Fintechs (financial technology) is becoming more important for small businesses and startups, especially those seeking financing solutions. According to the FDIC Small Business Lending Survey, 31% of banks already use fintechs for SMB finance, while another 22% plan to use it soon to offer loans to small business owners.

Even though fintechs helps with faster and easier lending, it’s vital to follow financial rules and laws. This is known as regulatory compliance, and it keeps the system safe and fair and avoids penalties for financial institutions. But 93% of digital lending platforms admit to having problems meeting regulatory requirements. 

In the past, fintechs didn’t face as many rules as regular banks, but that’s changing. Regulators are paying more attention, especially when it comes to SMB lending. 

As new regulatory trends emerge, SMB lending platforms must stay current on the new rules. Effective compliance strategies meet business needs, reduce risks, and build trust with customers and partners. 

How Fintechs Increases Access to Capital In SMB Finance

According to the Federal Reserve, only 42% of small business owners report getting the financing they need. Without a business loan, many of these borrowers must rely on credit cards or a line of credit to get them through. 

Common business financing needs include:

  • Business expansion
  • Working capital
  • Equipment purchases
  • Marketing campaigns 
  • Commercial real estate purchases
  • Business acquisitions
  • Startup costs
  • Commercial debt consolidation
  • Cash flow boosts

Many small businesses lack the time in operation or revenue traditional banks require, leading many to choose digital lending platforms. These platforms usually offer more flexible terms for borrowers.

Benefits of Digital Lending Platforms

  • Improved borrower eligibility assessments
  • Automated analysis of financial data
  • Enhanced risk evaluation through technology
  • Credit scoring and interest rate calculations through financial modeling
  • Faster loan processing and funding 

Many banks work with fintechs for their digital lending platforms. The best fintechs partner with third-party services that enhance the lending process.

Compliance Challenges in Fintechs and SMB Lending

If you’re a lender in SMB finance, you probably already know compliance is tough. There are three main challenges digital lenders face.

1. Managing Data

Data is shared across different platforms and systems, making it more challenging to manage the data. SMB lending platforms must keep the data safe, private, correct, and stored properly. They also have to follow rules about how the data is used. To protect sensitive information from being stolen or misused, SMB lending platforms need strong systems that focus on keeping data secure and well-managed.

2. Rapidly Changing Regulations

Regulatory rules are always changing. This can make it hard for SMB lenders to stay up to date. Finding a balance between following the rules and staying innovative is important. SMB lending platforms must do both to remain competitive and meet business needs. Some SMB lending solutions have integrations that offer real-time updating for regulatory changes.

3. Compliance Costs

Running a strong and flexible compliance program can be expensive and time-consuming. These programs often must be updated with new technologies and regular checkups to make sure the rules are followed. Despite the cost, an effective compliance program is important to avoid big fines and other serious problems.

The Risks of Non-Compliance

When an SMB lending platform doesn’t follow regulatory requirements, it can face serious problems. In the worst case, a lender might lose its license and no longer be allowed to do business. There are other risks, too.

Penalties and Fines 

Not following regulations on SMB lending platforms can lead to big fines. In 2022, 60% of fintechs companies had to pay at least $250,000 in fines, and one-third paid over $500,000. Government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) take these violations seriously and often issue heavy penalties.

Business Disruptions

If an SMB finance platform is accused of breaking the rules, it may be investigated. This can lead to audits, frozen accounts, or limits on business activities until the issues are fixed. These disruptions can cost money and take attention away from running the business. Worst of all, it can affect the customer experience and make clients go elsewhere.

Reputational Harm 

Consumers want their information to be secure when using SMB finance platforms. That means financial institutions must follow regulations. Even a small mistake can hurt your platform’s reputation and cause people to lose trust. When that happens, fewer people may want to use the platform, making it harder for your financial institution to grow and succeed.

Increased Scrutiny by Regulatory Authorities 

Once an SMB lending platform is flagged for breaking the rules, it can lead to more audits and closer monitoring by government agencies. Regulators may require more frequent reporting and impose stricter rules. 

Both can be stressful and time-consuming for banks in the SMB finance industry. It can also slow down the growth of your platform and take focus away from meeting the business needs of small business owners.

7 Key Regulatory Trends Shaping SMB Finance and Fintechs in 2025 

As fintechs and SMB finance continue to grow and change in 2025, new rules and trends are shaping how financial institutions operate and protect their customers. Here are seven trends we’re currently seeing.

1. More Rules for Embedded Finance

Embedded finance is becoming a more common SMB finance solution. It involves financial services that are built into non-financial apps or platforms.

