ANNA Money, the UK business account and financial management platform, has partnered with global embedded financing provider YouLend to deliver integrated, revenue-linked working capital directly inside the ANNA mobile application.
The collaboration allows small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access capital advances within 24 hours based on their historical turnover and projected revenue, bypassing lengthy bank underwriting queues and rigid fixed repayment structures.
Solving the SME Cash-Flow Timing Gap
The integration addresses a deepening liquidity crunch for UK small enterprises caused by widespread payment delays. According to recent data from the Credit Protection Association, 42% of small businesses experienced late customer payments over the past year—more than double the rate recorded in mid-2024.
Simultaneously, small-business demand for traditional bank credit dropped to a record low of 40%, down from 63% in 2023, driven by strict collateral demands and slow administrative cycles.
By embedding financing directly within ANNA's operational dashboard, the partnership provides an automated alternative to conventional debt:
Trading History Underwriting: Approval decisions leverage real-time incoming cash flow, merchant payment rails, and marketplace sales records rather than relying strictly on balance sheet assets or traditional credit scoring.
Dynamic Repayment Models: Advances are repaid automatically through an agreed fixed percentage of daily revenue receipts, fluctuating downward during quiet periods and rising as sales volume accelerates.
High Conversion & Speed: Eligible business accounts are pre-qualified inside the application, with YouLend reporting an approval rate of approximately 80% for pre-qualified candidates and funds disbursed in under 24 hours.
Proven Market Demand: Over £44.8 Million Disbursed
The launch formalizes an existing organic integration between the two platforms. To date, more than 1,531 ANNA customers have secured capital facilities through YouLend, representing £44.8 million in total deployed funding.
Funding amounts have averaged £29,300 per business, with merchants predominantly deploying capital to finance seasonal inventory purchases, bridge invoice settlement delays, cover payroll cycles, or fund physical refurbishments and commercial site expansions.
"Most small businesses aren’t short on revenue; they’re short on timing," said Boris Diakonov, Co-CEO of ANNA. "The money is coming, but it hasn't landed yet. Partnering with YouLend lets our customers deploy the revenue their operations are already generating immediately, rather than waiting for slow settlement cycles. ANNA was built to eliminate financial administrative friction, and waiting for your own money shouldn't be part of that burden."
Dan Sinclair-Taylor, Country Head UK & ROI at YouLend, commented: "Integrating financing into the ANNA application enables us to support small business owners directly where they run their day-to-day accounts. Rather than opening separate borrowing channels and managing multiple third-party relationships, merchants can access trusted capital through a familiar interface."
The integration expands ANNA's strategy to provide a centralized ecosystem combining digital business accounts, tax compliance tools, administrative automation, and on-demand embedded credit facilities.