New data has revealed growing awareness of specialist business finance among SMEs in the UK. New search data from Semrush has shown an uptick in online demand for specialist finance solutions, such as invoice finance and asset finance.
Over the past 12 months, data shows that searches related to asset finance have increased by 26 per cent, while queries relating to invoice finance have risen by 19 per cent. This demonstrates a significant shift from survey data collected by Time Finance in 2024, which showed low-level awareness of such finance options among UK SMEs.
At that time, close to 40 per cent of businesses had never heard of or used specialist Asset-Based Lending (ABL) solutions, while 58 per cent had not explored financing options beyond those offered by their main bank.
Semrush’s data suggests a broad increase in demand for commercial finance, with overall searches pertaining to business finance up 26 per cent year-on-year between February 2025 and February 2026.
Commenting on the findings, Time Finance CEO Ed Rimmer said: “Historically, many SMEs have behaved like consumers when it comes to finance, often defaulting to familiar products such as standard loans simply because they’re options businesses understand and feel comfortable with. However, the current geopolitical climate is redefining what long-term financial planning looks like, and this is forcing SMEs to look beyond traditional routes as they actively seek out and engage with a broader range of solutions.”
“The 26% rise in searches for Asset Finance and 19% rise for Invoice Finance suggest that more business owners are moving beyond general finance. Not only this, but we’ve also seen monthly searches for Asset Based Lending increase by a staggering 85% year-on-year. These figures are showing a strategic openness to specialised solutions that better suit business needs.”
According to Rimmer, the data suggests that the increase in searches for specialist finance isn’t just a spike, rather “a more informed and intentional approach to funding”, with UK SMEs “increasingly recognising that different challenges require different solutions, whether that’s unlocking working capital through Invoice Finance or funding growth through Asset Finance.”
Rimmer continued: “As awareness grows, so too does the opportunity for businesses to make smarter, more strategic funding decisions. The role of lenders now is to ensure that this momentum continues, by making specialist finance more accessible, more transparent and easier to understand for the businesses that need it most.”
