SBA 7(a) loan statistics FY2026: approvals, lenders, industries
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Annual figures from the SBA's public 7(a) loan file as of September 30, 2026. FY2026 is the latest complete fiscal year. Each table covers all 7(a) loans, with loans used to buy an existing business shown next to them.
Approvals by fiscal year
The SBA approved 48,528 7(a) loans worth $29B in FY2026, with a median loan of $235,000. Loan count was 24% lower than in FY2025. Acquisitions were 13.7% of the loans.
| Fiscal year | All 7(a) loans | Total approved | Median loan | Acquisition loans | Acquisition median | Acquisition share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 54,222 | $23B | $125,000 | 3,938 | $479,800 | 7.3% |
| FY2019 | 45,686 | $21B | $150,000 | 5,634 | $508,000 | 12.3% |
| FY2020 | 36,488 | $20B | $200,000 | 4,945 | $608,000 | 13.6% |
| FY2021 | 45,297 | $32B | $330,500 | 6,036 | $700,000 | 13.3% |
| FY2022 | 42,185 | $23B | $200,000 | 4,610 | $709,100 | 10.9% |
| FY2023 | 51,713 | $25B | $150,000 | 4,653 | $642,500 | 9.0% |
| FY2024 | 62,540 | $28B | $150,000 | 5,560 | $650,750 | 8.9% |
| FY2025 | 63,954 | $32B | $180,000 | 6,859 | $702,500 | 10.7% |
| FY2026 | 48,528 | $29B | $235,000 | 6,667 | $770,000 | 13.7% |
Business-age mix
Lenders record a business age on each application. "Change of Ownership" marks acquisitions and is the category this site tracks. In FY2026, 6,667 of 48,528 loans carried it.
| Fiscal year | Existing or more than 2 years old | Startup, Loan Funds will Open Business | New Business or 2 years or less | Change of Ownership | Unanswered | Existing, 5 or more years | New, Less than 1 Year old | Not recorded | Less than 3 years old but at least 2 | Less than 4 years old but at least 3 | Less than 5 years old but at least 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 21,848 | 8,860 | 10 | 3,938 | 7,848 | 6,452 | 2,149 | 511 | 1,035 | 840 | 731 |
| FY2019 | 23,897 | 7,596 | 16 | 5,634 | 8,019 | - | - | 524 | - | - | - |
| FY2020 | 19,767 | 5,505 | 2,715 | 4,945 | 3,369 | - | - | 187 | - | - | - |
| FY2021 | 23,091 | 7,852 | 8,292 | 6,036 | 26 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FY2022 | 21,183 | 7,388 | 8,980 | 4,610 | 23 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| FY2023 | 27,173 | 9,235 | 10,633 | 4,653 | 19 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FY2024 | 36,366 | 9,875 | 10,605 | 5,560 | 134 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FY2025 | 36,964 | 10,101 | 9,938 | 6,859 | 92 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FY2026 | 26,308 | 8,238 | 7,298 | 6,667 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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Franchised acquisitions by year
17% of acquisition loans in FY2026 financed a franchised business, compared with 22% in FY2018.
| Fiscal year | Acquisition loans | Franchised | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 3,938 | 864 | 22% |
| FY2019 | 5,634 | 1,203 | 21% |
| FY2020 | 4,945 | 1,008 | 20% |
| FY2021 | 6,036 | 1,243 | 21% |
| FY2022 | 4,610 | 999 | 22% |
| FY2023 | 4,653 | 808 | 17% |
| FY2024 | 5,560 | 664 | 12% |
| FY2025 | 6,859 | 917 | 13% |
| FY2026 | 6,667 | 1,143 | 17% |
Top lenders by all 7(a) loans, FY2026
Newtek Bank, National Association made the most 7(a) loans in FY2026 (3,480), followed by The Huntington National Bank and U.S. Bank, National Association. Lender pages exist for banks with 25 or more acquisition loans.
