Amazon is introducing a new digital credit line for U.S.-based merchants with partner bank Goldman Sachs for up to $1m.
The move — the latest high-profile collaboration between the worlds of technology and banking — is the first time Amazon will let a financial institution make underwriting decisions for the hundreds of thousands of sellers on its platform. More than half the goods sold on Amazon are from independent businesses. For the past decade, Amazon has kept a tight rein on its small business lending program, using algorithms and closely guarded sales data to determine who could use a loan. "We're super excited about embarking on this journey with Amazon, and thrilled that they chose to partner with us," said Omer Ismail, head of Goldman's U.S. consumer business.