These funds provide access to capital for airport concessions, an unsung and undercapitalized niche in the small business community
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / July 9, 2026 / Lendistry today announced that it has received a $100 million credit facility from East West Bank, including a $100 million accordion feature that provides additional borrowing capacity as the program grows. This capital supports Lendistry's Airport Concessions Program (ACP), which was created to fund small businesses that operate in airports nationwide.
In addition to small restaurants and convenience brands, many travelers don't realize that the national chains present in airport terminals, like Starbucks, are often locally-owned licensees with the same economic impacts of a Main Street cafe. Yet these businesses face additional hurdles when they need capital to grow.
"Airport concession businesses are historically undercapitalized due to their unique business structures and complex financing needs," says Everett K. Sands, CEO of Lendistry. "We took the time to learn, then built ACP with the right team and technology to provide the capital they need. We're grateful to East West Bank for their support and excited to keep working with them to change the game for small business owners and their communities."
The transaction builds on a relationship established in 2025, when East West Bank provided Lendistry with a $75 million credit facility to support its SBA 7(a) lending platform.
"East West Bank and Lendistry share a commitment to expanding economic opportunity for small businesses," said Andrew Stein, Executive Vice President, Head of Commercial Banking & Specialty Finance Eastern Region. "We're pleased to support Lendistry's Airport Concessions Program following the success of our SBA 7(a) financing relationship. As Lendistry continues to grow, East West Bank is proud to serve as its financial bridge, providing comprehensive banking solutions to support its long-term growth and the entrepreneurs it serves."
Since Lendistry launched ACP in 2019, $98 million has been deployed to airport businesses in 16 states. This capital from East West Bank will help scale the program and serve the fast-growing industry.
About Lendistry
Lendistry (lendistry.com) is a small business lender, grant administrator, and a trusted resource for undercapitalized entrepreneurs. Lendistry has used proprietary technology to deploy over $10.5 billion to small businesses since its founding in 2015, partnering with state and federal governments and some of the most well-known brands in the U.S. Named a Best Place to Work in Fintech by American Banker in 2025, Lendistry has both Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Community Development Entity (CDE) certifications, is an SBA Preferred Lender and is the #2 non-bank SBA 7(a) lender in the country. In collaboration with The Center by Lendistry, a nonprofit business education organization, Lendistry helps business owners achieve their goals and prepare to scale.
About East West Bank
East West Bancorp, Inc. (EWBC) is a publicly traded company with total assets of $82.9 billion as of March 31, 2026. Its wholly owned subsidiary, East West Bank, is the largest independent bank headquartered in Southern California, with more than 110 locations across the United States and Asia. East West Bank has been recognized by Bank Director as the No. 1 best-performing bank in its asset class for three consecutive years. For more information, visit www.eastwestbank.com.
Press contact: Kate Kearns, Sr. Communications Manager: communications@lendistry.com
SOURCE: Lendistry
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