ANEXT Bank set out to make banking simpler for small businesses, and 2026 marked a significant step forward. The bank’s headline move this year was the launch of CreditNow, an embedded lending service that sits inside the platforms merchants already use. CreditNow went live on the EPOS platform, which means it is working where trade happens, not tucked away in a separate app. It will soon be available to over 100,000 merchants across POS providers, e-commerce platforms, and ecosystem partners.
The change is striking in plain terms. Where a typical SME loan used to take about 30 minutes to apply for, CreditNow cuts that to as fast as one minute, with an instant credit decision and no additional documents required. That speed is made possible by a fundamentally different approach to credit assessment: instead of relying on traditional financial statements, CreditNow uses live transaction data as an alternative signal of creditworthiness, so businesses are assessed based on their operations rather than on paperwork. For owners juggling stock, staff and customers, that means working capital decisions happen in real time.
ANEXT has backed its product push with sustained investment in data integrations via robust APIs and automated credit tools. The payoff shows up in customer use and satisfaction. As of the end of 2025 more than 65% of customers were digitally active, 71% of the bank’s local MSME clients are micro businesses, and the bank reports an aggregate digital banking channel satisfaction score of 91%.
The bank’s approach is practical. Instead of asking small firms to navigate a separate application process, ANEXT embeds credit access directly into the platforms they already use, whether at the point of sale, in e-commerce workflows, or through other integrated partners. The system draws on real-time transaction data alongside Singpass MyInfo and Credit Bureau Singapore records, and the whole lending flow is straight-through: identity checks, credit decisions and signing happen digitally and immediately. Faster, embedded lending reduces drop-offs and lifts conversion, while automation cuts operating costs.
Jackson Oh, ANEXT Bank’s Chief Technology Officer said:
“For a long time, a small business with healthy daily trade could still struggle to get credit, simply because it didn’t have the financial statements a traditional assessment expects. CreditNow flips that. By using live transaction data as the basis for credit assessment, we’re judging a business on how it actually operates, not on the paperwork it can produce, which also means the owner doesn’t have to stop and dig out documents to apply. That removes the most painful part of applying and brings a credit decision down to as fast as one minute.”
ANEXT’s product range goes beyond CreditNow. The bank offers a multi-currency business account, fixed deposits in major currencies, and business loans from SGD 5,000 up to SGD 500,000. It also runs an API programme for partners, offering modular integration, cybersecurity checks and risk frameworks so other platforms can embed banking services safely.
Recognition has followed the work. ANEXT Bank was honoured with the prestigious Outstanding Digital CX – SME Loans – Digital Bank award at the Digital CX Awards 2026 for the bank’s push for inclusion and speed.
The bank has also signalled a fresh focus on mobile-first design for 2026. That makes sense given the customer mix and the need for on-the-go access. The team is already using eKYC and biometric checks to speed onboarding and design tools to iterate quickly on the user experience.
ANEXT Bank has taken a steady, data-led route to inclusion. It has put technology, partnerships and human-centred design at the heart of its strategy, and the results show up in faster decisions, higher satisfaction and growing reach. For small businesses that need working capital without the usual hassle, ANEXT’s approach looks like a real step forward.
