Today in B2B Payments: New Alliances Tackle SMB Banking, X-Border Payments

Today in B2B payments, BankiFi and Axiom Bank team to offer embedded banking solutions to small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), while TD Securities joins Visa B2B Connect to help businesses send money to other businesses across borders. Plus, Mastercard launches a platform that offers spend visibility, and Vella Finance debuts a platform for SMBs in Africa.

BankiFi, Axiom Bank Team to Improve SMB Banking

Embedded finance company BankiFi and Axiom Bank have formed a partnership in which Axiom Bank’s SMB customers will be able to better track and manage their finances with BankiFi’s embedded banking services. The collaboration also solidifies Axiom as BankiFi’s first North American client, having launched in the U.S. in July with the introduction of BankiFi Americas.

TD Securities Joins Visa B2B Connect to Bolster Cross-Border Payments

TD Securities will be joining cross-border B2B payment network Visa B2B Connect to help with quick account-to-account (A2A) international payments. Visa Canada Vice President and Head of New Payments Jim Filice said: “Together with TD, we’re proud to help their business clients connect with other businesses across the globe to simplify the way they move money.”

Mastercard Platform Aims to Give Businesses Spending Visibility

Mastercard has launched Global Treasury Intelligence, a cloud-based platform designed to give businesses more visibility into how and where they spend money. The company said this new platform “enables organizations to execute more effective and sustainable financial strategies, and support corporate priorities such as cash management, risk assessment and ESG goals.”

Nigerian FinTech Vella Finance Launches Platform for SMBs in Africa

Nigerian FinTech Vella Finance has launched a new user interface and new products as part of a platform that helps streamline cross-border payments for owners of SMBs in Africa. Vella Finance CEO Mark Afolabi said: “Vella’s sweet spot is our ability to layer regular traditional finance which businesses are already familiar with on top of crypto infrastructures.”

CFOs Bring New Risk Mindset to Digitization 3 Years After Urgent COVID Shutdown

It’s been nearly three years since the launch of the new remote reality that forced companies to digitally adapt or die. Which adjustments did they keep? More importantly, what are they going to do next? As part of the third annual Visa B2B Payments Month series, PYMNTS spoke with 250 chief financial officers (CFOs) in the retail and manufacturing sectors to find out where they are today in their digital transformation.

Financial Scams up the Ante for FI Investment in AI-Powered Tools

Fraud attacks are bedeviling financial institutions (FIs), and smaller FIs are at particular risk right now. Featurespace Founder Dave Excell told PYMNTS’ Karen Webster in an interview: “The problem is big, and it continues to grow. So doing nothing isn’t really a solution to the problem.”

Digitization Efforts Bring Unexpected Knock-on Benefits to Finance Operations

CFOs and treasurers are pragmatic people who spend a lot of time preparing for worst-case scenarios, so it’s no surprise that they’re equipping their companies with digital tools that will help them survive and thrive in any storm. In a series of conversations on digitization, financial leaders sat down with PYMNTS to share lessons they’ve learned about embracing digital and instant payments.

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