SMBs Make Credit Cards a Core Business Tool, Show Strong Approval Confidence

U.S. small and medium-sized businesses once viewed credit cards mainly as a fallback when cash was tight. They now use them as a platform for daily operations. A PYMNTS Intelligence and i2c survey of 514 senior executives at U.S. SMBs found that businesses use cards to manage cash flow and pay planned expenses, as well as cover emergency repairs and last-minute inventory purchases. For issuers, competition has shifted from whether to approve a card to the credit limits, flexibility and control features on offer.

PYMNTS published its latest analysis on April 23, 2026. It found that 83% of respondents believed they could secure approval for a new business card, while nearly two-thirds were confident they would receive their desired credit limit. Some 56% showed strong interest in programs that let them choose rewards or a lower APR from one billing cycle to the next, and 53% of business-card spending was planned. Businesses were willing to pay an average of $125.65 a year for flexible features such as installment plans or dynamic credit limits, while 57% of retail SMBs wanted flexible payment due dates.