In the second quarter of 2026, entrepreneurs submitted 0.2% more credit applications than in the same period of the previous year, and for higher amounts. Indeed, the total value of credit requested increased by 14.0%.

The Bank Lending Survey (BLS) conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB) also shows that demand for loans or credit lines from non-financial corporations developed favourably during the second quarter of 2026. These companies made greater use of credit mainly to finance fixed investments and to cover inventory and working capital needs.

This increase in demand also resulted in higher lending activity. In the second quarter of 2026, the number of loans granted rose by 6.9% compared with the same quarter of the previous year. The amount of credit granted was 3.3% higher than in the corresponding quarter of last year.

At the end of June 2026, the stock of utilised business loans, including commitment credits (These include, for example, guarantee facilities and documentary credits), amounted to €206.2 billion, representing an increase of 2.9% compared with one year earlier.

The quarterly survey conducted by the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) showed that the proportion of businesses considering credit conditions to be unfavourable fell to 19.8% in July 2026, compared with 26.9% in April 2026. The perception of obstacles to obtaining credit remains largely linked to the level of interest rates applied to loans, which have gradually increased since December 2025.

In the Bank Lending Survey (BLS), banks reported no changes to their credit standards during the first half of 2026.

The weighted average interest rate on new business loans had reached a peak of 4.66% in November 2023, before declining to 3.51% in December 2025. During the first half of 2026, these rates started to rise again, reaching 3.95% in June 2026.