East West Bank
SBA National Preferred Lender bank in Pasadena: SBA 7(a) loans up to $5M plus 504 and Express, 8.75% median starting rate, 10 to 25 years, weeks to close. Best for established CA firms.
Rates & Cost
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Repayment Terms
How and how fast you pay it back, and how flexible it is.
Eligibility & Access
Who qualifies and what you have to put on the line.
Speed & Service
How fast you get funded and how the lender treats you.
Company Verification
Who actually stands behind the lender: legal entity, registration, and how long the business and its website have existed. Checked against public registries.
Best for: Businesses, especially in California, wanting a bank-held SBA 7(a) or 504 loan of up to $5 million (median 7(a) loan $497,000) for property, buyouts or expansion.
Not for: Owners needing cash within days or wanting posted rates.
Lender List verdict: East West Bank is an $84.3 billion Pasadena bank and SBA National Preferred Lender that approved 173 7(a) loans in the year to June 30, 2026, at a median starting rate of 8.75%. Pricing beats the SBA cap; terms come only after applying.
East West Bank at a glance
| East West Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured bank; SBA National Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 1973 / Pasadena, California |
| Products | SBA 7(a), 504, Express, Export Express, EWCP |
| Amounts | $5,000 to $5,000,000; median loan $497,000 |
| Cost | 8.75% median starting rate; variable, tied to Prime |
| Status | Active |
What is East West Bank?
East West Bank is a Pasadena commercial bank, opened in 1973, with $84.3 billion in assets and 98 offices. Since FY2020 it has approved 846 SBA 7(a) loans worth $706.8 million, two-thirds of them in California.
How East West Bank's SBA loans work
East West Bank approves SBA 7(a) loans in-house as a Preferred Lender, with terms of 10 to 25 years.
- 7(a): up to $5,000,000 for real estate, equipment, refinancing, buyouts or working capital
- 504: you put in 10%, the bank 50% and a CDC up to 40%, fixed-rate, for owner-occupied property
- Also: SBA Express, Export Express and export working capital loans
- Volume: 179 7(a) approvals for $114.9 million in FY2025; average loan $835,512 since FY2020
East West Bank SBA rates and fees
East West Bank's 7(a) loans started at a median 8.75% in the past 12 months; 93% were variable. SBA caps the margin over Prime at 4.5% for $250,001 to $350,000 and 3% above that. The SBA guaranty fee is 3% of the guaranteed share on $150,001 to $700,000; bank fees are unpublished.
Worked example: a $350,000, 10-year 7(a) loan at 8.75% costs $4,386.44 a month, or $526,372.35 in total, including $176,372.35 of interest. The $7,875 guaranty fee lifts the APR to about 9.28%.
East West Bank requirements
East West Bank publishes no credit-score or time-in-business minimum; SBA rules set the bar.
| Requirement | East West Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| Credit score | Lender does not publish |
| Business size | SBA size standards |
| Equity injection | 10% for 504, startups and buyouts |
| Personal guarantee | Owners of 20% or more |
Alternatives: Lendistry, national SBA lender iBusiness Funding and all SBA 7(a) loans.
Frequently asked questions about East West Bank
Is East West Bank Legit? Yes. East West Bank has operated since 1973, is FDIC-insured (cert 31628) and an SBA National Preferred Lender. Only 12 of its 846 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2020 were charged off. Trustpilot shows 2.8/5 from four consumer reviews, none about business lending.
Where Is East West Bank Headquartered, and Who Is the CEO? East West Bank is headquartered at 135 North Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, California. Dominic Ng, its chairman, has been chief executive since 1992. The bank runs 97 U.S. offices plus one abroad and is owned by East West Bancorp, a Nasdaq-listed holding company.
How Long Does East West Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? Expect roughly 30 to 90 days from application to funding; the bank publishes no timeline. As a Preferred Lender it approves 7(a) loans itself, skipping the SBA review that other banks wait on, but appraisals and closing documents still take weeks, and 504 loans add a CDC step.
