Industry data
Business lending statistics
The numbers behind business lending in Australia: new loans to businesses by purpose and size, how much businesses owe and how fast business credit is growing, lending by business size and industry, and finance for plant, equipment and vehicles. Each figure links to the ABS or the RBA and shows the period it applies to.
Reviewed 6 November 2026
Key figures
- 11.3% growth in credit to non-financial businesses over the year
- 1,470.1 billion dollars in credit owed by non-financial businesses
- 13,996.1 million dollars in new fixed term loans to small businesses, not counting refinancing
- 5,540.3 million dollars in new fixed term loans to small businesses for plant and equipment
- 209,833 million dollars in business finance owed by small businesses to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold, in a total that includes lending to financial businesses
New loans to businesses
The value of new loans businesses took on in the quarter, as reported by lenders to the ABS. A loan is counted when the business accepts the lender's offer, which can be before the money is drawn. For businesses of every size, the ABS publishes new fixed term loans for construction and for buying property, and new finance leases, but does not publish a total of all new lending to businesses.
12,535.8 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to businesses for construction
Seasonally adjusted. Businesses of every size. Up 2.9% on the March quarter 2026 and down 0.2% on the June quarter 2025. Construction means creating new dwellings, non-residential buildings or non-building structures. Table 29 lists alterations, additions and repairs within construction.
Link to this figure27,235.3 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to businesses to buy property
Seasonally adjusted. Businesses of every size. Up 4.4% on the March quarter 2026 and 18.9% on the June quarter 2025. Property means residential and non-residential land, buildings and fixed structures bought for business purposes.
Link to this figureNew loans to small and medium businesses
New fixed term loans to small and medium businesses, by what the loan is for. Lenders sort businesses into sizes by turnover and by how much the lender has lent to them, not by number of employees, so these sizes are not the ones used in ABS counts of businesses. The ABS publishes these figures without seasonal adjustment, so the chart of earlier years compares the same quarter in each year.
13,996.1 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to small businesses, not counting refinancing
Original terms, not seasonally adjusted. Excludes refinancing. The ABS glossary says: "A business is classified as small if the lender has an exposure to the business that is less than $1 million and the business has turnover of less than $50 million." It also says: "The way that businesses are categorised to size categories may vary between lending institutions." Fixed term loans only: finance leases, overdrafts and other revolving credit are not included.
Link to this figure5,344.0 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to small businesses to buy property
Original terms, not seasonally adjusted. Property means residential and non-residential land, buildings and fixed structures bought for business purposes.
Link to this figure33,722.2 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to medium businesses, not counting refinancing
Original terms, not seasonally adjusted. Excludes refinancing. The ABS glossary says: "A business is classified as medium if the lender has a total exposure to the business that is greater than or equal to $1 million and the business has turnover of less than $50 million." It also says: "The way that businesses are categorised to size categories may vary between lending institutions." Fixed term loans only.
Link to this figure14,523.1 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to medium businesses to buy property
Original terms, not seasonally adjusted.
Link to this figure| Quarter | Value ($m) |
|---|---|
| June quarter 2020 | |
| June quarter 2021 | |
| June quarter 2022 | |
| June quarter 2023 | |
| June quarter 2024 | |
| June quarter 2025 | |
| June quarter 2026 |
$ million, original terms, not seasonally adjusted, excluding refinancing. The June quarter of every year the series covers. The series starts in the September quarter 2019.
Link to this chart| Purpose | Value ($m) |
|---|---|
| Plant and equipment finance | |
| Purchase of property | |
| Internal refinancing | |
| External refinancing | |
| General business purposes | |
| Construction | |
| Working capital |
$ million, original terms. Every purpose that makes up the Table 30 total, plus refinancing, with a published value, ordered by value. Alterations, additions and repairs are part of construction, so they are not shown separately. Wholesale finance and acquisitions were not available for publication. Refinancing is outside the total of new lending: external refinancing replaces a loan from a different lender, and internal refinancing replaces or tops up a loan from the same lender with a higher limit.
