The small company received private credit instead of a bank loan.
private credit
idiomAn aspect of the shadow banking system involving assets defined by non-bank lending where the debt is not issued or traded on the public markets, unlike corporate bonds and municipal bonds.
Because traditional banks refused to lend them money, the business owners turned to private credit to fund their expansion.
Institutional investors are increasingly allocating capital toward private credit, seeking higher yields in a market where debt remains shielded from public exchange volatility.