Allen Bonde is an ex-Forrester and McKinsey practice leader and startup advisor who is now CMO of B2B payments leader TreviPay
The recent ‘Crossroads’ FinTech salon gathered leaders from major banks, payment experts, management consultancies and other members of the B2B payments ecosystem to explore the future of B2B payments and digital transformation. Organiser and speaker TreviPay’s Allen Bonde shares key insights
In both geopolitics and the progress of technology, we’re in a period of recurring shocks and surprises. But as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, such crises often accelerate innovation, creating a renewed urgency to innovate and open new channels for growth.
Judging by the conversations at a recent fintech salon in London, today’s disruptions present another opportunity to tackle persistent challenges—only this time with the advantage of digital maturity.
A senior economist from a leading insurer at the salon, for example, noted how US tariffs have surged from 2.5% to over 20%, but could fall to 10% with successful trade negotiations. He contrasted the slowdown with Europe’s improving prospects, highlighting Germany’s €200 billion investment in defense and infrastructure. However, declining American consumer sentiment, a key driver of its GDP, remains a concern. His takeaway: “Tariffs may slow global growth, but Germany’s investment may boost Europe. Businesses must adapt to this volatile landscape.”
How B2C habits shape B2B buyer expectations
Two digital leaders from a major bank discussed the rapid digital transformation of B2B trade and finance, noting that digital transactions have jumped from 30% in 2017 to 80% today. They also highlighted the bank’s progress in API integration, especially in trade finance. However, adoption remains uneven, shaped by local payment preferences and industry norms (for example, the ongoing use of letters of credit in markets like Indonesia).
Their key takeaway: “Digital adoption in trade finance has surged, with APIs and standardisation driving the ecosystem collaboration needed for tomorrow’s B2B commerce.” Elsewhere in the conversation, senior executives from payments stakeholders, including a strategy advisory firm, a fintech consultancy, and an advertising company, discussed how offering seamless, personalised payment experiences gives companies a competitive edge and boosts share of wallet.
As Jordan Cox, Principal Consultant from the advertising firm, VML, put it: “There’s still a strong need for personal interaction in B2B, and that’s not going away. The future lies in blending digital convenience with traditional relationship-building. That means offering flexible, omnichannel solutions that support different purchasing preferences and journey types.”
How AI and analytics are powering smarter, tougher B2B
Representatives from both manufacturing and payments sectors underscored AI’s growing role in driving efficiency, smarter credit decisions, and personalised customer experiences. One manufacturing executive noted: “By leveraging strategic partnerships and AI-driven personalisation for our SMB customers, we aim to scale this into a billion-dollar business across Europe.”
A management consultant discussed the shift from manual to digital processes, AI maturing beyond buzzwords, and how B2B is shaped increasingly by B2C expectations. Payments stakeholders also pointed out the importance of the convergence of consumer and commercial payment experiences, with innovations often starting in the consumer space before reaching B2B.
What that means in practical terms, the group agrees, is that customers now expect mobile-friendly, intuitive solutions and AI automation in commercial transactions. A senior B2B practitioner at a digital payments provider shared how their organisation is working to completely transform payments through AI and data analytics, including AI-driven RFP generation, vendor selection, and risk assessments.
He emphasised: “By embedding finance at the point of decision and building more resilient supply chains through AI-driven intelligence, we’re transforming B2B payments.”
Regulations: both a hurdle and a help for payments innovation
An important statement came from a financial services expert: “Banking is not payments. Regulators must recognise this distinction and create flexible frameworks that serve merchants, not just banks, across all payment ecosystems.” This SME stressed the need to understand the distinct requirements of banking systems, procurement payments, and merchant transactions, each needing tailored regulation.
Merchants should also be central to the payment landscape. Criticising current measures, especially Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) as “legislative and regulatory incompetence,” the call for early regulatory engagement and closer collaboration between policymakers and industry to simplify compliance and tackle B2B payment challenges was made.
The power of trust
Trust was a central theme that emerged, with speaker after speaker reinforcing trust’s importance. A manufacturer and a global payments network, for example, stressed trust’s role in partner selection, valuing shared goals, integrity, and long-term collaboration. “Trust scales better than features,” said the manufacturer; while the payments leader added, “It takes years to build, seconds to lose.
Senior executives also discussed how loyalty, driven by flexibility, reliability, and trust, keeps B2B customers engaged, especially when challenges arise and solutions are tailored.
Payment and invoicing flexibility matters for growth
The session featured real-world B2B scale-up examples. A manufacturing leader noted SMBs now account for 60–65% of their business. To better serve this segment, the company partnered with a platform leader to offer a 30-day net payment option—crucial for its European growth and expanding market share. This payment method complements credit cards, wire transfers, and PayPal, currently making up 17% of transactions, with plans to increase to 20–25%.
A management consultant referenced a study of 1,000 payment projects, highlighting that success hinges on addressing specific pain points rather than pursuing broad digital goals. They emphasized that true impact requires deep operational changes: “B2B payments need more than digital tools; they demand fundamental shifts for real financial outcomes.”Shaping the future of B2B, together
Looking ahead, banking leaders emphasized the need for industry-wide collaboration and new API standards to close information gaps and enhance transparency. A payments expert highlighted the importance of early regulatory engagement and cross-sector cooperation to address B2B payment challenges. Participants agreed that true transformation requires collective action across the entire ecosystem.
The key takeaway: B2B commerce is evolving rapidly, and shared insights, trust, and flexibility will be essential to driving the next wave of growth.
