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eBay and Liberis introduce Flexible Growth Financing to support UK small businesses. March 12, 2026 Running short of time? Get PDF of the blog in your mail. Reading Time: 4 minutes eBay UK has announced a new partnership with global embedded finance provider Liberis to launch Flexible Growth Financing, a funding solution designed to help small and medium-sized businesses access capital directly through the marketplace platform. The new financing option will be introduced to UK business sellers beginning April 6, 2026, as part of eBay Seller Capital, eBay's initiative aimed at providing sellers with faster and more accessible funding to support their business growth. The program is designed to address one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses today - access to affordable working capital. Addressing the funding gap for small businesses. Access to financing remains a major hurdle for many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. According to recent data, 52% of UK SMEs report difficulty accessing affordable credit, often due to lengthy application processes, high borrowing costs, and the risk of loan rejection. This funding gap can prevent businesses from investing in essential growth activities such as: * Expanding inventory * Improving product listings * Scaling marketing campaigns * Managing seasonal demand By embedding financing directly into the marketplace platform, eBay aims to simplify how sellers access capital and remove traditional barriers associated with business loans. How Flexible Growth Financing works. Flexible Growth Financing is designed to provide on-demand funding that adapts to a seller's business performance and needs. Eligible sellers will receive a pre-approved funding limit tailored to their business data and sales history on eBay. Instead of withdrawing the full amount upfront, sellers can access the capital in stages depending on their needs. This means sellers can: * Draw the full funding amount at once, or * Withdraw smaller amounts over time as opportunities arise The financing is commonly used for operational growth initiatives such as: * Restocking high-demand products * Expanding product catalogs * Investing in advertising and promotions * Improving product listings Another key feature is repayments that adjust based on sales performance, helping businesses maintain healthier cash flow while scaling operations. Funding decisions are expected to be delivered within 24 hours, enabling sellers to act quickly on emerging market opportunities. Proven success in the US market. The partnership between eBay and Liberis is not entirely new. A similar model has already been operating successfully in the United States under the Seller Capital program. Through this initiative, thousands of small businesses have already accessed working capital, helping them grow their operations and manage business expenses more efficiently. According to Liberis, 90% of small business customers reported that the working capital provided had a positive impact on their operations. This flexibility allows business owners to maintain greater control over their financial planning and growth strategies. Embedded finance becomes a marketplace growth tool. For eBay, the launch of Flexible Growth Financing represents a broader shift toward embedded finance within digital marketplaces. Instead of forcing sellers to seek financing externally through banks or traditional lenders, marketplaces are increasingly integrating financial services directly into their platforms. According to Eve Williams, General Manager of eBay UK, the goal is to provide sellers with financing that reflects the realities of running an online business. Through the partnership with Liberis, funding decisions can be made using real commercial data generated from seller performance, enabling faster approvals and financing limits tailored to actual business activity. This approach allows sellers to access capital in a way that aligns with their sales cycles and growth patterns, rather than being restricted by rigid loan structures. "Small business growth is vital to the UK economy, but access to the right kind of funding remains one of the biggest barriers for many entrepreneurs. Through eBay Seller Capital and our partnership with Liberis, we're embedding flexible finance directly into our platform, giving sellers fast, data-driven access to funding that adapts to their sales and puts them firmly in control of their growth." - Eve Williams, General Manager, eBay UK A growing global Seller Capital program. Flexible Growth Financing is the latest expansion of eBay's broader Seller Capital program. In 2025 alone, the initiative delivered more than $250 million in working capital to over 10,000 sellers globally through its financing partners. Since its launch, the program has facilitated over $1 billion in growth capital for sellers across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. By integrating financial tools directly into the seller ecosystem, eBay aims to help businesses scale faster and invest in growth opportunities without unnecessary financial friction. What this means for marketplace sellers. The launch of Flexible Growth Financing highlights how marketplaces are evolving beyond transaction platforms into complete business ecosystems for sellers. Access to working capital can often determine whether a small business is able to expand its inventory, capitalize on seasonal demand, or launch new products. With embedded funding available directly within the platform, sellers can respond to opportunities faster and operate with greater financial flexibility. For UK-based eBay sellers, the new financing option provides an additional resource to manage growth, invest strategically, and scale their operations without navigating traditional lending processes. As marketplace competition intensifies and sellers increasingly look for operational support beyond simple listing tools, integrated financial solutions like Seller Capital may play a crucial role in shaping the future of seller-first marketplace ecosystems. cedcommerce news coverage ebay news 2026 ecommerce industry news shreya salil Shreya Salil is a seasoned content writer specializing in eCommerce. Her knack for storytelling and industry expertise combine to create informative and engaging content.

Deliveroo has partnered with embedded finance provider Liberis to launch Deliveroo Capital, a flexible funding programme for UK hospitality businesses. The initiative will offer pre-approved merchant cash advances to qualifying restaurant partners through Deliveroo's platform. The service integrates with existing tools restaurants use to manage delivery orders and operations, providing a single access point for logistics and finance. Funds can be used for various purposes, including cash flow management, equipment purchases, refurbishments or menu development. Liberis will use a data-driven process to determine eligibility. The programme is initially available to over 5,000 UK restaurant partners, with plans to expand to several thousand more and eventually include retailers on Deliveroo's platform. Gourmet Sushi has already used the service during a test phase.