Wolters Kluwer announced the fourth quarter 2025 results of its Equipment Lease Finance Digital Transformation Index. The Index serves as a critical benchmark tracking the industry’s transition from paper-based back-office processes to fully digital workflows. 
 
According to the latest data, the rate of adoption for digital contracting in Q4 2025 decreased slightly by 0.94% compared to Q3 2025. This marginal decline aligns with broader market trends observed in November, where activity across banks, captives, and independent institutions saw a temporary softening. Despite this seasonal dip, the Index remains stable year-over-year, with a negligible decrease of only 0.01% compared to Q4 2024. 
 
Key Findings & Market Outperformance 

The Index highlights significant strength in long-term adoption and annual performance, particularly when compared to broader industry benchmarks: 

• Annual Market Outperformance: While the general market saw a 0.9% decrease from 2024 to 2025 (through November), Wolters Kluwer’s Digital Index showed an adoption growth rate of 2.46% over the same fiscal period. 

• Long-Term Trajectory: The 4-year trend continues to accelerate, showing a total digital adoption growth of 48.08% since Q4 2021—a notable increase over the long-term trend reported last quarter. 

• December Surge: Performance was bolstered by a resilient December, capitalizing on the strong fourth quarter forecast recently highlighted by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (ELFA) CapEx Finance Index (CFI). 

The Q4 performance mirrors a brief period of caution in the equipment finance sector. In November, new deal growth at banks edged down by 1.0%, while volumes at captives and independents declined by 9.3% and 12.9%, respectively. However, Wolters Kluwer’s ability to reflect a 2.79% fiscal year increase demonstrates that digital transformation remains a priority for firms looking to gain efficiencies even when total market volumes fluctuate. 
 
"Our fourth quarter data confirms that digital adoption has reached a level of maturity that allows it to weather broader market volatility," said Matt Babcock, Digital Lending Product Strategy for Wolters Kluwer. "While we saw a dip in November that aligned with the decline in activity across banks and captives, our year-end surge allowed us to significantly outpace the general market’s annual performance. We are particularly encouraged by the 48% growth we've seen since 2021, proving that the shift to digital is a permanent structural change, not a temporary trend."