Il bank credit to Italian companies has shrunk by 22% in ten years, but after hitting its lowest point at the end of 2024 it has started to recoverIn June 2026, loans to companies reached 618,6 billion euros, compared to 598,9 billion in December 2024: an increase of approximately 3%.
This is what emerges from one Verum Partners research, a group that offers consulting and services to small and medium-sized businesses and startups. A comparison with ten years ago, however, paints a very different picture: in June 2016, bank loans to businesses amounted to €791,8 billion. In a decade, therefore, decreased by more than 173 billion.
Loans to businesses are overtaking those of families.
Moving in the opposite direction were the bank loans to families. Over the last decade, they have grown by almost 20%, from €521,9 billion in June 2016 to €623,3 billion in June 2026.
Le families have thus overcome stably businesses in the amount of bank credit received. A comparison with the end of 2024 also shows the change: while loans to businesses had fallen to €598,9 billion, those to households stood at €594,7 billion. In June 2026, the gap widened further, with €623,3 billion in loans to households versus €618,6 billion to businesses.
For businesses, credit has become more selective
According to the analysis by Verum Partners, there are several factors that have made it more selective access to credit for businessesAmong these are the more stringent criteria imposed on banks by national regulations, with the aim of ensuring the stability of the system, and the concentration of the banking sector. The structure of the Italian productive fabric, characterized by the prevalence of small and medium-sized enterprises with limited capitalization. This dynamic is contrasted with a growing pool of companies: currently, there are over 5 million active businesses, with a positive balance of approximately 56 units in 2025.
For companies, therefore, obtaining financing increasingly requires demonstrating their ability to sustain debt and maintain financial stability. "Today, it's no longer enough to ask for credit; you have to demonstrate that you can finance it," explains Francesco Tancredi, at the helm of Ethesya, a credit brokerage firm within the Verum Partners group. "You need to understand the bank's credit assessment criteria, prepare a complete and coherent dossier. And, above all, be able to present future prospects and the ability to generate cash, service debt, and maintain financial stability. For this reason," adds Tancredi, "the assistance of a regulated credit broker is useful. They can help the company present a clear project, credible figures, and a vision for the future that allows the bank to understand why the company deserves financing."
