AmeriTrust Financial Launches Fintech-Driven Platform to Transform Used-Car Leasing Nationwide
AmeriTrust Financial, a newly launched independent automotive finance company, is entering the U.S. auto lending market with a clear mission: to modernize and dramatically expand used-vehicle leasing at a national scale. Built on a fintech-first platform and supported by institutional investors and a group of billionaire backers, the company is positioning itself to address one of the most persistent affordability challenges facing today’s automotive retail industry.
As used-vehicle prices remain elevated and consumer budgets are under pressure from inflation across everyday essentials, AmeriTrust Financial is offering dealers and consumers a compelling alternative to traditional long-term auto loans. By enabling seamless side-by-side loan and lease approvals through a single retail credit application, the company aims to make used-car leasing practical, accessible, and scalable for franchised and large independent dealerships across the continental United States.
Currently operating in 28 states and expanding rapidly, AmeriTrust Financial stands out as the only independent lender offering used-car leasing nationwide across a broad range of makes, models, and credit profiles. Its technology-driven approach is designed to eliminate the friction that has historically limited used-vehicle leasing to OEM-certified programs and a small subset of captive finance companies.
Addressing a Growing Affordability Crisis
The launch of AmeriTrust Financial comes at a time when affordability is one of the most pressing concerns in the automotive market. While vehicle prices have stabilized from pandemic-era highs, used vehicles remain significantly more expensive than they were just a few years ago. At the same time, higher interest rates have pushed monthly loan payments beyond the comfort level of many consumers.
Traditionally, the industry’s solution to rising monthly payments has been to extend loan terms—sometimes to 72, 84, or even 96 months. While this strategy can reduce the immediate payment burden, it often creates long-term financial risks, including negative equity, increased default rates, and limited flexibility for consumers who want to trade or refinance.
Jeff Morgan, CEO of AmeriTrust Financial and a seasoned auto finance executive who previously served as Tesla’s national lease partner, believes the industry needs a smarter solution.
“With grocery bills up and used-car prices still high, consumers need a better path to affordability than simply stretching loan terms,” Morgan said. “Extending terms may lower payments, but 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 major gap in the market.”
Bringing Used-Car Leasing to the Mainstream
Leasing has long been a staple of the new-vehicle market, accounting for roughly 25 percent of all new-car financing in the United States. In contrast, leasing represents only about 3 percent of used-vehicle financing, despite the used-car market being approximately three times larger than the new-car market.
Much of that limited used-lease volume is tied to OEM-certified pre-owned programs, which restrict eligibility to specific brands, models, and vehicle conditions. Independent dealers and non-certified inventory are often excluded, leaving both dealers and consumers with few leasing options.
AmeriTrust Financial is designed to change that dynamic. As an independent lender, the company can lease virtually any make or model—certified or non-certified—giving dealers far greater flexibility in how they structure deals and market inventory.
“The growth opportunity is enormous, and the market is underserved,” Morgan said. “As an independent lender, we have the flexibility to lease any vehicle that meets our criteria. We’re scaling quickly to close the gap between consumer demand and what the industry currently offers.”
One Application, Two Decisions
At the core of AmeriTrust’s offering is a streamlined digital platform that simplifies the leasing process for dealers. Instead of requiring separate applications or manual calculations, dealers submit a single retail loan application and receive side-by-side approvals for both a traditional loan and a lease.
AmeriTrust’s technology automatically converts the loan application into a lease structure behind the scenes, eliminating additional paperwork and reducing the complexity that has historically discouraged dealers from offering used-car leases.
This dual-decision approach allows dealers to present consumers with clear, transparent comparisons between loan and lease options, helping customers choose the structure that best fits their budget and driving habits.
Just as importantly, used-car leasing enables dealers to advertise significantly lower monthly payments without extending loan terms, creating a powerful marketing advantage in a competitive retail environment.
Technology Built for Dealers
Beyond loan and lease decisioning, AmeriTrust Financial offers a comprehensive suite of dealer-focused tools designed to improve efficiency, reduce funding delays, and increase close rates.
One of the most impactful features is automatic contract and title documentation. AmeriTrust pre-fills all required paperwork, including contracts, title applications, and state-specific forms. This automation helps dealers avoid common errors that can delay funding, trigger re-contracting, or even put a deal at risk.
The platform also supports a wide range of lease structures designed to serve diverse customer needs and credit profiles. AmeriTrust offers options that include no mileage limits, no wear-and-tear penalties, and programs tailored for subprime borrowers—an area where leasing has traditionally been unavailable.
To further support the sales process, AmeriTrust provides real-time payment calculators tied directly to dealer inventory. At no cost, dealers can connect their inventory to the AmeriTrust portal and generate accurate loan and lease payments based on actual deal terms rather than estimates. While working with customers in-store, sales teams can compare vehicles across different terms, lease structures, and credit tiers to identify the most affordable and appropriate option.
Speed as a Competitive Advantage
In today’s retail environment, speed matters. AmeriTrust Financial emphasizes rapid decisioning and funding as a core differentiator. Dealers typically receive credit decisions within minutes, and most contracts are funded the same day.
This fast turnaround improves cash flow for dealers, reduces administrative burden, and enhances the customer experience by minimizing delays that can derail a sale.
Recognizing that leasing—particularly used-car leasing—can be unfamiliar to many sales teams, AmeriTrust also provides free dealer training and educational resources. The company hosts Q&A sessions and ongoing training programs to help dealers understand lease structures, compliance considerations, and best practices for presenting lease options to consumers with confidence.
Strong Backing and Rapid Expansion
AmeriTrust Financial’s growth strategy is supported by substantial financial backing. Over the past year, the company attracted investment from institutional investors and multiple billionaires through its parent company, AmeriTrust Financial Technologies Inc. (TSXV: AMT) (OTCQB: AMTFF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA).
This capital infusion is fueling rapid geographic expansion, technology development, and dealer onboarding. While AmeriTrust currently operates in 28 states, the company plans to expand across the entire continental United States over the coming months.
The scale and pace of this expansion reflect growing dealer interest in used-car leasing as a way to address affordability challenges, differentiate inventory, and improve customer retention.
A New Chapter for Used-Vehicle Financing
As the automotive industry continues to adapt to changing economic conditions, evolving consumer expectations, and tighter credit environments, used-car leasing is emerging as a viable and underutilized solution.
By combining fintech innovation, independent lender flexibility, and a dealer-centric approach, AmeriTrust Financial is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift. The company’s platform not only fills a long-standing gap in the market but also offers dealers a practical tool to compete more effectively in an increasingly complex retail landscape.
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