Ivalua & Visa team up to unlock GBP £400 billion liquidity

Ivalua, a global player in spend management, has cemented a strategic partnership with Visa, the leader in digital payments, to assist organisations in unlocking capital entrenched within their supply chains. The collaboration aims to facilitate enhanced control over corporate card usage by releasing cash tied up in payment cycles, ultimately bolstering corporate liquidity and increasing savings opportunities.

The alliance arrives at a crucial time, with an estimated GBP £400 billion of liquidity trapped within the supply chains of leading corporations worldwide. By leveraging Visa’s extensive reach across over 200 countries, the partnership is set to offer significant benefits for Ivalua’s clients, particularly in managing global expenditure more efficiently.

The primary focus of this partnership is on simplifying and expediting supplier payments. Organisations will be able to extend their use of corporate cards with an interface that promises a secure and user-friendly experience, combining high levels of automation and control. This development is poised to bring substantial efficiencies to the business processes of companies globally.

Ivalua has introduced a novel method to address the complexities of spend management. The company’s innovative capabilities allow organisations to incorporate their corporate cards into various purchasing activities. This provides complete oversight over pre-approved spends, embracing a wider spectrum of transactions beyond traditional expenses, such as catalog purchases, invoices, subscriptions, and even dedicated projects. By consolidating all card-related expenditures, organisations are expected to achieve greater business efficiencies and improved cash management.

A unique feature of Ivalua’s solution lies in its capacity to identify both suppliers and categories of spend, with subsequent reconciliation of usage back to a user or budget on the following day. This functionality is critical in promoting increased card utilisation and maximising rebate opportunities. As this process operates within the secure Ivalua cloud environment, it also significantly enhances the security of card transactions and mitigates the risk of misuse.

Suman Raju, Chief Financial Officer of Ivalua, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “Unlike alternative solutions, Ivalua enables its clients to securely manage card usage without compromising potential cash rewards. As cash flow remains critical and saving becomes increasingly important, we are delighted to partner with Visa to unlock new levels of payment automation and maximise rebate opportunities for our clients.”

Clive Cornelius, Head of T&E and Procurement Commercial Products, Visa Commercial Solutions, Europe, shared similar sentiments: “We find that businesses prefer financial services integrated in their ERP/AP systems, allowing them to pay simply and efficiently without having to step out of existing workflow, and we’re excited to work with companies like Ivalua in bringing new solutions and approaches to this market need.”

The partnership signals a step forward in addressing the intricate challenges of spend control within the modern supply chain landscape. As businesses face increasing complexity and fragility in their supply chains, the combined expertise of Ivalua and Visa aims to provide a robust solution to enhance financial management, improve cash flow, and enable greater business sustainability.