Funder Intel

04/06/2026

Not a poker player? No problem.

On Thursday, June 25th, join us in Fort Lauderdale for a Networking Poker Tournament for Charity benefiting Second Chance Society, and whether you want to play poker or simply come to network, the choice is yours.

If poker is your thing, step into the tournament and test your skills against professionals across business lending, fintech, and commercial finance.

Prefer to just network?

Grab a networking-only ticket and enjoy an evening of open bar, great food, music, entertainment, other games and activities, and powerful connections with great people in the industry.

This event is open to anyone in business lending, fintech, finance, or related industries, or simply anyone who wants to come out, have a great time, and support a meaningful cause.

All proceeds benefit Second Chance Society, a local nonprofit helping give people a hand up, not a handout during difficult moments in life.

A few important notes:

Poker player registration closes June 19th (or sooner if seats fill up).
Networking tickets will be higher at the door, so lock yours in early.
We also still have a limited number of sponsorship opportunities available.

Get tickets or sponsorship info here:
funderintel.com/events

Come for the poker. Come for the networking. Come to give back. We’ll see you there.

04/06/2026

I couldn’t even finish posting a video about embedded lending before two more deals dropped in the same week.

LendingFront + Priority Commerce are embedding MCAs, term loans, and sales-based financing directly inside the MX Merchant dashboard. No separate application. No external portal. Capital shows up where the merchant already works.

Then today, NewtekOne (NASDAQ: NEWT) and Payroc announced a strategic alliance embedding banking, lending, insurance, and payroll into Payroc’s platform. That’s 190,000+ merchants processing $125 billion in card volume getting access to loans from $5K to $15M with 10–25 year amortization. Inside the same dashboard they already use for payments.

This is the trend we’ve been covering. The platforms aren’t adding lending as a feature. They’re making it
Embedded lending isn’t coming. It’s here. And it’s moving faster than anyone can keep up with, including me.

02/06/2026

Lending is the new lock-in.
Q1 2026 earnings were released recently from the four biggest platforms in merchant services, and the numbers tell the same story:

→ Shopify Capital originated $1.4B in MCAs and loans in one quarter (up 71% YoY)

→ Square Loans drove Block’s biggest profit beat of the year, $20B+ cumulative

→ PayPal crossed $30B in cumulative small business lending, but pulled back 26% on originations after delinquencies ticked up

→ Fiserv is scaling Clover Capital as a core merchant retention tool

These companies aren’t treating lending as a side business anymore. It’s the glue that keeps merchants locked into the ecosystem.

When a Shopify merchant takes a capital advance, repayment comes out of daily sales, automatically. That’s not a loan relationship. That’s an operating system.

For independent funders, ISOs, and brokers, the platforms have data advantages and zero acquisition cost you can’t match. But they don’t serve the whole market. The riskier, smaller, faster-turnaround deals are still yours. The question is what happens in the middle.

02/06/2026

Whether you want to test your poker skills against finance industry peers or simply come out to network over great food, open bar, music, and entertainment, we’ve got an option for you.

Two ways to attend:
• Poker Tournament Ticket
• Networking-Only Ticket

Expect a high-energy night with great people from across funding, fintech, and commercial finance, plus other games, activities, and plenty of opportunities to connect.

⚠️ Poker player registration closes June 19th (or sooner if seats sell out) due to limited capacity.

We still have a few sponsorship opportunities for companies that want to support a great cause and gain visibility in the industry.

Get tickets or sponsorship details on funderintel.com/events.

Don’t wait… You don’t want to get frozen out. 🃏

01/06/2026

A Michigan man has been sentenced for PPP loan and COVID rental assistance fraud, a reminder that pandemic-relief fraud remains a priority for prosecutors. Read the full story and what this case means for fraud enforcement and businesses that received relief: https://wix.to/Q96GGmv

A Michigan man was sentenced to prison for PPP loan fraud and COVID rental assistance fraud, highlighting ongoing pandemic relief fraud enforcement.

01/06/2026

Homegrown and Square just launched a $24M expansion capital program tailored for multi-location sellers, showing how revenue-based financing is getting more specialized. Read the full breakdown on the pilot, who qualifies, and what this means for growing merchants: https://wix.to/atZ6GUO

Homegrown and Square launch a $24M expansion capital program for multi-location sellers, showing how revenue-based financing is becoming more specialized.

29/05/2026

Vermont just passed a commercial finance bill called H.648, and if it gets signed by the Governor, it could have a real impact on small business access to capital.

28/05/2026

Capchase has secured $200M to expand its vendor financing platform for enterprise tech vendors, a sign that flexible B2B payment options are becoming mainstream. Read how this could reshape buying cycles and drive vendor growth. https://wix.to/GKhWXIx

Capchase secures $200M to expand its vendor financing platform for enterprise tech vendors as demand for flexible B2B payment options grows.

27/05/2026

Connect With Funders, Brokers & Fintech Pros!
Business lending is built on relationships.

Join the Funder Intel networking group to connect with brokers, funders, lenders, fintech providers, and commercial finance professionals all in one place.

Sign up for free and start connecting today.

Join Funder Intel’s Business Lending & Fintech networking group and connect with funders, brokers, lenders, fintech companies, and industry professionals. Get industry updates, share opportunities, find partners, and stay plugged into what’s happening in business finance.

27/05/2026

The CFPB is probing community lenders while more than $500M in approved funding remains frozen. What does this mean for CDFIs and the communities they serve? Read our breakdown and what to watch next: https://wix.to/F6Nd4rY

CFPB Is Investigating Community Lenders: The CFPB is probing at least four CDFIs while $500M+ in approved funding sits frozen. What it means for community lending and...