U.S. economy & commerce
Where American commerce meets community capital
Indicators from the U.S. small-business economy — and the merchant groups building on them.
Small business is the backbone of the U.S. economy
Small businesses make up the vast majority of U.S. firms and close to half of private-sector GDP, per SBA Office of Advocacy data — yet many still struggle to access capital.
12,480
Merchants onboarded
640
Groups funded
$86.5M
Capital deployed
97.4%
On-time repayment
Compliance program aligned with U.S. federal frameworks
SBA
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CFPB
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FinCEN
Bureau of the…
FDIC
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IRS
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Commercial Finance Partnership is not a government agency and is not endorsed by any agency shown. Read our compliance overview
Resources
Insights & tools for merchant groups
Market context, playbooks, and the documents your group needs — in one place.
Upcoming
CFP quarterly webinar — Financing your merchant group
Online · Oct 14–15
Verified group directory
The directory connects merchants forming a group with others ready to join.
Best practices for merchant groups
Build a more diverse, resilient, and well-governed group.
See best practicesMarket news
- United States · Mar 20, 2026Small-business credit conditions ease slightly, surveys showMore lenders report loosening standards for the first time in six quarters, though collateral demands persist.
- United States · Mar 6, 2026Container throughput at major U.S. ports rebounds in Q1Los Angeles, Savannah and Newark report higher volumes as retailers rebuild inventory.
- United States · Africa · Feb 18, 2026U.S.–Africa trade corridors widen as small exporters gain accessNew logistics agreements are cutting clearance times for small U.S. importers sourcing from West and East Africa.
- United States · European Union · Feb 2, 2026EU and U.S. advance a digital trade framework for SMEsSimplified e-invoicing and mutual recognition of digital documents would cut paperwork for cross-border sellers.
Resources for merchants
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Markets
International commerce & the U.S. — latest
Trade corridors, policy, and market conditions that affect merchant groups.
Merchant stories
Groups that got funded
Real outcomes from merchant communities using shared verification and repayment.
“On our own the banks wanted collateral none of us had. As a group of six we were funded in eleven days.”
Rosa Delgado
Owner, Delgado Hardware · San Antonio, TX
“The verification checklist was strict but fair. Our members now trust each other because everyone cleared the same bar.”
Kwame Osei
Group leader, Service Providers Network · Columbus, OH
“Shared repayment dashboards keep the whole co-op honest. We have not missed an installment in a year.”
Hannah Whitfield
Treasurer, Green Growers Co-op · Fraser Valley, BC
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