BTG Pactual Empresas Named World's Best SME Bank 2025

BTG Pactual Empresas has been awarded the World's Best SME Bank 2025, thanks to its rapidly growing SME lending portfolio, which reached approximately $3.9 billion in early 2024, supported by a highly integrated digital platform that accelerates loan disbursement and offers tailored services, especially for the agriculture sector. Meanwhile, global SME financing faces challenges, such as a significant £65bn lending shortfall for UK SMEs over 25 years and a slowdown in Indonesia's multi-finance sector, where weakening purchasing power and shifting consumer behavior have slowed financing growth to 1.3% year-on-year. South African SMEs are preparing for peak retail seasons like Black Friday by leveraging fast, data-driven funding solutions that bypass traditional loan hurdles, highlighting the importance of operational readiness alongside access to capital. At the same time, the financial industry is focusing on innovations in AI and automation to enhance service and efficiency, reflecting a broader transformation in global finance as highlighted at the 2025 Sibos conference. These developments underline the critical role of technology and adaptive strategies in bridging SME financing gaps and supporting business growth worldwide.