Merchant cash advances are one of the most innovative products in alternative business finance. The concept has only existed for a few years, but it's already proving very popular with retail businesses and the leisure sector. Put simply, a merchant cash advance uses your card terminal to 'secure' lending perfect for businesses without many assets, but who have a good volume of card transactions every month. Repayments are then taken as a proportion of your revenue, making it a quick and easy funding solution for many SMEs. Can I get a merchant cash advance? Any business that uses a card terminal to take payments from customers will have a card terminal provider - the company that processes transactions for them. With a merchant cash advance, the lender works with the terminal provider so they have visibility on what's happening, and how much money is flowing through your business. That means that unlike other types of lending, there's no need for credit checks or a detailed look into your accounts. In theory, any business that receives payment via a card terminal can get a merchant cash advance. And because the lender can quickly see what the business makes over an average month, they can agree a loan amount and a repayment plan much faster than with other options - so it can be a great solution for businesses that don't have valuable assets, or need cash fast.