But there’s still confusion about who is responsible for following the rules, sharing information with customers, and keeping things safe. SMB lending platforms and fintechs must be clearer and explain their role. 

Set clear rules in contracts when partnering with third parties that outline each company’s responsibilities. This helps avoid legal problems while protecting borrowers.

2. Stronger KYC and AML Requirements 

A study by LexisNexis® Risk Solutions found that SMB finance fraud rose by 13.6% in 2023. Because of this, 72% of digital lenders and banks said they plan to spend more money to stop financial crimes.

As online fraud becomes more common, government regulators expect SMB lending platforms that serve small businesses to follow stricter Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) rules. These rules help companies stay within the law and protect against illegal financial activity. 

Using tools like document scanning and biometric checks can help confirm that business and personal information is real, especially for high-risk customers. Automated systems with machine learning can also watch for strange behavior and catch fraud early. Regular checkups (audits) and strong internal controls can make an AML program even stronger and more effective.

3. Regulatory Technology (RegTech)

RegTech is making it easier for fintechs and SMB lending platforms to follow complex regulatory rules. It uses advanced tools like AI, machine learning, and blockchain to manage risks and keep up with changing regulations. 

AI and machine learning automate routine tasks, like filling out reports and checking if a company is following new regulatory rules. Meanwhile, blockchain helps with things like keeping track of transactions and verifying customer identities.

4. Contingency Plans

Operational disruptions are a significant concern in the digital lending industry. Regulators have new guidelines that require SMB lending platforms and fintechs to consider things that could go wrong. 

They’re also being asked to test their systems to evaluate how strong they are if something goes haywire. 

Lending platforms also need backup plans so customers can still get the services they need, even during unexpected issues.

5. Cross-Border Compliance

Some fintechs operate in multiple countries, which means they must follow different regulations in each place. This can make things more complicated. Right now, there’s a growing trend toward cross-border compliance, which would create consistent regulatory rules and make it easier for fintechs to stay compliant. 

6. Open Banking and Data Privacy Controls

Open banking is growing fast, creating both new opportunities and challenges for digital lending platforms. It lets financial institutions share data across different platforms. This can help platforms offer more personalized services and financial products, including automated accounting software solutions and custom loan options for SMB finance.  

But with all this data being shared, there are more questions about how it’s being stored, utilized, and shared. 

Lending platforms must follow data privacy laws and be upfront with customers about how their information is handled. To keep user data safe, your SMB finance platform should use strong encryption, educate users on data safety, and build secure systems (called APIs) for sharing information.

7. Compliance Training Programs

An effective compliance training program helps employees understand how regulatory laws apply to how the business runs. It’s also helpful to provide different training to different teams based on their roles. 

For example, marketing teams should be clear and honest in ads, while the product team should make sure the design of the app or website follows regulations. 

Refresher courses are also important to keep everyone up-to-date when regulatory rules change. 

Final Thoughts 

As regulatory trends impact SMB finance and fintechs, it’s vital to stay updated on these changes to avoid fines and keep the trust of their customers. Financial institutions that prioritize compliance will have a better chance of succeeding.

Biz2x is a trusted platform made to support SMB lending. It helps banks and other financial institutions follow the rules more easily by using built-in tools and automation. With more attention from regulators than ever before, the way fintechs and SMB finance work is starting to shift.

Download our white paper, “The Forthcoming Revolution in Small Business Lending,” for more insights. It explains how better, simpler rules are changing how technology and finance work together to support SMBs.

FAQs

1. What is SMB finance?

SMB finance refers to financial services designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It's important in fintechs because it helps more companies get business financing. 

2. What are the biggest challenges SMB lending platforms face with regulations?

SMB finance platforms struggle to keep up with changing laws. They must deal with data security, fraud prevention, and high compliance costs while still trying to offer fast, easy services to small business owners.

3. How does technology help with SMB finance compliance?

It helps automate tasks like reports, identity verification, and fraud detection. These tools make it easier for SMB lending platforms to stay up to date with rules.

4. How can banks and fintechs prepare for future changes in SMB finance regulations?

Companies can prepare by staying informed, offering compliance training, building secure systems, and using platforms like Biz2x that are designed to support SMB finance with built-in compliance tools and automation.

5. Which fintech provider can help banks the best in terms of meeting SMB finance compliance?

Biz2x is a platform designed to support SMB finance by helping financial institutions follow regulations more easily. It offers built-in tools for risk management, automation, and reporting, making it easier to stay compliant while serving small business customers more effectively.