151 lenders
The banks that finance business acquisitions
Acquisition lending is a specialism, not a service every bank offers. Ten institutions wrote 28.1% of every SBA-financed business acquisition in the country since FY2019. For a seller this is not trivia: a buyer whose financing sits with a bank that has closed four hundred deals in your industry is a materially different counterparty from one whose local branch has never seen a goodwill loan.
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Ranked by acquisitions financed
Footprint is the number of states in which the lender wrote at least one acquisition loan. It separates the national acquisition specialists from community banks doing a handful of local deals.
| Lender | Footprint | Acquisitions | Capital | Median loan | Median rate | Median term | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Oak Banking Company | 51 states | 4,148 | $6.1bn | $985,000 | 7.75% | 10 years | 6.6% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 46 states | 2,261 | $2.1bn | $516,400 | 8.95% | 10 years | 9.5% |
| Byline Bank | 46 states | 780 | $1.1bn | $1,006,750 | 9.12% | 10 years | 10.8% |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 46 states | 745 | $1.1bn | $1,012,800 | 7.50% | 12 years | 7.5% |
| Hanmi Bank | 21 states | 723 | $610M | $548,200 | 7.75% | 10 years | 9.6% |
| United Midwest Savings Bank | 45 states | 599 | $668M | $757,000 | 8.50% | 10 years | 7.8% |
| First Internet Bank of Indiana | 38 states | 571 | $807M | $953,000 | 10.25% | 10 years | 5.1% |
| GBank | 38 states | 569 | $1.6bn | $2,464,000 | 8.00% | 25 years | 5.5% |
| Beacon Bank and Trust | 37 states | 500 | $756M | $1,080,000 | 8.25% | 10 years | 5.5% |
| Old National Bank | 19 states | 496 | $592M | $662,700 | 7.50% | 10 years | 8.1% |
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 14 states | 471 | $313M | $350,000 | 8.00% | 10 years | 13.1% |
| Open Bank | 30 states | 413 | $729M | $1,160,000 | 8.25% | 25 years | 8.6% |
| Bank of Hope | 27 states | 404 | $346M | $250,000 | 7.00% | 10 years | 13.7% |
| First Financial Bank | 45 states | 400 | $494M | $999,800 | 7.05% | 12 years | 7.8% |
| Columbia Bank | 25 states | 381 | $400M | $720,000 | 6.75% | 10 years | 14.8% |
| Pinnacle Bank | 28 states | 377 | $570M | $995,000 | 6.50% | 10 years | 6.7% |
| Metro City Bank | 25 states | 358 | $749M | $1,737,000 | 6.62% | 25 years | 13.7% |
| U.S. Bank | 29 states | 351 | $282M | $527,400 | 7.26% | 10 years | 10.2% |
| Stearns Bank | 43 states | 327 | $150M | $287,000 | 8.00% | 10 years | 3.0% |
| Citizens Bank | 42 states | 315 | $258M | $514,200 | 8.00% | 10 years | 10.0% |
| BankVista | 15 states | 295 | $204M | $360,000 | 6.75% | 10 years | 8.1% |
| Northwest Bank | 21 states | 294 | $235M | $407,750 | 8.25% | 10 years | 10.6% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 39 states | 288 | $220M | $550,300 | 6.35% | 10 years | 7.4% |
| The Bancorp Bank | 40 states | 284 | $266M | $711,850 | 7.62% | 10 years | 14.5% |
