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Insights and Expertise

B2B payment trends supporting lower day sales outstanding (DSO) and more
predictable cash flow.
that will define At the same time, embedded payments are evolving from
a buzzword into a true operating model. Banks, networks
2026:Working and fintechs are reorganizing around platforms that
weave payments directly into accounts payable (AP) and
accounts receivable (AR) workflows.
capital, intelligence, Unlocking working capital

interoperability In 2026, embedded payments won't feel innovative; they'll
simply be how B2B payments get done. By reducing fric-
tion between invoice presentment, approval, payment and
reconciliation, embedded models help organizations com-
press order-to-cash and procure-to-pay cycles, unlocking
trapped working capital on both sides of the transaction.

As global supply chains stretch, cross-border payments
are also becoming faster, smarter and more specialized.
Every company is now a cross-border company, and fi-
nance teams expect speed, transparency and compliance
without relying on a patchwork of point solutions.

The next generation of cross-border tools will be purpose-
built for the realities of B2B complexity, delivering FX
transparency, regulatory alignment and predictable set-
tlement timing. For treasury teams managing multi-entity
liquidity, this visibility is essential to optimizing global
cash positions and reducing idle balances.
By Zachary Held Gaining optimization, measurable results
Boost Payment Solutions
After years of experimentation, the office of the CFO is
he B2B payments ecosystem is in the midst of finally seeing automation pay off. Metrics like DSO reduc-
one of the most consequential transformations tion, error minimization, exception handling and cycle-
in its history. What was once defined by paper time improvements are beginning to move meaningfully.
T checks, fragmented data, and slow, batch-based CFOs are no longer dabbling, they're operationalizing au-
processes is rapidly evolving into a landscape driven by tomation across AR, AP and treasury.
speed, intelligence and interoperability.
The business challenge has shifted from "Can we auto-
As new payment rails mature and automation finally de- mate?" to "Can we measure the working capital impact?"
livers on its promise, expectations across the enterprise Payments partners that can bridge AP and AR, and trans-
are rising. In 2026, payments will no longer be viewed as late operational efficiency into liquidity gains, will be crit-
a back-office necessity, but instead a strategic lever for li- ical to delivering measurable results.
quidity, resilience and growth.
Suppliers, meanwhile, are becoming power users of card
Moving toward true interoperability economics. With growing sophistication around Level 3
One of the clearest shifts we see is the move away from data, interchange qualification and acceptance strategies,
one-off payment fixes toward true interoperability. Large suppliers are shifting from passive acceptors to active op-
suppliers are stepping back and rethinking their entire ac- timization partners.
counts receivable infrastructure, from data flows to rec-
onciliation. The real value is no longer in adding another This evolution is reshaping conversations around pricing,
payment method, but in delivering a single, clean, stan- payment choice and long-term value. Strategic card accep-
dardized file into the ERP. tance can provide immediate liquidity benefits and offset
margin pressures—but only when aligned with broader
That mindset change is already underway, and it has di- working capital goals and cost-to-serve analysis.
rect working capital implications. Clean, structured re-
mittance data shortens application time, accelerates cash AI will also play a growing role, but not as an autonomous
posting and improves visibility into receivables, directly decision-maker. In payments, AI will serve as a second set
of eyes validating data, identifying anomalies, forecasting
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