Reuters took note of the pressures, with anecdotal reports of small business owners turning down by small- to medium-sized banks. About a quarter of firms said they would look to increase their use of credit products in 2024, with more than half of them eyeing business credit cards. The fact that online lenders are gleaning slightly more interest from small firms as a channel to tap beyond traditional lenders signals that these businesses are cognizant of the reticence on the part of banks to extend financing