| TowneBank | 36 states | 265 | $284M | $800,700 | 10.00% | 10 years | 14.0% |
| Fifth Third Bank | 25 states | 260 | $361M | $908,750 | 6.75% | 10 years | 4.8% |
| Midwest Regional Bank | 12 states | 257 | $247M | $593,000 | 8.00% | 10 years | 11.7% |
| Zions Bank, A Division of | 12 states | 254 | $207M | $497,500 | 7.75% | 10 years | 4.9% |
| Commonwealth Business Bank | 17 states | 252 | $256M | $500,000 | 7.12% | 10 years | 9.4% |
| Customers Bank | 35 states | 248 | $273M | $748,250 | 8.00% | 10 years | 10.5% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 36 states | 245 | $161M | $415,000 | 8.50% | 10 years | 11.2% |
| VelocitySBA | 30 states | 240 | $259M | $748,000 | 9.50% | 10 years | 8.4% |
| BMO Bank | 22 states | 239 | $200M | $587,400 | 6.44% | 10 years | 11.2% |
| United Community Bank | 26 states | 232 | $211M | $652,500 | 7.75% | 10 years | 11.1% |
| Plumas Bank | 5 states | 224 | $169M | $530,500 | 7.25% | 10 years | 5.9% |
| PNC Bank | 25 states | 223 | $209M | $551,300 | 6.15% | 10 years | 4.3% |
| SouthState Bank | 21 states | 220 | $218M | $682,300 | 7.75% | 10 years | 10.6% |
| Pathward | 38 states | 219 | $364M | $1,090,000 | 9.50% | 10 years | 15.4% |
| First Bank | 32 states | 204 | $226M | $685,500 | 8.12% | 10 years | 9.3% |
| First National Bank of Pennsylvania | 20 states | 192 | $170M | $597,000 | 8.00% | 10 years | 12.3% |
| First Bank of the Lake | 33 states | 192 | $317M | $1,102,500 | 7.50% | 10 years | 6.8% |
| Gulf Coast Bank and Trust Company | 30 states | 180 | $177M | $700,000 | 8.25% | 10 years | 8.2% |
| Newtek Small Business Finance | 37 states | 169 | $158M | $396,900 | 8.00% | 10 years | 28.7% |
| PCB Bank | 14 states | 168 | $197M | $616,500 | 8.50% | 10 years | 11.6% |
| Merchants Bank of Indiana | 25 states | 167 | $213M | $813,300 | 8.50% | 10 years | 7.2% |
| Readycap Lending | 34 states | 165 | $316M | $1,633,000 | 9.75% | 10 years | 10.8% |
| T Bank | 27 states | 165 | $319M | $1,587,000 | 9.50% | 10 years | 7.3% |
| Nicolet National Bank | 6 states | 164 | $130M | $476,100 | 5.75% | 10 years | 3.0% |
| First Commonwealth Bank | 8 states | 161 | $135M | $538,500 | 7.75% | 10 years | 12.0% |
| Truliant FCU | 36 states | 161 | $253M | $1,200,000 | 10.25% | 10 years | 9.0% |
| Centerstone SBA Lending | 32 states | 155 | $226M | $975,000 | 9.00% | 10 years | 11.9% |
| First Merchants Bank | 32 states | 153 | $176M | $777,000 | 8.25% | 10 years | 7.3% |
| Glacier Bank | 9 states | 153 | $114M | $417,000 | 6.65% | 10 years | 7.3% |
| IncredibleBank | 30 states | 148 | $197M | $958,500 | 7.12% | 11.5 years | 8.1% |
| KeyBank | 21 states | 147 | $147M | $602,000 | 7.74% | 10 years | 7.0% |
| First Western SBLC | 32 states | 143 | $308M | $2,000,000 | 7.00% | 25 years | 6.5% |
| Rockland Trust Company | 6 states | 141 | $89.9M | $280,000 | 6.99% | 7.5 years | 10.2% |
| CDC Small Business Finance Corp | 10 states | 136 | $28.5M | $216,500 | 10.00% | 10 years | 15.0% |
| 22nd State Bank, A Division of 22nd State Banking Company | 36 states | 133 | $177M | $998,000 | 10.50% | 10 years | 2.2% |
