

Libertas, a fintech platform based in Greenwich, Connecticut, specializes in revenue-based financing and other non-bank funding solutions tailored for growing businesses. According to the press release, the new credit facility will enhance Libertas’ ability to scale its offerings and extend capital access to more business owners nationwide.

The LendingTree study tracked three primary small business financing products: traditional term loans (lump sums repaid over a set period with interest), lines of credit (borrow-as-needed revolving credit up to a limit), and merchant cash advances (advances on future revenue). Each serves a different purpose, term loans for major investments, such as equipment or expansion, lines of credit for managing cash flow fluctuations, and MCAs for quick capital needs,

Last month, we hit the floor at the Brokers Expo in New York City to capture what makes this industry tick, the people behind the deals, the platforms, and the ideas shaping the future of business lending.

Worldpay, the payments giant processing 50 billion transactions annually, just launched something that should terrify traditional banks and excite every software CEO: The Embedded Finance Engine.

Parafin makes this plug-and-play. Platform gets happy customers + revenue share. Small businesses get instant capital. Parafin gets scale. Cross River gets yield. Everyone wins except traditional banks still requiring fax machines.

The most notable takeaway may be the drop in the number of CDFIs that say they can fully meet demand. While many still report being able to meet most needs, the decline in full satisfaction rates suggests growing constraints, whether in capital, staffing, technology, or compliance.

The convicted individual, Rosalend Way, 40, was found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering after a three-day trial in the Middle District of Georgia. Prosecutors say she and a co‑defendant, James Frank Austin of Americus, strategically misrepresented payroll data and company ownership to secure millions in PPP funds guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.

For those unfamiliar, Ualett provides fast cash advances to rideshare drivers, delivery couriers, and other independent contractors. What makes the platform stand out is its focus on flexibility. There are no credit checks, no personal guarantees, and no traditional loan structures. Instead, Ualett verifies a worker’s earnings in real-time and offers advances based on actual performance.

Fundkite, founded in 2015, offers multiple financial solutions to the ongoing problems businesses face. Its CEO, Alex Shvarts, has been featured on CNBC and on the Forbes Technology Council. In speaking with Mr. Shvarts, he says that their financing structure is proprietary, and he will only say they have created a payment system that complies with Texas law. 

LendOS, a rising fintech platform, has secured its Series A funding round with a major backer, Blackstone. This investment marks a major milestone for the company, signaling strong confidence from institutional capital in its business model and market potential.

Armstrong confirmed that Coinbase is focused on expanding beyond cryptocurrency trading. The company aims to offer a broader suite of financial services, including payments and potentially banking products, within a single unified app.

Top observations from Brokers Expo NYC 2025, where the business funding industry came together this week to network and learn from some of the top experts in the industry. Additionally, what is happening at the SBA that they have reversed the reinstatement of Upfront fees for Borrowers, to now waive them for manufacturers? I talk about the hypocrisy and politics involved.

Blackbridge Investment Group, a revenue-based finance company, today announced it has rebranded as BIG Funding. The new name reflects the company’s mission to be more recognizable and accessible to its growing network of partners and merchant clients across the country.

As Stripe continues its expansion into new markets with its broader suite of tools, this move signals that capital access is becoming a core offering in the global fintech playbook.

Football, food, drinks, and networking, what better way to spend a Monday night? On Monday, September 29th, Funder Intel is hosting a tailgate party in the ORANGE LOT at Hard Rock Stadium before the Miami Dolphins take on the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

The embedded lending market continues its steady expansion as Fundbox, the embedded capital infrastructure provider, announces its integration with EverCommerce (NASDAQ: EVCM) platforms. The partnership brings capital access directly into the SaaS tools used by over 350,000 small businesses across multiple countries, adding another data point to the growing embedded finance trend.

Uber Eats is not a fintech company, but by embedding Pipe’s capital access into its platform, it becomes a lender in the eyes of its restaurant partners. It’s frictionless, it's contextual, and it’s likely to be highly effective.

Squarespace Capital enables eligible U.S. and U.K. sellers to access business funding with the structure of revenue-based/sales-based/merchant cash advances with financing offered by Celtic Bank and YouLend, respectively, powered by Stripe, and plans to expand to further geographies.

The future of brokerage and lead generation is digital-first. Clients don’t just want access to capital — they want a smooth, modern experience. By building your own portals and apps, you elevate your business from “traditional broker” to “tech-enabled partner.” With Base44, you can build these tools yourself in days — at a fraction of the cost of custom development.

A chat with Boris Mendes, CEO of B2 Systems, about all things business lending and fintech, as he recently launched the B2 software platform for business loan brokers. With more than 10 years in alternative business funding, Boris shares valuable insights with new entrants and veterans alike.

Funder Intel President Shane Mahabir discusses the news of Fora Financial and Celtic Bank partnering up to expand lending services. He dives into the news, what it means, how funders of sales-based financing (MCA/RBF) are proceeding in Texas, and more.

Always Evolving, Always Improving. Our mission is to stay ahead of the curve, continuously updating the course to reflect today’s underwriting realities, not last year’s. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce a powerful new addition to the course…