Linked Finance surpasses €400m in SME lending

Linked Finance, Ireland’s leading non-bank SME lender, has passed €400 million in cumulative lending to small and medium-sized businesses since its launch in 2013, and has now backed more than 5,000 Irish SMEs.

The twin milestones cap the company’s strongest start to a year in 13 years, with lending so far in 2026 running roughly 65% ahead of the same period in 2025. The businesses Linked Finance has funded are estimated to have supported 50,000 jobs.

Over 13 years, some of the well-known Irish businesses Linked Finance has supported include VitHit, Cornucopia, Chopped, SchoolBooks.ie, Cloud Picker Coffee and Leo Burdock.

The milestone comes as Irish businesses navigate an uncertain economic environment marked by persistent inflationary pressures, geopolitical instability and global trade uncertainty.

Despite these economic headwinds, the lender has seen a rebound in confidence among Irish SMEs. The strong demand for finance suggests more Irish businesses are moving ahead with investment and expansion plans, even as policymakers warn of slower growth.

Demand rebuilding strongly in 2026

Application activity is holding up well, and lending volumes are running ahead of 2025, as businesses move from planning to investing, according to the lender.

The average loan has grown almost six-fold since launch, from around €18,000 in 2013 to approximately €125,000 today, reflecting the scale of ambition among Irish SMEs and their growing confidence in non-bank finance.

A broadening base of Irish business

Once concentrated in construction and manufacturing, Linked Finance’s lending is now markedly more broad-based. Alongside established demand from retail, professional services and hospitality, the company is seeing strong growth in newer categories – from gyms, data centres and wellness to childcare – a shift that mirrors the changing shape of the domestic economy. Lending also reaches well beyond the capital: almost two-thirds of borrowers are based outside Dublin, spanning every region of the country.

Customer loyalty has become a defining feature of the business, with roughly half of new lending now going to returning borrowers.

“Passing €400 million in lending and backing more than 5,000 Irish businesses are milestones we are enormously proud of. When we started in 2013, the average loan was around €18,000; today it is approximately €125,000, which tells you how much more ambitious Irish SMEs have become and how willing they are to invest in their own growth. With so many banks having stepped back from the Irish market over the past decade, Linked Finance is better placed than ever to back great Irish businesses.” commented Niall O’Grady, CEO of Linked Finance.

“What encourages us most is the momentum we are seeing in 2026 after a weak 2025 . Lending is running well ahead of where we were this time last year, applications are strong, and we are funding businesses in sectors that barely featured on our books a few years ago, from wellness to childcare. We now approve most loans within 24 hours, providing Irish SMEs with the speed, flexibility and certainty they need to invest and grow. That remains our focus as we continue backing ambitious businesses across Ireland.” added O’Grady.

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