| Bank of America | 29 states | 129 | $150M | $724,600 | 5.43% | 10 years | 9.2% |
| Truist Bank | 16 states | 124 | $124M | $493,250 | 6.50% | 10 years | 5.3% |
| Wilmington Savings Fund Society | 10 states | 124 | $140M | $705,000 | 7.75% | 10 years | 7.5% |
| HomeTrust Bank | 23 states | 124 | $157M | $841,850 | 7.25% | 10 years | 7.5% |
| OakStar Bank | 6 states | 124 | $126M | $724,550 | 8.50% | 10 years | 7.5% |
| Busey Bank | 16 states | 121 | $141M | $890,900 | 8.00% | 10 years | 6.9% |
| Port 51 Lending LLC | 32 states | 120 | $180M | $1,160,000 | 10.25% | 10 years | 10.4% |
| UMB Bank | 15 states | 118 | $111M | $531,500 | 6.50% | 10 years | 4.8% |
| St. Louis Bank | 3 states | 117 | $156M | $935,000 | 7.50% | 10 years | 2.5% |
| First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | 21 states | 116 | $162M | $942,500 | 7.30% | 10 years | 7.2% |
| American Momentum Bank | 25 states | 116 | $136M | $891,000 | 9.62% | 10 years | 10.1% |
| Banner Bank | 4 states | 116 | $94.6M | $538,000 | 7.50% | 10 years | 7.9% |
| TD Bank | 15 states | 115 | $114M | $615,000 | 6.25% | 10 years | 13.5% |
| First Interstate Bank | 12 states | 112 | $94.6M | $534,000 | 7.25% | 10 years | 10.4% |
| Associated Bank | 24 states | 112 | $123M | $697,550 | 7.78% | 10 years | 2.6% |
| CIBC Bank USA | 32 states | 112 | $137M | $802,000 | 6.00% | 10 years | 8.2% |
| Banc of California | 31 states | 110 | $141M | $1,038,500 | 5.80% | 10 years | 11.3% |
| United Business Bank | 9 states | 107 | $128M | $720,000 | 7.00% | 10 years | 12.3% |
| Renasant Bank | 15 states | 106 | $121M | $802,500 | 6.38% | 10 years | 6.2% |
| East West Bank | 13 states | 106 | $106M | $655,500 | 8.75% | 10 years | 8.6% |
| Newtek Bank | 28 states | 104 | $79.8M | $350,000 | 11.00% | 10 years | 44.4% |
| Fulton Bank | 5 states | 103 | $105M | $540,000 | 9.00% | 10 years | 20.2% |
| CRF Small Business Loan Company | 20 states | 102 | $70.2M | $350,000 | 7.62% | 10 years | 11.3% |
| Heritage Bank | 5 states | 98 | $86.5M | $489,000 | 7.25% | 10 years | 9.3% |
| Gesa CU | 2 states | 98 | $83.1M | $623,550 | 9.75% | 10 years | 6.7% |
| America First Federal Credit Union | 14 states | 97 | $118M | $799,000 | 6.50% | 10 years | 16.4% |
| Bank Five Nine | 29 states | 97 | $109M | $828,000 | 7.50% | 25 years | 14.9% |
| Evolve Bank and Trust | 18 states | 95 | $99.2M | $739,000 | 9.75% | 10 years | 11.2% |
| Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company | 9 states | 95 | $90.2M | $495,000 | 7.00% | 10 years | 5.9% |
| US Metro Bank | 23 states | 94 | $194M | $1,778,500 | 8.50% | 25 years | 9.6% |
| Banesco USA | 24 states | 93 | $92.9M | $615,500 | 10.50% | 10 years | 3.1% |
| Hancock Whitney Bank | 6 states | 93 | $65.6M | $413,600 | 10.00% | 10 years | 7.0% |
| American Continental Bank | 3 states | 92 | $78.4M | $546,000 | 9.00% | 10 years | 7.1% |
| Simmons Bank | 14 states | 91 | $73.1M | $458,800 | 7.50% | 10 years | 9.0% |
| BankUnited | 20 states | 91 | $101M | $999,000 | 7.25% | 10 years | 9.9% |
