The Green Sheet Online Edition
February 9, 2026 • 26:02:01
B2B marketplaces: Redefining the role of banks in the digital era
Picture a global digital marketplace where businesses trade seamlessly across continents, every transaction processed instantly and financial insights delivered in real time.
This is not science fiction; it’s the emerging reality of B2B marketplaces. Analysts predict that by 2030, nearly half of all global B2B transactions, more than $16 trillion annually, will flow through these platforms.
And the momentum is already undeniable: global investment in B2B marketplaces has surged by 450 percent since 2016, with rapid adoption in Asia and Latin America and accelerating growth in Europe and North America.
For banks, this evolution presents both opportunity and challenge. Traditional banking models, designed around relationship-based transactions and periodic batch processing, risk being left behind in a world where marketplaces are the central hub for procurement, payments and financial services.
As these platforms embed payments, credit and data-driven solutions directly into their ecosystems, banks that fail to adapt may find themselves reduced to background processors, losing both the customer relationship and the data that drives strategic value.
Payments orchestration is a must
The key to thriving lies in agility, intelligence and integration. Payments orchestration—managing transactions dynamically, optimizing liquidity, and balancing cost, risk, and efficiency across multiple payment channels—is no longer optional.
Cloud-native architectures, API-driven solutions and AI-enhanced orchestration empower banks to streamline cross-border payments, manage liquidity in real time and turn traditional payment operations into a strategic growth lever.
Beyond operational efficiency, data-driven insights provide a competitive edge. Banks can deliver predictive analytics, risk management and embedded financing solutions directly within the marketplace experience, transforming the way businesses access and interact with financial services.
Marketplaces are creating new avenues
Marketplaces themselves are evolving into fully integrated financial ecosystems, offering credit, working capital and payment services alongside procurement. Banks that embed themselves in this workflow capture opportunities that might otherwise bypass traditional channels entirely.
This transformation also requires a forward-looking approach to regulation and standards. Cross-border payments must be fast and reliable, multi-currency transactions dynamically routed, and compliance with frameworks such as ISO 20022 and emerging regulations like PSD3 and FedNow fully integrated into operations.
Banks embracing embedded finance are not just keeping pace but also creating new avenues for customer engagement, revenue growth and market differentiation.
Collaboration is central of success
Strategic partnerships will increasingly define success. Collaboration with card schemes, PSPs, acquirers and regulators is central to building marketplaces that deliver tangible value. Banks that adopt this ecosystem mindset can respond faster to market shifts, leverage actionable insights, and provide innovative services aligned with the way modern businesses operate.
The next era of B2B commerce will be platform-driven, data-centric and increasingly automated. The banks that act decisively, embedding AI, orchestration and real-time intelligence into their payments strategy, will secure a central role in this evolving landscape.
This transformation is more of an opportunity than a challenge: a chance for banks to redefine themselves, deepen their relevance in commerce and shape the future of global trade. B2B marketplaces are here to stay. Banks that recognize their potential and act boldly will define success in the digital economy. 
Radi El Haj, RS2's CEO and executive director, has been in the payment industry for more than 25 years. Radi specializes in the areas of issuing, acquiring, clearing and settlement, ecommerce, and accounting. Colleagues and clients benefit from his international experience, global network and experience with the technical and product development units. Radi was appointed chief executive officer of RS2 in January 2013. RS2 is a leading global provider of payment technology solutions and processing services, offering a unified approach to managing payments across all channels for banks, integrated software vendors, payment facilitators, independent sales organizations, payment service providers, and businesses worldwide. For more information about RS2, please visit www.RS2.com; contact Radi El Haj via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/radie.
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