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Is SBA 7(a) lending concentrating?

The top 10 of 3,156 active 7(a) lenders made 27.2% of all $400.9B in 7(a) volume, and their share has climbed from 26.4% in 2020 to 35.4% in 2025. SBA 7(a) lending is concentrating.

By Mario Bailey · Source: SBA FOIA 7(a) data, as of 2026-03-31

Published · Updated

What we measured. The share of total 7(a) approved dollars made by the 10 largest 7(a) lenders, each fiscal year. A rising share means lending is concentrating among fewer, larger lenders. The most recent fiscal year is partial.

The top 10 lenders' share of 7(a) volume, by year

2020 26.4% · 1,422 lenders
2021 25.3% · 1,497 lenders
2022 27.2% · 1,443 lenders
2023 28.9% · 1,397 lenders
2024 34.6% · 1,350 lenders
2025 35.4% · 1,341 lenders
2026 31.0% · 948 lenders

The 10 largest 7(a) lenders

By total 7(a) volume in the data. Many are national, nondepository or specialist SBA lenders rather than local banks, which is what is driving the concentration.

Why it matters for owners

Concentration is not automatically bad: the largest specialist lenders are often the fastest and most experienced with SBA paperwork. But it means the lender you pick matters more than ever. Compare lenders by track record in the Lender Finder before you apply.

Method, sources, and disclaimer. Shares are computed from the public SBA FOIA 7(a) data (as of 2026-03-31); see our methodology. 504 loans are excluded. The most recent fiscal year is partial. SBA Loan Index is not affiliated with the SBA and is not a lender, broker, or financial advisor.

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Cite this analysis

Mario Bailey. (2026). Is SBA 7(a) lending concentrating?. SBA Loan Index. https://sbaloanindex.com/studies/sba-lender-concentration/

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