Merge

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭'𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐈𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞? The recent Freightos acquisition of Shipsta isn't just news - it's a harbinger of change. Industry leaders are doubling down on digital solutions to streamline operations, including payments. 𝐒𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡? 📊 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: ▶ 80% of carriers and shippers prefer electronic payments ▶ Yet only 40% have access to real-time payment systems ▶ 57% of total payments volume still relies on paper checks Fact is, as global air cargo demand surges (up 11.9% according to IATA), companies embracing digital solutions are seeing remarkable results. Freightos, for instance, reported a 32% YoY increase in transactions and $203.4M in gross booking value in Q2 2024. In other words, the gap between demand and access represents a massive opportunity for growth and efficiency gains. 🚀 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞—𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲. At Merge, we're bridging this gap. Our single API platform enables real-time, cross-border payments tailored for the unique needs of freight and logistics companies. We're not just optimising payments; we're revolutionising how you do business globally. Ready to stay ahead of the curve? Let's talk about how Merge can transform your payment processes and boost your bottom line. 📩 𝐃𝐌 𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. #FreightTech #CrossBorderPayments #DigitalTransformation

𝐈𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬? Given that nearly 78% 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘴 think it’s key for businesses and over 65% 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴, it’s clear that faster payments have become ‘table stakes’ for pretty much everyone. Yet, according to the U.S. Faster Payments Council, there are still plenty of  hurdles keeping traditional financial institutions from adopting instant payments. Not least their own outdated tech. In fact, nearly 90% struggle with high implementation costs and more than 7 in 10 are having to manage payments with legacy systems. At Merge, our single-API platform helps businesses overcome these hurdles and unlock the full potential of instant payments without the cost and hassle. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰. You can read more about the findings from the US Faster Payments Council here 👉 https://lnkd.in/d3cFSVTP -- Contact us at 📧 [email protected], or by going to our website and requesting a demo of our platform. or You can also reach out to our team members on LinkedIn! 🤙

𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰. Merge is the ideal, API-first platform for an embedded payments solution for vertical SaaS companies looking to capture more value. Payments are seen as a key expansion product, allowing vertical SaaS companies to tap into additional revenue streams and provide more value to their customers. But why is this the case? Here are four reasons why vertical SaaS companies want to consider embedding payments in their business. 1️⃣ 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 Adding a payments product can significantly boost customer retention and platform stickiness for vertical SaaS companies. Since most vertical software companies cater to small businesses, offering integrated payment solutions can be a useful way to mitigate the risk of churn or going out of business. Payment features can lead to a 6% to 7% increase in Gross Revenue Retention (GRR) and Net Dollar Retention (NDR), enhancing customer loyalty and reducing churn. 2️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐏𝐈 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 In today's digital-first business environment, vertical SaaS companies have a unique opportunity to leverage the growth and accessibility of APIs. By their very nature, APIs enable customisation and scalability, allowing businesses to tailor payment solutions to specific industry needs. For example, a VSaaS company serving the healthcare industry can use APIs to integrate payment systems that handle billing and insurance processing. Essentially, it means that companies can expand their product offerings, which in turn helps in improving Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA) and attachment rates. 3️⃣ 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 Working with trusted payment providers is essential - but they can simplify the challenges around regulatory compliance and managing payment infrastructure. Thoughtful partnership expansion allows vertical SaaS companies to address potential compliance issues and infrastructure complexities, allowing them to focus on their core offerings and strategic growth. 4️⃣ 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 For businesses focused on commerce, incorporating payment solutions can create a much stickier customer experience. Payment integration allows businesses to offer seamless transactions, improving user satisfaction and encouraging repeat usage. This enhanced customer experience is crucial for maintaining competitive advantage and fostering long-term customer relationships. --- If you are looking to embed payments and grow your business, reach out to us! 📲 You can contact us at: [email protected], by going to our website and requesting a demo of our platform, or reaching out to our team members on LinkedIn.

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Globally, there are now 80 countries with instant payments live - meaning around 72% of the world’s population have access to instant payments or will in the near-term future.  However, with the emergence of instant payments, there has been a significant surge in fraud, which exceeded $48 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 globally in 2023. Greater collaboration between regulators, central banks, and payment innovators is therefore essential now more than ever. Find out why this is such an important issue to solve for real-time payments and what the solutions might be in our article below. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 👉

𝐀𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐁2𝐁 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 💱 And our powerful, API-first platform is designed to drive that next step in the payments revolution. That’s why we want to introduce you to what we do and how we do it, starting with our API-first payments platform. #GlobalPayments #B2BPayments

