Top 20 SBA 7a Lenders for Acquisition Loans in 2025
February 20, 2026
by a professional from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Atlanta, GA, USA
43% of all SBA-backed business acquisitions last year came from just 20 lenders.
We pulled data on every SBA 7(a) acquisition loan funded in 2025 and ranked the most active lenders nationally.
Some of what stood out:
- Live Oak Bank takes the crown again, funding ~10% of SBA acquisition loan dollars
- Rate spreads varied by a full 2 points - from Prime + 0.88% to Prime + 2.88%
- First Internet Bank grew acquisition volume 71% YoY, a clear signal of focus
- Even outside the top 10, there is a strong roster of options that specialize in different deal types, so be sure to know your options
Your choice of lender shapes your rate, your timeline, and your odds of closing. Not all PLP lenders operate the same way.
We broke down loan count, dollar volume, pricing, default rates, and industry concentration for each one.
Full rankings and profiles here: https://www.versquare.com/content/providers/top-20-sba-acquisition-lenders
Always open to feedback, or let me know if you can think of another analysis that would be helpful.
Some of what stood out:
- Live Oak Bank takes the crown again, funding ~10% of SBA acquisition loan dollars
- Rate spreads varied by a full 2 points - from Prime + 0.88% to Prime + 2.88%
- First Internet Bank grew acquisition volume 71% YoY, a clear signal of focus
- Even outside the top 10, there is a strong roster of options that specialize in different deal types, so be sure to know your options
Your choice of lender shapes your rate, your timeline, and your odds of closing. Not all PLP lenders operate the same way.
We broke down loan count, dollar volume, pricing, default rates, and industry concentration for each one.
Full rankings and profiles here: https://www.versquare.com/content/providers/top-20-sba-acquisition-lenders
Always open to feedback, or let me know if you can think of another analysis that would be helpful.