In a move looking to reshape the landscape of pre-owned vehicle financing, AmeriTrust Financial has announced the launch of a new fintech-driven lending platform specifically designed to expand used-car leasing capabilities for dealers across the United States. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, the independent automotive finance company is positioning itself as a unique player in the market, becoming the only independent lender currently offering used-car leasing at a national level.
The launch addresses a consistent disparity in the automotive finance sector. While leasing accounts for approximately 25 percent of the new-vehicle market, it represents only about three percent of used-vehicle financing. Historically, used-car leasing has been largely restricted to Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs offered by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). AmeriTrust aims to dismantle these barriers by offering an agnostic platform that allows franchised and large independent dealers to lease virtually any make or model, regardless of CPO status.
Streamlining the Path to Affordability
At the heart of AmeriTrust’s offering is a proprietary technology that solves a major logistical headache for dealers: the complexity of structuring a lease versus a traditional loan. The platform enables dealers to submit a single retail loan application and receive side-by-side decisions for both a loan and a lease within minutes. This dual-path decisioning allows dealers to present customers with concrete comparisons immediately, often showcasing how a lease can provide a lower monthly payment without the risks associated with extending loan terms to 72 or 84 months.
“With grocery bills up and used-car prices still high, consumers need a better path to affordability than simply stretching loan terms,” said Jeff Morgan, CEO of AmeriTrust Financial and former national lease partner to Tesla. “While extending terms can reduce payments, it also increases negative equity and default risk. Used-car leasing is a smarter alternative — and today, only a handful of OEMs provide used-vehicle lease options at scale, leaving a significant gap in the market.”
Technology Built for the Showroom Floor
AmeriTrust’s platform goes beyond simple credit decisioning. It is built to function as a comprehensive sales tool. Dealers can connect their real-time inventory to the AmeriTrust portal at no cost, generating penny-perfect loan and lease payments that reflect actual deal terms rather than rough estimates. This capability allows sales staff to toggle between terms, lease types, and credit tiers while the customer is still at the desk, facilitating a more transparent and efficient negotiation process.
To further reduce friction, the system automatically pre-fills all contract paperwork, including title applications and state-specific forms. This automation is designed to minimize the clerical errors that often delay funding or require embarrassing re-contracting conversations with buyers.
Expanding Access and Mitigating Risk
Backed by institutional investors and parent company AmeriTrust Financial Technologies Inc., the company is scaling rapidly. Currently operating in 28 states, AmeriTrust plans to cover the entire continental U.S. in the coming months. The platform caters to a wide spectrum of drivers, offering lease structures that range from subprime options to leases with no mileage or wear-and-tear penalties, broadening the potential customer base significantly.
For dealers facing a market where affordability is the primary obstacle to closing sales, AmeriTrust’s solution offers a compelling new lever to pull. By unlocking the lower monthly payments inherent in leasing for the vast used-car inventory sitting on lots today, AmeriTrust is opening a new avenue for profitability in a constrained market.
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