TOKYO -- Japan's MUFG Bank aims to triple the small-business loans that are handled entirely online by fiscal 2026, using technology such as artificial intelligence to expand in a market where it lacks much of a presence.
The bank, part of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, looks to target companies that lack an assigned bank representative and have annual sales with less than 3 billion yen ($20.8 million). It will use AI to analyze factors such as sales trends and activity on the applicant's bank account, deciding on loans of up to 10 million yen as soon as the next working day after the application.
