US Small Businesses Risk Layoffs and Missed Wages as Cash Flow Gaps Widen, New Adyen Data Shows

SAN FRANCISCO, NOVEMBER 2, 2026 — Adyen, the global financial technology platform of choice for leading businesses, today shares new data that finds rising costs and weaker consumer spending are squeezing America’s small businesses as borrowing becomes more expensive.

An Adyen survey of 1,000 U.S. small and medium sized business decision-makers found mounting cash-flow pressure: 63.6% reported rising supply costs or shrinking margins, while 40.3% reported lost revenue from weaker consumer spending. The findings come as NFIB reported short-term loan rates averaging 8.2%, while the September jobs report showed hiring slowing to 29,000 jobs from 133,000 in August. The pressures of rising costs and shrinking margins are shrinking the cash flow safety nets of small businesses. 

Small businesses are feeling the pressure. Some 41% of surveyed decision-makers say their business could cover wages, rent, supplies and other operating costs for less than a month without sales revenue being paid out. Nearly half (45.2%) say the time it takes to get sales funds often creates cash-flow challenges.

Half (49.9%) consider a loan or additional funding critical or very important to achieving their business goals. 41.2% of U.S. small-business decision-makers surveyed anticipate cutting back operations, potentially including layoffs or delayed wages, while 13.2% say their business could close or go bankrupt, if they are unable to access these funds. 

The findings point to a broader working capital problem: money businesses have earned but cannot yet put to work. Smaller businesses often lack the reserves or credit facilities to bridge that gap. Nearly eight in ten surveyed decision-makers would pay 1–1.5% for instant access to sales revenue, while more than a third would turn to personal funds. For these businesses, delayed access to revenue can mean paying more for liquidity or putting personal finances at risk. 

Technology platforms can help address this financing gap. Through Adyen Capital, platforms such as Fresha, the leading beauty and wellness booking platform, can offer funding directly to the businesses they serve, helping them access capital through software they already use.

“Small businesses are feeling pressure from multiple directions, from rising costs and weaker consumer spending to uncertainty around how AI will reshape their industries. And with borrowing becoming more expensive, even money they've already earned but can't yet access becomes a working capital problem,” said Shep Smith, President, North America at Adyen. “Unlike larger companies with more financial flexibility, small businesses often have to pay a premium to get that money faster or put their own savings on the line when they need additional funding. When those gaps start affecting payroll, hiring and growth, the consequences extend well beyond the business itself. Making capital more accessible is critical to keeping people employed, businesses growing and local economies moving.”

Small businesses employ 45.9% of U.S. private-sector workers, according to the SBA, yet access to capital remains a challenge. Without funding, 44.2% of surveyed decision-makers may delay or cancel growth plans, while 27.3% risk losing customers or contracts. The Federal Reserve found that fewer than half of small business financing applicants received the full amount requested.

Adyen’s survey found that 56.1% would seek bank loans, more than a third would use personal funds and roughly one in six would borrow from family or friends. Nearly 20% would turn to a technology provider or software platform they already use for that funding, highlighting technology’s role in the solution.

"Nobody understands a growing business quite like the platform powering it every day. For many small businesses, access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers to growth, even when demand is strong," said Pawel Iwanow, Fresha's Chief Payments Officer and co-founder. "When Lash Vegas founder Kieren saw the opportunity to expand into a second location, traditional financing presented unnecessary complexity. Through Fresha Capital, she was able to access funding directly within the platform she already uses to run her business, removing the need for lengthy applications and allowing her to focus on what matters most: bringing her ambitions to life. This is where embedded finance is making a real difference, giving ambitious business owners access to capital when they need it, without the traditional barriers that can hold them back."

Through Adyen Capital, Adyen is helping businesses access the funds they need to manage day-to-day operations, navigate cash-flow challenges and pursue growth opportunities without waiting for traditional financing.

Methodology

Censuswide surveyed 1,000 U.S. small and medium-sized business decision-makers aged 25 and older between October 2 and October 9, 2026. Respondents worked at companies with 1–249 employees. The funding-consequence question asked about a hypothetical inability to secure funding during an operational or growth need and allowed multiple responses. The survey did not measure the likelihood of being denied funding.

About Adyen

Adyen (ADYEN:AMS) is the financial technology platform of choice for leading companies. By providing end-to-end payments capabilities, data-driven insights, and financial products in a single global solution, Adyen helps businesses achieve their ambitions faster. With offices around the world, Adyen works with the likes of Meta, Uber, H&M, eBay, and Microsoft.