Are the European capital markets ready for a treasury management overhaul? ⏰ T+1 settlement is about to separate the European capital markets leaders from the laggards. ➡ The shift to T+1: what does it mean? With the European Securities and Markets Authority eyeing 2027-2028 for aligning with the USA's T+1 settlement cycle (where transactions settle one business day after the trade date), forward-thinking multinationals are already bracing for impact. ➡ Why does this matter? The T+1 settlement cycle should be hugely beneficial. It marks a significant acceleration from the traditional T+2 cycle and is meant to reduce counterparty risk, enhance market liquidity, and improve overall market efficiency. But for global businesses juggling multiple currencies, regulations, and jurisdictions, the pressure to adopt real-time treasury solutions is more urgent than ever. Simply put: traditional end-of-day processes just won't cut it in a T+1 world. ➡ What’s the challenge? In a T+1 environment, the margin for error in cash forecasting narrows significantly - without real-time data, treasurers may find themselves scrambling to cover unexpected shortfalls or, conversely, holding excess cash that could have been invested or used to reduce debt. The ambitious timeline also poses new challenges for corporate treasuries, particularly those of multinational corporations that must navigate complex global financial landscapes. The major issue, however, is the EU's lack of alignment with current market conditions in the US - not least the regulatory frameworks, financial practices, and economic priorities. 🤝 Collaboration is required to make this change happen. It requires partnering with banks and payment providers that offer real-time treasury management and instant settlement capabilities. That way, treasurers can avoid cash shortfalls or missing out on investment opportunities. 

Regulation is (and always has been) the hidden catalyst reshaping global payment landscapes. And this is particularly true in the development of local payment rails. The approach that different countries take to fostering innovation in payments depends on their specific priorities and goals. In some markets, national governments drive these efforts, while in others, central banks play a leading role in setting the strategic direction for the payments ecosystem. Here are some examples of how regulation impacts local payment innovation:  🇧🇷 The success of PIX - The Banco Central do Brasil launched Pix in 2020, transforming payments with instant, 24/7 transactions. With over 160 million users, Pix now handles more than 30% of retail transactions, surpassing debit and credit cards. This demonstrates how effective regulation can enhance speed and reduce costs for users. 🇬🇧 Open Banking leadership - The UK’s strategic approach has been led by the government and seen the development of systems such as Open Banking. This allows consumers and businesses to securely share their financial data with third parties and has reached over 8 million users since its launch in 2018 (or one in nine British consumers), facilitating new payment services and enhancing competition in the financial sector. 🇪🇺 Slow uptake in Europe - The stark contrast in Open Banking adoption between the UK and the European Union underscores the pivotal role of regulatory cohesion and focused implementation. While the UK's centralized approach, spearheaded by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), propelled integration and innovation, the EU's less cohesive implementation of PSD2 across member states led to disparate progress. This disparity is strikingly evident in the API call volumes: PwC reports that in 2023, the UK alone generated 14 billion Open Banking API calls, dwarfing the combined total of 6.4 billion calls from Germany, Italy, France, and Spain.

At Merge, we're obsessed with APIs, which are transforming the global banking sector and revolutionising services such as real-time payments, data retrieval, and treasury management. With regulations like PSD2 in Europe, these advancements are setting the stage for a new era in business operations, enabling real-time financial decision-making and improved cash flow management. APIs are also playing an increasingly crucial role in today’s global business environment by simplifying multi-currency management, integrating data from multiple bank accounts, and providing real-time conversion rates and risk management strategies. Ultimately, APIs can provide a strategic edge in a competitive market - not least because expanding into payments increases a business’ ‘stickiness’, boosting the Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA) as well as attach rates. The statistics underscore why attention to the future of APIs in banking and business is essential: 🔸 APIs are projected to have a global economic impact of $14.2 trillion by 2027. [Open Banking Impact Report] 🔸 The number of open banking API calls worldwide is expected to grow significantly, from 102 billion in 2023 to 580 billion by 2027. This rapid increase demonstrates the growing reliance on APIs to facilitate secure, efficient financial transactions and data sharing across platforms. [Open Banking Impact Report] 🔸 As of 2023, 50% of interfaces in banks are APIs, indicating a significant shift towards API-driven architectures. This transition has been fueled by the need for innovation and agility, with banks focusing on leveraging APIs to reduce IT complexity and develop new products. [McKinsey]

Local payment innovation has created significant benefits on a regional level for businesses, consumers, and their local economies. However, the journey toward seamless global access presents both challenges and opportunities. While the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) stands out with its mass availability across multiple countries, facilitating easy cross-border transactions within Europe, most innovations remain local. For example, Brazil's PIX 🇧🇷 has rapidly transformed the way individuals and businesses transact, making real-time payments accessible through mobile apps and QR codes. As of March 2024, it’s used by around 153 million Brazilians (around 75% of the population) and 15 million companies - yet, its reach is entirely domestic. And we see similar developments with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI)🇮🇳 facilitating ~90 billion transactions (representing ~45% of all domestic transactions in 2022); in Australia's New Payments Platform (NPP)🇦🇺, which recently enabled near real-time cross-border payments - and the USA’s FedNow Service 🇺🇸, which celebrated a year in the marketplace in July 2024 and has seen nearly 900 banks sign-on ( although notably, most can still only receive instant payments, not send them). The fact is the future of payments lies in our ability to leverage these local innovations on a global level. At Merge, we believe global access to local rails can unlock new opportunities, drive economic growth, and ensure that everyone, everywhere, can benefit from the digital payment revolution. 

Virtual IBANs (vIBANs) are transforming the financial landscape, offering fintechs and global businesses - like B2B marketplaces and e-commerce platforms - a powerful tool for managing transactions. But what exactly are vIBANs, and how do we leverage them to benefit our clients? 💱💡  #Fintech #VirtualIBAN