Link to this chart| Purpose | Value ($m) |
|---|---|
| Internal refinancing | |
| Purchase of property | |
| General business purposes | |
| External refinancing | |
| Construction | |
| Working capital | |
| Plant and equipment finance | |
| Acquisitions | |
| Wholesale finance |
$ million, original terms. Every purpose that makes up the Table 32 total, plus refinancing, with a published value, ordered by value. Refinancing is outside the total of new lending: external refinancing replaces a loan from a different lender, and internal refinancing replaces or tops up a loan from the same lender with a higher limit.
Link to this chartFinance for equipment and vehicles
New finance for plant and equipment, which the ABS defines to include road vehicles such as cars, utes and trucks, other transport equipment, construction and earthmoving equipment, farm machinery, and computer and office equipment. The ABS says road vehicles exclude attachments such as trailers and semi-trailers. Fixed term loans and finance leases are published separately and the ABS gives no combined figure. Finance leases are published for businesses of every size, and fixed term loans for small and medium businesses.
5,540.3 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to small businesses for plant and equipment
Original terms, not seasonally adjusted. Plant and equipment includes road vehicles. The ABS glossary says: "A business is classified as small if the lender has an exposure to the business that is less than $1 million and the business has turnover of less than $50 million." It also says: "The way that businesses are categorised to size categories may vary between lending institutions."
Link to this figure1,931.4 million dollars
in new fixed term loans to medium businesses for plant and equipment
Original terms, not seasonally adjusted. Plant and equipment includes road vehicles.
Link to this figure2,943.2 million dollars
in new finance leases to businesses for plant and equipment
Seasonally adjusted value of new finance lease commitments accepted by businesses, from lenders covering approximately 95% of business lending. A finance lease passes substantially all the risks and rewards of owning the asset to the business.
Link to this figure821.3 million dollars
in new finance leases to businesses for road vehicles
Seasonally adjusted value of new finance lease commitments accepted by businesses, from lenders covering approximately 95% of business lending.
Link to this figure| Quarter | Value ($m) |
|---|---|
| June quarter 2020 | |
| June quarter 2021 | |
| June quarter 2022 | |
| June quarter 2023 | |
| June quarter 2024 | |
| June quarter 2025 | |
| June quarter 2026 |
$ million, original terms, not seasonally adjusted. The June quarter of every year the series covers. The series starts in the September quarter 2019.
Link to this chartBusiness credit and how fast it is growing
Business credit is the amount businesses owe to banks and other lenders operating in Australia, as measured by the RBA. It does not capture lending from overseas or lending that does not pass through a financial institution. These figures cover credit to non-financial businesses, which is the business credit measure in the RBA's monthly financial aggregates release. The RBA adjusts its growth rates for seasonal patterns and for breaks in the series, and says they are a better measure than growth worked out from the published balances.
11.3%
growth in credit to non-financial businesses over the year
Seasonally adjusted and adjusted for series breaks. Includes securitised loans. The RBA's Financial Aggregates release for September 2026 shows the same figure for business credit.
Link to this figure9.4%
growth in credit to non-financial businesses over the previous year
Seasonally adjusted and adjusted for series breaks, as revised in the table published 30 October 2026.
Link to this figure0.9%
growth in credit to non-financial businesses in the month
Seasonally adjusted and adjusted for series breaks. Also 0.9% in August 2026.
Link to this figure1,470.1 billion dollars
in credit owed by non-financial businesses
Seasonally adjusted. Includes securitised loans. Levels are not adjusted for series breaks. The RBA also publishes a broader business credit series that includes lending to some financial businesses, such as superannuation funds and insurers, which is not shown here.
Link to this figure| Year to | Growth over the year |
|---|---|
| September 2016 | |
| September 2017 | |
| September 2018 | |
| September 2019 | |
| September 2020 | |
| September 2021 | |
| September 2022 | |
| September 2023 | |
| September 2024 | |
| September 2025 | |
| September 2026 |
Seasonally adjusted and adjusted for series breaks. The year to September in each of the past eleven years, ending with the latest month.
