Making B2B Payments Work Smarter in 2026

Executive Summary

Global businesses face mounting pressure to modernize payment operations as transaction volumes grow and markets become more interconnected. The upside is that the inefficiencies common to business-to-business (B2B) payments, like lengthy settlement times, high processing costs, and manual reconciliation, are simply remnants of legacy systems rather than inevitable constraints. 

The need to solve these inefficiencies becomes more pressing as the B2B payments market swells to new heights; McKinsey pegs it at $1.3 trillion in global volume for 2023, representing 52% of the total $2.5 trillion payments ecosystem. Other projections indicate continued growth, with estimates reaching $1.63 trillion by 2025. This scale highlights both the economic significance of B2B payment systems and the potential implications of modernization. 

As we explore in our latest whitepaper, organizations navigating B2B payments encounter persistent challenges. Compliance requirements consume considerable resources as companies navigate varying regulations across jurisdictions while maintaining internal governance standards. Fraud remains particularly concerning; according to the 2025 AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey, 63% of organizations reported experiencing check fraud in 2024, while 38% faced ACH debit fraud and 20% encountered ACH credit fraud. 

Cross-border complexity multiplies these challenges. Local currency requirements force businesses to manage foreign exchange risk across multiple markets. Payment methods popular in one region may be unavailable elsewhere. Manual reconciliation processes drain productivity, with finance teams spending excessive time matching payments with invoices and investigating discrepancies. Cost optimization remains elusive without comprehensive payment visibility, as processing fees vary widely and hidden charges can unexpectedly erode margins. 

Emerging Solutions to B2B Payment Challenges  

The B2B payments landscape is experiencing rapid change as technology providers address these longstanding challenges. Market projections indicate that up to $37 trillion in B2B payments will migrate from legacy rails to instant payment systems within three years. This migration eliminates traditional float periods, benefiting suppliers by providing faster access to working capital while enabling buyers to negotiate more favorable terms. 

Virtual cards are a particularly promising solution. The global virtual card market is projected to reach $14.6 trillion by 2029, accounting for 83% of the total virtual card market globally. These digital instruments offer advanced fraud protection through the use of single-use card numbers and tailored security features. Each transaction carries detailed data, including invoice numbers and cost centers, thereby eliminating the need for manual matching processes and accelerating financial closings. 

Payment orchestration provides the foundation for systemic improvement, acting as a central core that enables cost optimization through intelligent routing. By connecting multiple processors through single integrations, orchestration platforms provide flexibility while reducing technical complexity. Organizations can implement sophisticated routing based on transaction characteristics and cost considerations, ensuring each transaction follows the most economical path. 

The convergence of artificial intelligence, open banking, and embedded finance creates new possibilities for B2B payments. Machine learning models identify fraud patterns invisible to human analysts. Predictive analytics optimize payment timing for cash flow while maintaining vendor relationships. Natural language processing automates invoice processing and approval workflows. 

Organizations that adopt modern payment technologies like these position themselves competitively for tomorrow. Our whitepaper, Making B2B Payments Work Smarter in 2026, offers practical guidance for accelerating this adoption. Digital payment benefits extend beyond cost savings to improved vendor relationships, cash visibility, and operational risk reduction. Success requires selecting partners who understand both current challenges and future opportunities.  

UATP offers solutions that improve efficiency, accelerate time to market, and enhance fraud controls while simplifying reconciliation, enabling businesses to build smarter, more connected payment systems for sustainable growth in an increasingly digital marketplace. 

-Ralph A. Kaiser  

President & CEO of UATP 

Download your copy of Making B2B Payments Work Smarter in 2026: How Global Businesses Are Modernizing Payment Operations with Automation, Orchestration, and Virtual Cards today.