Small businesses in the United States purchasing overseas want faster payments, lower fees and better exchange rates. Financial providers are combining accounts, currency management and spending services around that activity.
The PYMNTS Intelligence report “The Cross-Border Opportunity: What Global Sourcing by US SMBs Means for Payment Providers,” produced with Mastercard, found in May that 57% of surveyed small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) sourced production inputs internationally in 2025. Overseas sourcing extended to 42% of businesses with annual revenue below $150,000, compared with 73% of firms generating $1 million to $10 million.
The findings placed cross-border payments within routine purchasing for businesses of different sizes.
Announcements Address Currency Use and Spending
Announcements this month take aim at reducing at least some of the costs associated with commerce on an international scope.
Stripe and Plasma said Oct. 15 that they are partnering to target unnecessary conversions through multicurrency stablecoin cards, PYMNTS reported.
“A cardholder holding euros, for example, will be able to spend directly in euros without converting through dollars first,” the companies said in a press release. “Businesses operating across markets can issue cards denominated in currencies that match their spending needs, helping reduce unnecessary [foreign exchange (FX)] costs.”
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Thredd and Finsei said Tuesday (Oct. 20) that they are teaming up to support debit cards within Finsei’s accounts, payments and currency management offering, PYMNTS reported. Thredd supplies processing and associated capabilities.
Neither announcement provided comparative customer pricing or measured savings across the full payment chain.
The PYMNTS Intelligence report indicated that among overseas-sourcing firms, 43% cited faster processing and settlement as an improvement priority. Lower fees or better exchange rates followed at 37%, security and fraud protection at 32%, and cost transparency and customer support at 27% each.
Desire for cost efficiencies differs by business size. Medium-sized firms emphasized fees and exchange rates after speed, while the smallest firms wanted to know what a payment would cost before sending it, the report revealed. Businesses sourcing from Europe placed greater emphasis on support and security than the overall sample.
The Financial Stability Board’s 2025 consolidated progress report found that foreign exchange remained the largest component of measured retail cross-border payment costs. Average global costs showed little change from 2024 or, more broadly, since 2023. Its retail category includes B2B payments below $100,000, with B2B cost comparisons based on $20,000 transfers.
The assessment separately examined receiving-side expenses. Its survey collected charges imposed by intermediaries for forwarding payments and by receiving providers for crediting customers. Such charges may be deducted from payments or billed directly between participating providers. The FSB reported average receiving-side costs ranging from 0.1% to 1.3% of the amount sent. Where receiving providers perform currency conversion, FX margins also contribute to receiving-side expenses.
The PYMNTS Intelligence report found that 63% of internationally active firms predominantly paid suppliers in dollars, while 4% primarily used suppliers’ local currencies. Dollar payments leave suppliers handling conversion, and suppliers typically incorporate conversion losses into their prices.
Separately, a working paper from the Bank for International Settlements, released Monday (Oct. 19), examined expenses surrounding stablecoin transfers, including exchange trading charges, blockchain fees and withdrawals into conventional currency. The authors found that converting between stablecoins and national currencies still involves exchanges and other intermediaries whose charges can increase total costs. Recipients may also wait for conversion and bank processing before accessing their money.
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