Link to this chartBusiness lending by business size
How much businesses of each size owe to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold. These totals include lending to financial businesses, and cover loans, finance leases and bill acceptances. All reporting lenders now use the business size definitions in APRA's prudential standards.
209,833 million dollars
in business finance owed by small businesses to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold, in a total that includes lending to financial businesses
Includes lending to financial businesses. Loans, finance leases and bill acceptances from banks and registered financial corporations with $2 billion or more of business credit. All of these lenders have used APRA's business size definitions since June 2024. Not adjusted for series breaks.
Link to this figure102,420 million dollars
of small business finance owed was secured by residential property
Part of the small business total, which includes lending to financial businesses.
Link to this figure589,714 million dollars
in business finance owed by medium businesses to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold, in a total that includes lending to financial businesses
Includes lending to financial businesses. Loans, finance leases and bill acceptances. Not adjusted for series breaks.
Link to this figure841,510 million dollars
in business finance owed by large businesses to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold, in a total that includes lending to financial businesses
Includes lending to financial businesses. Loans, finance leases and bill acceptances. Not adjusted for series breaks.
Link to this figureSmall business lending by industry
How much small businesses in each industry owe to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold, from the RBA's table of business finance by size and industry. Industries follow the ANZSIC divisions, with construction published in parts.
8,103 million dollars
in business finance owed by small transport, postal and warehousing businesses
Loans, finance leases and bill acceptances. Not adjusted for series breaks.
Link to this figure12,464 million dollars
in business finance owed by small agriculture, forestry and fishing businesses
Loans, finance leases and bill acceptances. Not adjusted for series breaks.
Link to this figure| Industry | Owed ($m) |
|---|---|
| Rental, hiring and real estate services | |
| Other services | |
| Other construction | |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | |
| Health care and social assistance | |
| Retail trade | |
| Transport, postal and warehousing | |
| Manufacturing | |
| Accommodation and food services | |
| Residential building construction | |
| Administrative and support services | |
| Wholesale trade | |
| Arts and recreation services | |
| Information media and telecommunications | |
| Non-residential building construction | |
| Education and training | |
| Electricity, gas, water and waste services | |
| Mining | |
| Public administration and safety |
$ million. Every small business industry series in table D14.1, ordered by value, except financial and insurance services, which the RBA publishes only excluding lending to selected financial businesses (authorised deposit-taking institutions, registered financial corporations, central borrowing authorities and the RBA). Construction is published in three parts, shown separately: other construction is heavy and civil engineering construction and construction services. Not adjusted for series breaks.
Link to this chartCommon questions
How much is lent to small businesses in Australia?
Small businesses took on 13,996.1 million dollars in new fixed term loans, not counting refinancing, according to the ABS. That counts new loans only. The total small businesses owed to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold was 209,833 million dollars , according to the RBA, a figure that also covers finance leases and includes lending to financial businesses. The ABS figure measures new loans in a quarter and the RBA figure the balance owed at a point in time, so they cannot be compared directly.
Is business lending growing in Australia?
Credit to non-financial businesses grew 11.3% over the year, according to the RBA, compared with 9.4% over the year before. In the latest month it grew 0.9% . The chart above shows the same measure for earlier years.
What is business credit growth?
It is the RBA's measure of how fast the amount businesses owe to lenders in Australia is changing. The measure the RBA's monthly release shows as business credit covers non-financial businesses. The RBA adjusts it for seasonal patterns and for breaks in the series, and says this makes it a better measure than growth worked out from the published balances. Over the year it was 11.3% .
How much do Australian businesses owe?
Non-financial businesses owed 1,470.1 billion dollars in credit to banks and other lenders operating in Australia, according to the RBA. A separate RBA table splits business finance owed to banks and other lenders above the reporting threshold by business size, and its totals include lending to financial businesses: small businesses owed 209,833 million dollars , medium businesses 589,714 million dollars and large businesses 841,510 million dollars .
What do businesses borrow for?
