Business credit
Business credit and SME finance in the UAE
How small businesses in the UAE borrow, and what lenders look at before they say yes. Start with SME loans, then check your company's credit report.
Small and medium-sized businesses in the UAE borrow through term loans, working capital lines, overdrafts, trade finance and business credit cards. Lenders usually ask for the company’s trade licence and trading record, and may check its Etihad Credit Bureau company report and the owners’ personal credit, especially when an owner guarantees the loan.
How SMEs borrow in the UAE
- Term loans fund a specific need, such as equipment or a fit-out, repaid in fixed instalments.
- Working capital finance covers day-to-day costs such as stock and payroll, often as a revolving line or an overdraft.
- Trade finance funds or secures buying and selling goods, for example through letters of credit, guarantees or invoice financing.
- Business credit cards cover smaller, recurring spending.
Each lender sets its own criteria, such as how long the business must have traded and what documents it must provide. Our guide to business loans for SMEs walks through eligibility and documents. To compare offers, the loan payment calculator shows the instalment and total cost, and the flat to reducing rate converter puts flat quotes on the same footing.
Your company’s credit record
The Etihad Credit Bureau collects credit information on companies as well as individuals, directly from banks and other information providers.
Company credit score range
300 to 900
The company credit score ranges from 300 to 900 and predicts the likelihood of a company missing payments in the next 12 months; it costs AED 10.50.
- Applies to
- Companies with a UAE trade licence
- Source
- Company Credit Score, Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB)
- Checked
The full company credit report costs AED 157.50 including VAT and covers the last three years. A score is produced only if the company has used credit facilities in the last 24 months. Read how to get and read the AECB company report, and remember that owners have their own personal AECB reports.
When something goes wrong
If a dispute with a bank or finance company is not resolved, an SME can take it to Sanadak, the independent ombudsman unit, free of charge. See how to complain about a bank.
Guides on business credit
-
Business loans for SMEs in the UAE: eligibility and documents
SME and business loans in the UAE: the main types, what banks ask for (trade licence, statements, AECB company report, guarantees) and how to prepare.
-
AECB company credit report and score: how to get and read it
How to get your company's AECB credit report and score in the UAE, what the AED 157.50 report and 300 to 900 score show, and how lenders read them.
-
Business credit cards in the UAE: how they work and who pays
How business and corporate credit cards work in the UAE: who is liable for the balance, which Central Bank rules apply, employee card controls and personal use.
Coming next in this topic
On our content plan. Each title gets a link here when the guide is published.
- Startup financing in the UAE: loans and government programmes
- SME finance without collateral: what lenders ask for instead
- What happens if your business can't repay a loan in the UAE
Calculators for this topic
Loan payment calculator
Monthly instalment and total cost of a loan, at a flat or a reducing rate.
Flat to reducing rate converter
Turns a flat rate quote into the equivalent reducing rate, and back.
Credit card payoff calculator
How long a card balance takes to clear and the interest it costs, paying the minimum or a fixed amount.
Frequently asked questions
What is SME finance?
Credit for small and medium-sized businesses, such as term loans, working capital lines, overdrafts, trade finance and business cards.
How do I check my company's credit score?
Buy it from the Etihad Credit Bureau. The company score costs AED 10.50 and runs from 300 to 900; the full company report costs AED 157.50 including VAT.
Can an SME complain about a bank to Sanadak?
Yes. Filing a complaint with Sanadak is free for SMEs as well as consumers.
Does my personal credit record matter for a business loan?
It can. Lenders may review the owners' personal reports, especially when an owner guarantees the loan.
Sources
Official and primary sources we used for this page, with the date we last opened each one.