Small and medium enterprise lending in Russia: Current situation and development prospects

Abstract

Aim. To describe the mechanisms of state support used to reduce bank risks in lending to small and medium enterprises (SME lending).Objectives. Identification of risks that arise in SME lending in Russia; identification of measures that contribute to the reduction of these risks.Methods. Theoretical part of the methodology is the study of literature dealing with the topic of research; the experimental part includes data collection, their analysis, conclusion on statistics in the Russian Federation (RF) on lending to entrepreneurial activity.Results. It can be stated that entrepreneurs have a certain optimism about the prospects for the development of their business. This is supported by the emergence of special lending programs for entrepreneurs in the SME segment. Banks are developing new loan products, including those with the use of state support measures for entrepreneurs. SME lending enables banks to diversify their loan portfolios, expand their customer base, and increase interest and commission income.Conclusions. Support from the government helps to significantly reduce credit risks and significantly expand access of SMEs to financial resources. This, in turn, gives a powerful incentive for growth and development of both small business and the economy as a whole.