U.S. tariffs have ushered in a wave of business for lending startups. Slope, for example, a company backed by JPMorgan, said applications for its credit lines ballooned by 730% year over year last month. The jump came as importers realized that tariffs averaging 50% on Chinese imports would be around until at least November amid negotiations between Washington and Beijing. “We’ve seen a huge demand spike because of tariffs,” Slope co-founder Alice Deng said. “The impact was immediate.” Lending FinTechs flourished during the pandemic but saw loan demand dip when people resumed normal shopping habits. The tariffs, and the uncertainty that have come with them, are now helping jumpstart their businesses. Startup Wayflyer saw new loan applications climb 28% between June and July, almost three times the standard seasonal increase. Another lender, Clearco, extended 46% more in loans in July and August than it did in the same months last year. “The U.S. administration’s tariff strategy creates volatility and uncertainty,” Clearco CEO Andrew Curtis said.