This Week in B2B: AI Agents, Stablecoins, and Back-Office Frontiers

Business is evolving, and legacy processes can hamstring operations. But many forward-thinking firms are sitting attractively in the middle of a metamorphosis. Businesses, government agencies and FinTechs are pushing the boundaries of innovation, motivated by the dual imperatives of efficiency and resilience.

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If the past few years were about adaptation, the next few will be about orchestration. Companies must align digital tools, artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, and policy compliance into a strategy that drives performance.

From the rise of stablecoins to AI-infused automation and a modernization of government finance, the convergence of technology and strategy is redrawing the future of money movement.

Yet, at the same time, technology alone is not the solution. The winners could likely be those who understand how to integrate innovation into their culture, workflows and decision-making processes. That may mean training teams, rethinking roles, and embracing a mindset of continuous improvement.

Digital Overhaul of B2B Finance

As traditional finance confronts limitations in speed, accessibility and adaptability, a suite of digital-first solutions is taking root.

Chief among the more speculative mechanisms on offer are stablecoins, which have quickly evolved from niche crypto tools into potential instruments for cross-border B2B payments. A recent report showed stablecoins have facilitated $36 billion in B2B payments out of a $94 billion transaction volume as of February 2025. Businesses in markets with underdeveloped banking infrastructure, such as Latin America and Africa, are adopting stablecoins for their speed, low fees, and real-time settlement capabilities.

FinTechs are also leading the embedded finance charge. Take OatFi, for instance, which recently secured $24 million in Series A funding to enhance its B2B embedded financing platform. By integrating underwriting and funding directly into payment platforms, companies like OatFi offer more seamless and responsive credit services — an essential need as businesses look to maintain liquidity without friction.

In tandem, middle-market firms in North America are improving working capital efficiency. A 2.5% rise in efficiency rates, captured by PYMNTS Intelligence, reflects not only enhanced processes but also a maturing understanding of how to leverage external financing tools.

Digital transformation is no longer just a buzzword — it is a imperative. With shifting expectations from clients and trading partners, and growing pressure on CFOs to deliver more with less, investment in intelligent financial infrastructure is becoming a competitive necessity.

AI Takes the Wheel

From conversational interfaces to deep workflow automation, AI is steadily embedding itself in the core of enterprise operations.

Square, for example, recently launched a conversational AI assistant aimed at helping merchants navigate the company’s suite of tools. This new assistant doesn’t just answer questions; it delivers real-time insights on sales trends, customer behavior and operational metrics. It shows how AI can democratize data-driven decision-making for Main Street businesses.

Meanwhile, Infosys is deploying AI agents in its accounts payable (AP) platform to handle invoice processing. This development isn’t merely about cost-cutting. It signals a broader movement toward error reduction, fraud prevention, and financial insights that can inform everything from procurement to budget forecasts.

The shift goes beyond AI as a tool and into AI as a strategic partner. As businesses recalibrate their post-pandemic playbooks, enterprise digital transformation is being redefined not as a standalone initiative but as a foundational layer of organizational strategy. No longer focused solely on front-end user experiences, the new wave of transformation is focused on building lasting capabilities, agile infrastructure, and adaptive operating models.

Perhaps most compelling is the changing role of the CFO. Today’s finance chiefs are no longer just gatekeepers of budgets and spreadsheets. They are architects of synergy in M&A activity, stewards of digital transformation, and strategic partners in innovation. They must now navigate a world where technology and policy are as central to success as traditional financial metrics.

Reinvention of Government Finance

While the private sector sprints toward innovation, government agencies are also stepping up their digital game, albeit with different drivers. Efficiency, cost savings, and the need to modernize outdated systems are at the heart of this transformation.

A federal mandate requires agencies to transition from paper checks to digital disbursements by Sept. 30. This shift, driven by a push to reduce fraud and improve efficiency, affects everything from Social Security payments to vendor remittances. Already, federal agencies processed $43 billion in card transactions, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Though these payments incurred nearly $784 million in fees, they also enhanced speed and user satisfaction.

However, modernization is not without friction. Roughly 485,000 Social Security recipients still rely on paper checks, and many lack digital literacy or access to banking infrastructure. The government’s challenge is not just technological but human: how to ensure that innovation doesn’t leave the most vulnerable behind.

As B2B finance continues its transformation, the boundary between digital and physical, public and private, intelligence and intuition will continue to blur. In this hybrid frontier, agility, trust and vision could be the ultimate currencies of success.

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