Photograph: Hollie Adams/Getty Images
The first Covid lockdown proved a mixed blessing for the banking platform Tide. The government’s first stay-at-home orders, in March 2020, sparked fear throughout the City, and fintech firms such as three-year-old Tide were no exception. The pausing of an entire economy threatened to decimate demand for its services.
But opportunities started to unfold when then-chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed plans for a 100% taxpayer-backed loan scheme that would keep traders afloat. It gave burgeoning lenders a chance to not only support struggling business customers, but potentially attract new clients by distributing state-backed funds.
