Whitepapers
Liberis Impact Report 2025: Expanding Access, Powering Growth
Data from 1,700+ SMBs reveals how timely, embedded funding drives growth, resilience, and long-term success.
December 2, 2025
Kieran Darmody
Highlights
Small businesses are navigating one of the toughest operating environments in recent years, rising costs, economic uncertainty, and limited access to traditional finance.
Our latest research, based on 1,700+ funded small businesses across the UK and US, shows a clear pattern: when funding is delivered at the right moment, it unlocks growth, resilience, and long-term value.
Embedded finance is not just improving access to capital, it’s transforming outcomes for small businesses and the platforms that serve them.
Key Takeaways
Our research highlights the real-world impact of funding on small businesses today, revealing not just the challenges they face, but the tangible outcomes when they can access capital at the right time.
Funding drives real growth - 77% of small businesses reported revenue growth after receiving funding, with many significantly outperforming wider economic trends.
Access to capital remains a major barrier - Over 75% of businesses faced rejection from traditional lenders, highlighting a persistent gap in the market.
Embedded finance is unlocking first-time funding - For many businesses, this was their first access to capital, removing friction and enabling faster decision-making.
Timing is everything - Businesses that accessed funding at key operational moments—such as inventory purchases or seasonal peaks, achieved significantly higher growth trajectories.
The impact goes beyond revenue - Funding helps businesses survive, create jobs, and invest in future growth, with over 90% reporting a positive operational impact.
Demand for funding is only increasing - 82% of businesses say their financial needs are evolving, and the vast majority expect to seek funding again.
Small businesses are navigating a perfect storm… when you deliver the right funding at the right time, you unlock genuine growth.
Rob Fairfield
CEO, Liberis
Conclusion
The findings are clear: access to fast, flexible funding is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s critical infrastructure for small business growth.
Traditional finance models are failing to meet the needs of modern businesses, creating missed opportunities, stalled growth, and unnecessary pressure on entrepreneurs.
Embedded finance changes that. By delivering capital through the platforms small businesses already trust, it removes friction, accelerates decision-making, and enables businesses to act when it matters most.
For partners, the opportunity is equally compelling. Providing financial solutions isn’t just about supporting customers, it drives retention, deepens relationships, and creates long-term competitive advantage.
About Liberis
Liberis is an embedded finance partner for platforms, including vertical SaaS providers, marketplaces, payment processors, and payment companies. Liberis enables platforms to offer tailored financial solutions to their merchant ecosystems, supporting growth across businesses of all sizes.
Liberis partners closely with platforms, combining merchant data and distribution with over a decade of finance expertise and funding experience across economic cycles. By understanding merchant behaviour and business rhythm, Liberis embeds finance directly into platform workflows, delivering funding and financial tools at key moments in the merchant lifecycle.
Rather than offering standardised products, Liberis co-creates solutions around each partner’s brand, technology, and merchant needs. Its flexible, API-driven architecture allows platforms to configure, launch, and scale embedded finance offerings across 15 markets, with the ability to add new products over time without requiring further platform integration.
For platforms, Liberis delivers recurring revenue opportunities and supports merchant acquisition and retention. For merchants, Liberis provides fast and transparent access to capital, from $500 to $1M+, with clear pricing, flexible repayment aligned to business performance, and dedicated support. For more information, visit their website: https://www.liberis.com/
Embedded Finance. Built Together.
