Payoneer aiming to break down constraints for SMEs

In 2026, Payoneer is aiming to bridge these widening gaps with scalable, technology-led infrastructure that empowers both SMEs and the incorporation partners who serve them.

As Asia Pacific’s payment ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly, Nagesh Devata, Regional SVP, GTM APAC at Payoneer believes that many SMEs are also scaling and expanding faster as they are looking to establish global footprints from the outset.

According to Devata, SMEs are evolving into multi-entity structures with legal footprints distributed across multiple regions to cater to market-specific demands while maintaining central oversight. However, he also feels that internal teams are not growing at the same pace. Specifically, Devata pointed out that leaner teams now manage multiple aspects of the business, often relying on legacy banks, disconnected accounts, and traditional treasury systems that were not built to keep up with the speed, complexity, and global dispersion of today’s digital-first businesses.

“Our business incorporation partners are evolving to meet the changing expectations of their SME clients. Today, clients no longer seek isolated services such as entity formation or compliance filings; they expect end-to-end operational readiness, encompassing entity setup, regulatory guidance, and immediate access to multi-currency financial infrastructure that enables global operations from day one. In this context, the partner ecosystem is increasingly becoming an integral extension of a company’s financial and operational foundation, supporting growth with both scale and agility,” said Devata.

As such, in 2026, Payoneer is aiming to bridge these widening gaps with scalable, technology-led infrastructure that empowers both SMEs and the incorporation partners who serve them. Devata added that Payoneer’s focus is anchored on three areas of transformation.

The first is on unifying cross-border money movement infrastructure. Despite operating globally, SMEs still remain constrained by fragmented, entity-by-entity banking set ups across markets. Each new country or subsidiary introduces additional accounts, compliance processes, FX arrangements, and manual workarounds. Coupled with siloed banking relationships, unpredictable transfer timelines, opaque FX spreads, and manual workflows, these multi-entity SMEs are finding it difficult to operate as a single, coherent business.

“Customers can expect a single, fully integrated platform that simplifies global operations built for multi-entity, cross-border operations. Businesses will have access to multi-currency accounts, instant transfer capabilities, transparent FX rates, and automated workflows for high-value, cross-border transactions. This unified infrastructure allows lean teams to operate with the sophistication and agility of upmarket SMEs. Cross-border payments will become programmable, auditable, and centrally governed, forming a foundational capability for companies scaling across multiple entities and markets,” said Devata.

For incorporation partners, Devata explained that a unified global payments layer will elevate what they can offer.

“Instead of simply referring clients to a business account, partners can now provide access to an infrastructure that mirrors the agility and precision of modern fintech. Automated onboarding, rapid verification, and multi-currency account creation all contribute to higher conversion and faster time-to-activation. This shift allows partners to support foreign-owned and multi-entity structures with confidence—something far more difficult when relying on fragmented banking relationships,” he added.

The second focus area for Payoneer is on meeting in familiar real time and native communication. Devata explained that SMEs increasingly value not just technical capability and accessibility, but local familiarity and real-time support that reflects how their businesses operate across entities and markets.

“Whether moving significant capital or resolving payout issues, businesses expect immediate communication through familiar, native-language channels—KakaoTalk in Korea, Zalo in Vietnam, Viber in Philippines and WhatsApp across Southeast Asia, or integrated chat within financial platforms,” he said.

In 2026, Devata mentioned that customers can expect seamless, real-time communication tailored to local preferences, enabling them to approve transfers instantly, receive alerts for high-value transactions, and resolve account issues immediately.

“By embedding AI-driven orchestration and workflow automation directly into these channels, we aim to minimize operational friction, strengthen trust, and allow teams to focus on strategic growth rather than administrative problem-solving. This responsiveness is particularly valuable for multi-entity organizations operating across time zones, where delayed communication can otherwise create bottlenecks,” he said.

Devata added that incorporation partners will benefit from similar capabilities, with co-branded, context-aware communication embedded across these channels. This enables partners to deliver seamless onboarding, transparent updates, and accelerated resolution of compliance or documentation matters across jurisdiction.

“By enhancing operational efficiency and trust, partners can provide a technology-driven experience that aligns with modern SME expectations,” said Devata.

The third focus area will be on optimizing digital revenue platforms. Devata highlighted that many IT service providers such as web-hosting platforms and software companies often operate multi-entity structures to support global customer acquisition, licensing and tax efficiency.

“While revenue is monetized in USD, payouts are still routed through domestic accounts. Moreover, payment habits are different in every market—some prefer QR payments while others prefer digital wallets. This disconnect exposes them to ongoing FX losses and inefficient cashflow cycles, a problem compounded by heavy digital ad spending that amplifies the financial impact of currency volatility,” he explained.

In 2026, Devata said customers can look forward to FX optimization tools specifically for multi-entity, cross-border operations. Capabilities like automated hedging, dynamic currency routing, and real-time payout engines will help reduce revenue leakage, align treasury strategies with global monetization, and operations without increasing headcount. These tools empower them to maintain lean operations while managing increasingly complex financial flows, ensuring that growth is not hindered by outdated banking or treasury practices.

“For partners, this offers the opportunity to move beyond administrative support and entity set up into strategic advisory. By helping digital-first SMEs manage multi-currency revenue, mitigate FX exposure, and optimize cross-border cashflows, our partners can enable sustainable scaling and reinforce long-term engagement,” he said.

Collectively, Devata believes these capabilities will enable a fully connected and real-time financial infrastructure that supports customers and partners who are operating within APAC’s digital economy, without being constrained.