eCapital Invoice Finance Review

eCapital is a North American invoice finance and asset-based lending group with UK operations incorporating the former Optimum Finance. Five UK regional offices (Reading, Newport, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow), US-parent funding scale, and sector specialism in logistics, recruitment, wholesale, and manufacturing. The £100k turnover floor and sector-aware underwriting make eCapital a strong panel option for established UK SMEs in their target sectors.

eCapital is a North American invoice finance and asset-based lending group with UK operations incorporating the former Optimum Finance. It funds from £100,000 turnover with service charges from 0.75% and advance rates of 85% to 90%.

More detail + scope

Summary

eCapital is a North American invoice finance and ABL group whose UK arm incorporates the former Optimum Finance, with five UK regional offices in Reading, Newport, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. It funds from £100,000 turnover with service charges from 0.75% and advance rates of 85% to 90%, specialising in logistics, recruitment, wholesale and manufacturing.

This page covers

eCapital invoice finance minimum turnover, advance rate, pricing, UK office network and sector specialisms

Not covered here

General invoice finance education (see /guides/), sector pages (see /industries/), the full provider directory (see /providers/)

Key Facts

Min turnover£100,000
Service chargeFrom 0.75%
Advance rate85% to 90%
UK offices5 regional
IncludesOptimum Finance

Sector Specialisms

Four UK sectors where eCapital's underwriting is institutional rather than learned per-file:

UK Regional Coverage

Five offices: Reading (London-corridor coverage), Newport (Welsh / Western), Birmingham (Midlands), Manchester (North West), Glasgow (Scotland). Regional presence matters for UK SMB invoice finance because the relationship-banking model benefits from same-region underwriter access. eCapital's geographic coverage is one of the broadest among UK independents, comparable to Bibby's regional network.

Pros and Cons

Strengths

  • US-parent funding scale for larger UK files
  • 5-office UK regional presence
  • Sector specialism in logistics, recruitment, wholesale, manufacturing
  • £100k turnover floor (suits mid-market SMEs)
  • Legacy Optimum Finance UK team retained
  • Competitive pricing for sector-aware files

Limitations

  • Higher floor than Bibby or Ultimate Finance (£50k)
  • Less UK brand recognition than Bibby or Close Brothers
  • Sector focus excludes some niches (creative agencies, professional services)
  • US-parent ownership less reassuring than UK banking parents for some applicants

Best For / Less Suitable For

Best for

  • UK SMEs £100k to £20m turnover in logistics / recruitment / wholesale / manufacturing
  • Larger files needing US-parent funding capacity
  • Businesses preferring regional UK office relationships
  • Sector-specific underwriting needs (transport cycles, recruitment payroll, wholesale concentration)

Less suitable for

  • Sub-£100k turnover, Bibby, Ultimate Finance, IGF have lower floors
  • Creative agencies, professional services, Optimum, Skipton, Bibby fit better
  • Tech / SaaS, Hydr or Triver fit better
  • Cross-border heavy international trade, Stenn, Accelerated Payments, HSBC

Pricing Reality

Our Verdict

eCapital is a strong UK panel option for established mid-market SMEs in their target sectors (logistics, recruitment, wholesale, manufacturing). The US-parent funding scale provides capacity beyond what most independent UK lenders match, the legacy Optimum Finance UK team brings sector knowledge, and the 5-office regional presence supports relationship banking. The £100k turnover floor rules out smaller businesses; the sector focus narrows the fit; but for files inside their sweet spot eCapital competes hard on price and underwriting depth.

OM

Oliver Mackman

Director, Market Invoice

Oliver leads Market Invoice's editorial and comparison research. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees provider analysis, rate verification, and industry reporting across all verticals.

Last reviewed: 11 May 2026

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eCapital FAQ

What is eCapital?

eCapital is a North American invoice finance and asset-based lending group with UK operations. The UK arm incorporates the former Optimum Finance (acquired by eCapital). Five UK offices (Reading, Newport, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow) provide regional coverage with sector-aware underwriting. The US-parent funding lines give scale beyond what most independent UK lenders can match.

What's eCapital's minimum facility?

Approximately £100,000 annual turnover is the typical floor for eCapital UK invoice finance, lower than challenger banks (Aldermore £250k, Skipton £100k for confidential) but higher than the lowest UK independents (Bibby £50k, Ultimate Finance £50k). Suits established UK SMEs in the £100k to £20m turnover band.

Which sectors does eCapital specialise in?

Logistics and transport (including owner-driver fleets and dedicated logistics), recruitment and staffing (including healthcare staffing), wholesale and distribution, and manufacturing. The sector knowledge is genuine, the legacy Optimum Finance team had a long UK book in these areas and eCapital has retained and extended it. For files in these sectors, eCapital is typically one of the panel quotes.

How does Market Invoice work with eCapital?

MarketInvoice partners with eCapital as a broker route for UK invoice finance applicants. When you request quotes through MarketInvoice, eCapital is one of the providers that may receive your application based on profile fit. The lead is routed via eCapital's UK relationship team for matching to the appropriate sector specialist. Full editorial independence on this review, the broker partnership doesn't influence the underwriting reception of any individual file.

What's eCapital's pricing for UK invoice finance?

Service charge typically 0.75% to 1.75% of invoice value depending on sector, customer mix, and facility size. Discount charge at Bank of England base rate plus 1.5% to 3.0% (currently 5.25% to 6.75% all-in). Advance rates 85% to 90% on standard B2B receivables, sector-specific terms on logistics and recruitment files. Less expensive than US-parent comparison would suggest because UK delivery is sized for UK SMB market.

How does eCapital compare to Bibby on UK invoice finance?

Both are established UK independent invoice finance providers with sector specialism. Bibby has the larger UK book and longer track record (founded as part of Bibby Line Group 1807). eCapital has the US-parent funding scale and slightly more aggressive growth posture in the UK market. For files where US-backed funding is a positive (larger ticket sizes, more complex underwriting), eCapital fits well; for files preferring established UK independent track record, Bibby fits well. Both compete on logistics, recruitment, wholesale, manufacturing.