Stef’s market update – June 2026 – why AI and open banking are changing how lenders look at deals

Something I’ve noticed over the last month is how much AI and open banking are now starting to shape commercial lending. It’s not theory anymore – it’s happening now and it’s already making a real difference to how quickly deals move.

The last three deals I’ve worked on have all involved some form of open banking or AI-led credit review which tells you where things are heading.

For years lenders have relied heavily on historic accounts, management information and lots of paperwork to make decisions. That still matters but Open Banking has changed the picture quite a bit. With a client’s permission lenders can now look at live bank data and get a much clearer view of how a business is actually trading today.

That means they can see cash coming in, what’s going out, how stable income is and where pressure points might sit. It paints a far more honest picture than accounts filed nine months ago.

Add AI into that and things move much quicker.  AI can go through huge amounts of bank data in minutes, spot trends, pick up warning signs and help lenders make quicker calls. Jobs that once took underwriters days can now be reviewed in a matter of hours.

From what I’m seeing, this is helping in a few key ways:

Speed is the big one. Deals that would have dragged on for weeks can now move far quicker if the data stacks up.

It’s also opening doors for businesses that may not tick every box on a traditional lending form. A business might have had a rough patch in the past or a balance sheet that doesn’t tell the full story but if the live trading looks good, lenders are often far more open to backing it.  That’s particularly useful for unsecured lending, working capital and shorter-term facilities where speed matters.

It doesn’t mean lending has become easier. Lenders are still cautious and they should be. But decisions are getting smarter because they’re based on what’s happening now, not just what happened last year.

For brokers like us it helps too. Less paperwork, quicker answers and a smoother process for clients.

I think this will keep growing through the rest of the year. Businesses are moving faster and lenders need to keep up. The firms embracing this tech are the ones getting deals done quicker and with less friction.