| # | Lender | Loans | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newtek Bank, National Association | 3,480 | $932M | |
| 2 | The Huntington National Bank | 3,042 | $1.3B | |
| 3 | U.S. Bank, National Association | 2,797 | $876M | |
| 4 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 2,687 | $305M | |
| 5 | Live Oak Banking Company | 2,308 | $2.5B | |
| 6 | TD Bank, National Association | 1,633 | $258M | |
| 7 | Northeast Bank | 1,527 | $273M | |
| 8 | Readycap Lending, LLC | 1,181 | $394M | |
| 9 | Celtic Bank Corporation | 997 | $502M | |
| 10 | Zions Bancorporation, National Association | 992 | $306M | |
| 11 | CenTrust Bank, A Division of SmartBiz Bank National Association | 919 | $186M | |
| 12 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association | 826 | $236M | |
| 13 | United Midwest Savings Bank National Association | 789 | $321M | |
| 14 | Lendistry SBLC, LLC | 776 | $166M | |
| 15 | Columbia Bank | 682 | $80.3M |
Top lenders by acquisition loans, FY2026
For loans that bought an existing business, the leaders in FY2026 were The Huntington National Bank, Live Oak Banking Company, First Internet Bank of Indiana, Byline Bank, Hanmi Bank.
| # | Lender | Loans | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National Bank | 760 | $610M | |
| 2 | Live Oak Banking Company | 668 | $930M | |
| 3 | First Internet Bank of Indiana | 201 | $243M | |
| 4 | Byline Bank | 184 | $252M | |
| 5 | Hanmi Bank | 127 | $115M | |
| 6 | Pathward National Association | 125 | $275M | |
| 7 | United Midwest Savings Bank National Association | 93 | $82.4M | |
| 8 | US Metro Bank | 92 | $182M | |
| 9 | Zions Bancorporation, National Association | 85 | $83.5M | |
| 10 | Celtic Bank Corporation | 83 | $122M | |
| 11 | Truliant FCU | 83 | $120M | |
| 12 | Open Bank | 82 | $155M | |
| 13 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 81 | $45.4M | |
| 14 | Newtek Bank, National Association | 81 | $24.7M | |
| 15 | Beacon Bank and Trust | 80 | $167M |
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Top industries for acquisitions, FY2026
The most financed acquisitions in FY2026 were Full-Service Restaurants, Limited-Service Restaurants, Hotels and Motels.
| # | Industry | Loans | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full-Service Restaurants | 389 | $331M | |
| 2 | Limited-Service Restaurants | 234 | $177M | |
| 3 | Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels | 222 | $722M | |
| 4 | Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | 213 | $223M | |
| 5 | Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores | 178 | $383M | |
| 6 | General Automotive Repair | 171 | $171M | |
| 7 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 135 | $198M | |
| 8 | Landscaping Services | 133 | $138M | |
| 9 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 127 | $148M | |
| 10 | Child Care Services | 110 | $158M | |
| 11 | Offices of Certified Public Accountants | 101 | $90.8M | |
| 12 | Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | 100 | $107M | |
| 13 | Home Health Care Services | 93 | $134M | |
| 14 | Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | 90 | $75M | |
| 15 | Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars | 88 | $42.6M |
Top states for acquisitions, FY2026
California led with 664 acquisition loans in FY2026, followed by Texas and Florida.
| # | State | Loans | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 664 | $813M | |
| 2 | Texas | 632 | $970M | |
| 3 | Florida | 524 | $714M | |
| 4 | Washington | 287 | $378M | |
| 5 | Ohio | 273 | $314M | |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 255 | $279M | |
| 7 | Colorado | 251 | $302M | |
| 8 | New York | 244 | $311M | |
| 9 | Michigan | 241 | $260M | |
| 10 | North Carolina | 217 | $310M | |
| 11 | Illinois | 214 | $281M | |
| 12 | Georgia | 201 | $289M | |
| 13 | Minnesota | 177 | $163M | |
| 14 | New Jersey | 171 | $183M | |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 163 | $197M |
Questions buyers ask
How many SBA 7(a) loans were approved in FY2026?
The file lists 48,528 7(a) loans approved in FY2026 (cancelled loans excluded), totaling $29B, with a median of $235,000. That is 24% fewer loans than FY2025.
What share of 7(a) loans finance a business purchase?
In FY2026, 6,667 of 48,528 loans (13.7%) were recorded by the lender as a change of ownership, meaning the proceeds bought an existing business.
Which lenders made the most 7(a) loans?
By loan count in FY2026: Newtek Bank, National Association (3,480), The Huntington National Bank (3,042), U.S. Bank, National Association (2,797), Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (2,687), Live Oak Banking Company (2,308). For acquisition loans alone the leaders are different; see the table below and the lender ranking.
Which industries get the most SBA acquisition loans?
In FY2026, the most financed acquisitions were in Full-Service Restaurants, Limited-Service Restaurants, Hotels and Motels. See the industry pages for loan sizes, lenders, and charge-off rates.
Where does this data come from and how current is it?
It is computed from the SBA's public 7(a) FOIA loan file, as of September 30, 2026. Fiscal years run October 1 to September 30. See the methodology.