| Peapack Private Bank and Trust | 6 states | 89 | $133M | $950,000 | 8.00% | 10 years | 16.8% |
| The Fidelity Bank | 18 states | 88 | $92.1M | $903,000 | 9.75% | 10 years | 8.3% |
| North State Bank | 18 states | 87 | $71.8M | $602,000 | 7.75% | 10 years | 14.7% |
| First Business Bank | 23 states | 82 | $109M | $915,000 | 8.00% | 10 years | 2.4% |
| FDIC - Community Bank & Trust-West Georgia | 26 states | 82 | $133M | $1,211,500 | 8.88% | 10 years | 9.9% |
| New Millennium Bank | 13 states | 81 | $89.4M | $464,000 | 6.50% | 10 years | 16.5% |
| Peoples Bank | 17 states | 80 | $102M | $627,250 | 6.41% | 10 years | 5.9% |
| Frandsen Bank and Trust | 3 states | 80 | $57.5M | $559,500 | 7.50% | 10 years | 3.6% |
| GBC International Bank | 2 states | 78 | $54.0M | $443,500 | 7.75% | 10 years | 8.2% |
| Mountain Pacific Bank | 5 states | 77 | $152M | $1,300,000 | 8.00% | 25 years | 3.8% |
| Meridian Bank | 10 states | 75 | $103M | $610,000 | 8.25% | 10 years | 8.5% |
| Webster Bank | 6 states | 74 | $63.0M | $487,500 | 6.75% | 10 years | 18.7% |
| Sunflower Bank | 11 states | 74 | $82.7M | $750,000 | 5.67% | 10 years | 6.3% |
| Idaho Central CU | 2 states | 74 | $63.9M | $567,500 | 9.38% | 10 years | 3.9% |
| Ameris Bank | 19 states | 73 | $88.5M | $740,000 | 7.00% | 10 years | 6.4% |
| Capital Bank | 25 states | 73 | $77.3M | $666,500 | 7.25% | 10 years | 8.8% |
| Mission Valley Bank | 21 states | 73 | $135M | $1,395,900 | 9.00% | 10.1 years | 12.0% |
| Falcon National Bank | 13 states | 72 | $56.4M | $577,500 | 9.50% | 10 years | 4.0% |
| BancFirst | 4 states | 71 | $55.1M | $395,000 | 7.00% | 10 years | 10.1% |
| First Horizon Bank | 9 states | 70 | $104M | $1,156,500 | 6.75% | 10 years | 13.6% |
| Seacoast National Bank | 15 states | 70 | $76.8M | $756,500 | 8.00% | 10 years | 12.5% |
| Harborstone CU | 3 states | 69 | $67.1M | $597,000 | 7.75% | 10 years | 6.8% |
| Regions Bank | 10 states | 69 | $92.3M | $936,600 | 6.14% | 10 years | 6.8% |
| Provident Bank | 4 states | 68 | $58.5M | $597,000 | 6.12% | 10 years | 11.7% |
| Community Banks of Colorado, A Division of NBH Bank | 11 states | 67 | $111M | $995,000 | 7.75% | 10 years | 11.8% |
| Hanover Community Bank | 21 states | 67 | $150M | $2,080,000 | 7.50% | 25 years | 8.2% |
| Eastern Bank | 3 states | 67 | $33.6M | $333,000 | 6.25% | 10 years | 13.0% |
| Washington Trust Bank | 3 states | 66 | $45.8M | $500,000 | 6.75% | 10 years | 4.3% |
| Happen Bank | 24 states | 66 | $110M | $1,133,350 | 7.50% | 10 years | 15.4% |
| Southwestern National Bank | 13 states | 65 | $120M | $1,452,000 | 8.50% | 25 years | 11.0% |
| Union Bank and Trust Company | 5 states | 64 | $30.1M | $318,250 | 8.00% | 10 years | 8.6% |
| Exchange Bank | 3 states | 63 | $42.5M | $400,000 | 7.50% | 10 years | 1.6% |
| Shoreham Bank | 21 states | 63 | $204M | $3,200,000 | 9.25% | 25 years | 6.0% |
| 21st Century Bank | 4 states | 62 | $53.6M | $594,000 | 5.75% | 10 years | 8.8% |
| Stellar Bank | 1 state | 61 | $82.1M | $1,048,800 | 6.25% | 10 years | 6.2% |