The ABS publishes new fixed term loans by purpose for small and medium businesses, and for large businesses for construction and property only. Small businesses borrowed 5,540.3 million dollars for plant and equipment and 5,344.0 million dollars to buy property. Medium businesses borrowed 14,523.1 million dollars to buy property. For businesses of every size, the ABS publishes seasonally adjusted new loans for construction, 12,535.8 million dollars , and for buying property, 27,235.3 million dollars . These are seasonally adjusted while the small and medium figures are not, so they cannot be compared with them. The charts above show every purpose with a published value.
How much do businesses borrow for equipment and vehicles?
Small businesses took out 5,540.3 million dollars in new fixed term loans for plant and equipment, and medium businesses 1,931.4 million dollars , according to the ABS. Businesses of every size also took on 2,943.2 million dollars in new finance leases for plant and equipment, which included 821.3 million dollars for road vehicles. The ABS counts road vehicles such as cars, utes and trucks as plant and equipment. It publishes loans and leases separately, gives no combined figure, and does not publish fixed term loans for vehicles on their own.
What counts as a small business in lending figures?
Lenders classify a business by its turnover and by how much it owes the lender, using APRA's definitions where they can. This is not the employee-based definition the ABS uses when it counts businesses, so a small business in these lending figures is not always a small business in those counts.
How much do small transport and farm businesses owe?
Small transport, postal and warehousing businesses owed 8,103 million dollars in business finance, and small agriculture, forestry and fishing businesses owed 12,464 million dollars , according to the RBA. The chart above shows every industry the RBA publishes for small businesses, except financial and insurance services.
Using these figures
You are welcome to quote any figure on this page. Please credit the original publisher named beside it, and link to this page if it saved you time. Each figure has its own link, so you can send readers straight to it.
How these figures are put together
Every figure on this page comes from the published source linked beside it and applies to the period shown with it. Figures are copied as published. Nothing is estimated, adjusted or combined from different sources.
Each figure is checked against its source when the page is reviewed, and the review date is shown at the top of the page. If a source publishes a newer figure before then, or you spot an error, let us know through the contact page.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Lending Indicators, June Quarter 2026 (Table 28, business finance leases). Loan and finance lease commitments reported by lenders to APRA for the ABS, released 14 August 2026. Updates: Quarterly. Retrieved 6 November 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Lending Indicators, June Quarter 2026 (Tables 29, 30 and 32, business fixed term loans). Loan commitments reported by lenders to APRA for the ABS, released 14 August 2026. Lenders with business credit of $2.0 billion or more report, which the ABS says captures approximately 95% of business lending activity. Updates: Quarterly. The September quarter 2026 issue is scheduled for 11 November 2026. Retrieved 6 November 2026.
- Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): Statistical table D1, Growth in Selected Financial Aggregates, published 30 October 2026. Financial aggregates compiled by the RBA from data supplied by authorised deposit-taking institutions and other lenders, data to September 2026. The RBA overwrites this table each month. Updates: Monthly, about a month after the month it covers. Retrieved 6 November 2026.
- Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): Statistical table D2, Lending and Credit Aggregates, published 30 October 2026. Financial aggregates compiled by the RBA from data supplied by authorised deposit-taking institutions and other lenders, data to September 2026. The RBA overwrites this table each month. Updates: Monthly, about a month after the month it covers. Retrieved 6 November 2026.
- Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): Statistical table D14, Lending to Business: Business Finance Outstanding by Business Size and Interest Rate Type, published 8 October 2026. Monthly returns collected by APRA from banks and registered financial corporations with $2 billion or more of business credit, data to August 2026. The RBA overwrites this table each month. Updates: Monthly. Retrieved 6 November 2026.
- Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): Statistical table D14.1, Lending to Business: Business Finance Outstanding by Business Size and Industry, published 8 October 2026. Monthly returns collected by APRA from banks and registered financial corporations with $2 billion or more of business credit, data to August 2026. The RBA overwrites this table each month. Updates: Monthly. Retrieved 6 November 2026.
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