- The Fintech Brief
- Posts
- The Fintech Brief Newsletter | 💡 Mastercard and CredibleX Are Driving SME Financing Innovation
The Fintech Brief Newsletter | 💡 Mastercard and CredibleX Are Driving SME Financing Innovation
PLUS: Why Embedded Finance Is Driving the Future of B2B Payments
Nandini Sehgal
March 20, 2025
A NEWSLETTER AFFILIATED TO
Editor’s Pick 📌
Are you maximizing the potential of embedded finance? Join Liberis for an exclusive private session at ShopTalk Spring (March 25–27, 2025, Las Vegas) to explore how leading platforms are driving growth with revenue-based funding solutions. Discover how you can empower SMBs while creating new revenue streams and enhancing customer retention—all without adding complexity or risk.
Learn how Liberis helps partners seamlessly integrate embedded finance, scale lending programs, and drive long-term value.
Liberis breaks down the biggest insights from Fintech Meetup, where AI, embedded finance, and smarter lending were central themes. One speaker noted, "AI is no longer a future strategy — it's the present reality driving real-time decision-making." Embedded finance is also transforming the game, with one attendee explaining, "It’s about simplifying customer journeys and increasing access to capital." Another panelist highlighted that "Unified APIs are not just making payments faster—they’re making them smarter."
Key Takeaways:
AI is driving real-time decision-making and customer engagement.
Embedded finance simplifies customer journeys and boosts access to capital.
Unified APIs enable faster, more secure payment processing.
Predictive insights and seamless engagement are key for customer loyalty.
Liberis and Teya have expanded their partnership to offer quick, flexible funding to over 23,000 merchants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Businesses can access funds in as little as five minutes through a fully automated process, helping improve cash flow without the hassle of traditional loans. This builds on a successful UK rollout and leverages Liberis’ single API to streamline access to Teya Cash Advance. Plans are in place to scale across Europe and introduce new funding options.
Expert View🧠
The U.S. government’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve signals a shift in treasury management, treating Bitcoin as a long-term store of value rather than a speculative asset. This move has broad implications for financial services, embedded finance, and payments infrastructure.
What This Means for Financial Institutions
Bitcoin as a Reserve Asset – Like gold, Bitcoin’s scarcity could serve as an inflation hedge, influencing liquidity strategies.
Custody & Compliance Opportunities – As state-level adoption grows (e.g., Texas, Ohio), banks and fintechs must prepare for increased demand in crypto custody and risk management solutions.
Impact on Cross-Border Payments – A government-backed Bitcoin reserve could accelerate crypto’s integration into global financial ecosystems.
Challenges & Considerations
Market Volatility – Holding Bitcoin exposes treasuries to price fluctuations, raising concerns about its stability as a reserve asset.
Regulatory Uncertainty – If Bitcoin reserves expand, financial institutions must adapt to evolving compliance frameworks and tax policies.
Key Takeaways for Financial & Payments Leaders
Prepare for Digital Asset Integration – Treasury-backed Bitcoin legitimizes crypto in mainstream finance.
Invest in Infrastructure – Demand for secure custody, embedded finance, and transaction monitoring solutions will increase.
Stay Ahead of Regulation – The financial sector must adjust liquidity and risk models as digital assets become part of institutional reserves.
This is more than a policy shift—it’s a paradigm change in financial infrastructure. The question isn’t if financial leaders should adapt, but how fast they can.
Industry Trends & Innovation 💡
FINTECH EVOLUTION
Fintech innovations are revolutionising financial services by enhancing efficiency and transparency. Digital payments, blockchain, AI, and open banking offer secure, accessible solutions. Regtech ensures compliance and reduces fraud. As technology advances, adapting to these changes enables leveraging fintech’s full potential for a more inclusive financial future.
B2B FINANCE INNOVATION
Embedded finance is revolutionising B2B payments by integrating financial services directly into digital platforms. This fosters seamless transactions, reduces delays, and enhances buyer-supplier relationships, becoming essential in modern business landscapes.
Market Moves & Investment 💰
ECOMMERCE FINANCING
In a strategic bid to bolster financial inclusivity, Mastercard has forged a partnership with CredibleX to furnish SMEs in the UAE and EMEA region with enhanced financing options. By incorporating Mastercard’s Small Business Credit Analytics (SBCA) API into its platform, CredibleX leverages advanced data insights to facilitate swift and informed lending decisions. This allows SMEs, often plagued by scant credit histories, to secure better loan terms and access timely working capital, effectively championing financial growth and stability.
This collaboration embodies a shared vision of innovation within SMB financing, with Mastercard and CredibleX setting a benchmark for data-driven lending solutions. The integration of anonymised transaction data empowers lenders to keenly evaluate small business financial health, thus mitigating risks and accelerating underwriting processes. Such advancements in analytics not only enhance credit access but also manifest Mastercard’s commitment to nurturing the SME ecosystem, ensuring businesses thrive amid financial landscapes.
EMBEDDED FINANCE
OpenPayd revolutionises embedded finance by integrating banking services directly into business platforms, eliminating traditional inefficiencies. With a single API, businesses manage international transactions seamlessly, using rail-agnostic infrastructures. This empowers companies, particularly in fintech and digital assets, to reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency globally.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS INNOVATION
InComm Payments' HSA innovation wins the 2025 Best Personal Finance Product. By automating spending and integrating Cash Back on eligible transactions, it simplifies HSA usage, reducing stress over healthcare costs. Employers enhance employee engagement and contribution rates with this intuitive solution.
