FinTech

The corporate treasury function is undergoing a fundamental transformation, evolving from a primarily operational role focused on cash management to a strategic partner driving business growth and resilience. This shift is largely fueled by financial technology (fintech), which is providing the tools and capabilities to meet new demands for speed, transparency, and strategic insight.

The Strategic Imperative: Why Fintech Matters Now

Several converging trends are making the adoption of fintech solutions a strategic necessity for corporate treasuries.

• Demand for Real-Time Everything: The expectation for immediacy, driven by consumer experiences, has moved into corporate finance. Businesses are increasingly demanding real-time payments (RTP), instant visibility into global cash positions, and up-to-the-second reconciliation. Research indicates that 61% of businesses increased their use of RTP last year, and 60% expect further growth.

• The Rise of Strategic Treasury: Treasurers are now expected to contribute to business planning, optimize working capital, and manage complex risks—from geopolitical shifts to cybersecurity. This requires tools that provide predictive analytics and strategic foresight, not just historical reporting.

• Competitive Pressure from Fintechs: Agile fintech companies have set a new benchmark for financial services, demonstrating what “digital-native” operations can achieve. This has pressured traditional banks to innovate and has given corporate treasurers more choice, with 58% of businesses already using a fintech for a core cash management or treasury service.

Key Fintech Technologies Reshaping Treasury

Modern treasury technology is built on several interconnected pillars that automate processes, enhance decision-making, and unlock new capabilities.

Spotlight: The Practical Promise of Digital Assets

Beyond the hype, digital asset infrastructure offers tangible benefits for treasury operations. Technologies like blockchain and stablecoins can address specific pain points, such as reducing the cost and delay of cross-border payments by 60-90% and freeing up capital trapped in transit. Leading fintechs are already piloting these solutions to enhance liquidity management and settlement speed.

The Future-Fit Treasury

The trajectory is clear: the treasury function that leverages fintech to gain real-time visibility, automate routine tasks, and harness data for insight will be an indispensable strategic asset. It will be better equipped to manage global complexity, optimize capital, and provide the financial agility the modern business demands.

By understanding these technologies and following a structured implementation path, your treasury can transition from a record-keeper of the past to a strategic driver of future growth.