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Small Business Credit Card Report: Credit Cards Drive Sales, Provide Critical Financing for Small Businesses

sbpastg on July 16, 2026

Consumers Prefer Cards Over Cash by 5-1 Margin

Small Businesses Use Multiple Cards to Enjoy Wide Variety of Benefits

Washington, DC — The Small Business Payments Alliance (SBPA) issued its latest report on how small businesses utilize credit card to drive sales and growth. The report was released as the group hosted its ninth fly-in for members from around the country. In meetings on Capitol Hill, SBPA members highlighted the findings from the report and warned members against imposing federal mandates that would threaten the electronic payments system that is so critical to their businesses.

“America’s small businesses depend on credit cards for far more than processing transactions — they rely on them to finance inventory, manage cash flow, and serve customers who overwhelmingly prefer electronic payments,” said Peter Kauffmann, SBPA spokesperson. “This report makes clear that the Durbin-Marshall credit card mandates would put those benefits at risk by disrupting the secure electronic payments system that millions of small businesses rely on every day. Congress should protect — not undermine — the tools that help Main Street businesses grow and succeed.”

During meetings on Capitol Hill, SBPA members told lawmakers that the Durbin-Marshall credit card mandates would benefit the nation’s largest retailers at the expense of Main Street businesses. They warned that small businesses rely on today’s secure electronic payments system for fraud protection, reliable transactions, fast access to funds, detailed record keeping, and the flexibility to serve customers in-store, online, and on mobile devices. Business owners urged Congress to reject new federal mandates, warning they would weaken payment security, reduce consumer choice, and create unnecessary risks for the small businesses that depend on the current system to compete, grow, and serve their customers.

SBPA SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT CARD REPORT 2026

Small Businesses Rely on Cards to Make and Receive Payments

Credit cards help fulfill small business needs. Small businesses often struggle with uneven cash flow and rely on financing to make payments. As such, credit cards play an essential role in helping small business owners smooth their cash flow and pay their suppliers quickly.

Accepting electronic payments helps drive sales for small businesses. Consumers overwhelmingly prefer electronic payments over cash for in-person payments and make a large majority of payments using credit and debit cards. Accepting consumers’ preferred payment choices helps small businesses increase sales revenue and attract new customers.

Small businesses value the benefits their business credit cards provide. Roughly half of business credit cards held by small business owners offer cashback. Many small businesses use multiple cards and enjoy a wide variety of benefits.

Cash costs more than credit cards for small businesses. The cost associated with handling cash payments can run from 4.7% to 15% for small businesses — far higher than the cost of processing credit cards. The number of small businesses who do business exclusively with debit and credit cards is on the rise because of the costs and hassles off doing business in cash — notably, the risk of theft and robberies, mistakes in counting, and hours spent handling, counting and transporting cash.

SBPA NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK REPORT 2026

sbpastg on May 7, 2026

National Small Business Week Report:

Credit Cards Deliver 121% ROI, $26,000 in Annual Benefits for Small Businesses

Washington, DC — The Small Business Payments Alliance (SBPA) issued its annual National Small Business Week Report this week, detailing how credit cards deliver major benefits for small businesses — driving a 121% ROI and generating $26,000 in annual benefits for merchants accepting credit cards.

“Credit cards are one of the most powerful tools that small businesses have to grow. For every dollar spent on acceptance, merchants get more than two dollars back through higher sales, lower costs, and built-in protections against fraud and nonpayment. That’s not a cost — that’s an investment. Durbin-Marshall credit card mandates would rip those benefits away, weaken payment security, and force small businesses to take on more risk and fewer sales — all while Washington picks winners and losers. That’s bad policy, and small businesses will pay the price.” — Peter Kauffmann, SBPA spokesperson.

SBPA NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK REPORT 2026

During National Small Business Week, small business owners across the country are recognized for the important role they play in our economy. The nation’s 36.2 million small businesses employ 62.3 million Americans – almost 46 percent of the private sector workforce. The modern and secure electronic payments system is critical to the success of small business – but there is a push in Congress for new government mandates that pose a direct threat to the electronic payments system.

The proposed Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Mandates would undermine payment security, limit consumer choice, and create new challenges for small businesses that rely on a dependable and secure credit card system. Small business owners oppose these federal government mandates because they see firsthand that accepting credit cards is an investment in their businesses.

Research from the Small Business Payments Alliance (SBPA) details how credit cards deliver major benefits for small businesses – driving a 121% ROI and generating $26,000 in annual benefits for merchants accepting credit cards.

A copy of the full report can be found here.