| BankFirst Financial Services | 4 states | 61 | $24.6M | $224,700 | 7.75% | 10 years | 4.7% |
| Bankwell Bank | 15 states | 61 | $129M | $1,900,000 | 8.50% | 10 years | 10.3% |
| Alerus Financial | 8 states | 60 | $74.8M | $979,050 | 7.50% | 10 years | 6.2% |
| Bell Bank | 6 states | 60 | $67.3M | $762,850 | 8.75% | 10 years | 1.6% |
| Village Bank | 2 states | 59 | $53.1M | $501,300 | 5.50% | 10 years | 1.7% |
| Arvest Bank | 4 states | 59 | $47.5M | $430,600 | 5.75% | 10 years | 1.7% |
| UniBank | 7 states | 59 | $90.9M | $870,000 | 5.25% | 25 years | 7.8% |
| CCFBank | 2 states | 59 | $66.8M | $788,400 | 9.00% | 10 years | 3.3% |
| PromiseOne Bank | 12 states | 58 | $84.8M | $1,110,000 | 7.62% | 25 years | 7.9% |
| Mechanics and Farmers Bank | 24 states | 58 | $41.7M | $428,750 | 8.25% | 10 years | 7.9% |
| Horizon Bank | 3 states | 57 | $36.8M | $374,000 | 8.00% | 10 years | 12.3% |
| American Bank of Freedom | 5 states | 56 | $60.3M | $727,300 | 7.50% | 10 years | 8.2% |
| MVB Bank | 23 states | 56 | $68.1M | $896,500 | 6.00% | 10 years | 3.4% |
| Emprise Bank | 4 states | 55 | $53.3M | $568,200 | 7.16% | 10 years | 5.2% |
| First National Bank of Omaha | 8 states | 54 | $36.1M | $405,000 | 5.88% | 7 years | 8.5% |
| Lendistry SBLC | 14 states | 54 | $45.8M | $558,500 | 10.88% | 10 years | 11.5% |
| German American Bank | 3 states | 53 | $32.7M | $416,700 | 6.00% | 10 years | 7.0% |
| Central Bank | 5 states | 53 | $32.0M | $374,000 | 6.25% | 10 years | 1.9% |
| Community Trust Bank | 4 states | 53 | $23.0M | $230,000 | 5.75% | 10 years | 3.6% |
| The Bank of Houston | 7 states | 52 | $53.9M | $649,000 | 9.88% | 10 years | 5.5% |
| The MINT National Bank | 13 states | 50 | $106M | $1,604,500 | 7.00% | 25 years | 13.8% |
| Lake Michigan CU | 2 states | 50 | $61.1M | $798,000 | 6.00% | 10 years | 2.0% |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level extract, change-of-ownership approvals, FY2019 onward. Data as of 30 June 2026. n = 30,674 financed acquisitions. A further 1,434 lenders wrote fewer than 50 acquisition loans and have no page. Bank names are normalised: trailing "National Association", "N.A." and "FSB" are stripped so one institution does not appear as three.
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How to read this
A high deal count and a wide footprint together describe a lender that underwrites acquisitions as a product line, usually with a dedicated credit team that understands goodwill, seller notes and standby agreements. A high count in one or two states describes a regional bank that is good at this locally.
Median loan size separates them further. A lender whose median is under $300,000 is mostly financing very small owner-operator purchases. One whose median is above $1M is doing deals with real diligence attached, and its involvement is a signal about the kind of buyer you are dealing with.
This site has no relationship with any lender named here, is not paid by any of them, and does not recommend one over another. The ranking is arithmetic on a public file.