Does East West Bank Lend to Startups? Yes. East West Bank's SBA page names owners just starting a business among those it serves, but it publishes no separate startup program or minimums. Under SBA rules, a startup or business buyer injects at least 10% of project cost, and owners of 20% or more sign a personal guarantee.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
Best for: Businesses, especially in California, wanting a bank-held SBA 7(a) or 504 loan of up to $5 million (median 7(a) loan $497,000) for property, buyouts or expansion.
Not for: Owners needing cash within days or wanting posted rates.
Lender List verdict: East West Bank is an $84.3 billion Pasadena bank and SBA National Preferred Lender that approved 173 7(a) loans in the year to June 30, 2026, at a median starting rate of 8.75%. Pricing beats the SBA cap; terms come only after applying.
East West Bank at a glance
| East West Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured bank; SBA National Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 1973 / Pasadena, California |
| Products | SBA 7(a), 504, Express, Export Express, EWCP |
| Amounts | $5,000 to $5,000,000; median loan $497,000 |
| Cost | 8.75% median starting rate; variable, tied to Prime |
| Status | Active |
What is East West Bank?
East West Bank is a Pasadena commercial bank, opened in 1973, with $84.3 billion in assets and 98 offices. Since FY2020 it has approved 846 SBA 7(a) loans worth $706.8 million, two-thirds of them in California.
How East West Bank's SBA loans work
East West Bank approves SBA 7(a) loans in-house as a Preferred Lender, with terms of 10 to 25 years.
- 7(a): up to $5,000,000 for real estate, equipment, refinancing, buyouts or working capital
- 504: you put in 10%, the bank 50% and a CDC up to 40%, fixed-rate, for owner-occupied property
- Also: SBA Express, Export Express and export working capital loans
- Volume: 179 7(a) approvals for $114.9 million in FY2025; average loan $835,512 since FY2020
East West Bank SBA rates and fees
East West Bank's 7(a) loans started at a median 8.75% in the past 12 months; 93% were variable. SBA caps the margin over Prime at 4.5% for $250,001 to $350,000 and 3% above that. The SBA guaranty fee is 3% of the guaranteed share on $150,001 to $700,000; bank fees are unpublished.
Worked example: a $350,000, 10-year 7(a) loan at 8.75% costs $4,386.44 a month, or $526,372.35 in total, including $176,372.35 of interest. The $7,875 guaranty fee lifts the APR to about 9.28%.
East West Bank requirements
East West Bank publishes no credit-score or time-in-business minimum; SBA rules set the bar.
| Requirement | East West Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| Credit score | Lender does not publish |
| Business size | SBA size standards |
| Equity injection | 10% for 504, startups and buyouts |
| Personal guarantee | Owners of 20% or more |
Alternatives: Lendistry, national SBA lender iBusiness Funding and all SBA 7(a) loans.
Frequently asked questions about East West Bank
Is East West Bank Legit? Yes. East West Bank has operated since 1973, is FDIC-insured (cert 31628) and an SBA National Preferred Lender. Only 12 of its 846 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2020 were charged off. Trustpilot shows 2.8/5 from four consumer reviews, none about business lending.
Where Is East West Bank Headquartered, and Who Is the CEO? East West Bank is headquartered at 135 North Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, California. Dominic Ng, its chairman, has been chief executive since 1992. The bank runs 97 U.S. offices plus one abroad and is owned by East West Bancorp, a Nasdaq-listed holding company.
How Long Does East West Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? Expect roughly 30 to 90 days from application to funding; the bank publishes no timeline. As a Preferred Lender it approves 7(a) loans itself, skipping the SBA review that other banks wait on, but appraisals and closing documents still take weeks, and 504 loans add a CDC step.
Does East West Bank Lend to Startups? Yes. East West Bank's SBA page names owners just starting a business among those it serves, but it publishes no separate startup program or minimums. Under SBA rules, a startup or business buyer injects at least 10% of project cost, and owners of 20% or more sign a personal guarantee.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
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