A new study from Juniper Research, the foremost expert in payments markets, has found the value of B2B payments will grow 40% by 2028, from $89 trillion in 2024, due to digital payment adoption in developing markets.

Instant payments will revolutionize B2B payments by enabling cheaper and more secure cross-border trade, with instant payments reaching 42% of all cross-border payments by 2028, at $16 trillion; up from just 17% in 2024, at $5 trillion.

Find out more about the new report: Global B2B Payments Market 2024-2028, or download a free sample.

Instant Payment Innovation Cutting Costs for Businesses

The research anticipates the adoption of ISO 20022, a universal standard for instant payments’ financial messaging, will drive third-party providers to build additional value-added services that create efficiencies for businesses. The extra remittance data that modern systems support can enable use cases such as automated accounting; drawing businesses to modern payment rails.

Report author Michael Greenwood stated: “The key advantage of the messaging language used in ISO 20022 is that messages are easier for machines to read. This makes it simpler to develop AI-based solutions around these payments; driving innovation.”

Digital Wallets Critical to Serving Small Businesses in Emerging Markets

The research found in many emerging markets, there were gaps in the access to banking for smaller businesses. This was restricting digital access and innovation. To better serve smaller businesses, B2B payment providers must focus on offering B2B payment capabilities via popular local digital wallets and mobile money services. This approach can then provide improved access to low‑cost digital payments, and can help B2B providers to create value-added services offering access to credit; a key pain point for small businesses.