Buyers want 60‑day terms, suppliers want cash sooner, leaving a financing gap
The 2025‑2026 Growth Corporates Working Capital Index, a Visa report with PYMNTS Intelligence, found that seven in 10 Adaptive chief financial officers and treasurers use working‑capital programs to pay suppliers faster, stay agile and strengthen supplier relationships. A company buying goods on 60‑day terms is effectively receiving financing from its supplier during those 60 days. The working‑capital cycle surrounding a payment can last 30, 60 or 90 days.
Banks or other lenders can finance the receivable directly, while supply‑chain programs advance funds based partly on the buyer’s credit strength and the invoice’s due date. Buyers may also opt to pay early in exchange for a discount, and fintech firms can arrange third‑party funding that bridges the gap between buyer‑desired terms and supplier cash needs. Interest rates, the credit risk of both parties, and their overall financial condition determine the price at which the payment interval can be financed. Software platforms that sit between buyers and suppliers can now display multiple payment dates, each carrying a distinct economic value derived from discount rates and financing costs, enabling users to select the most cost‑effective option.
And while the modernization of B2B payments is well underway, with checks steadily losing ground to ACH, virtual cards and other electronic methods, the central working-capital conflict remains largely unchanged. The B2B payments industry spent years reducing the friction involved in moving corporate money.
What we know
Seven in 10 Adaptive CFOs use working‑capital programs to pay suppliers faster and improve supplier relationships.
When a buyer purchases on 60‑day terms, the supplier effectively finances the purchase for those 60 days.
A payment’s working‑capital span can range from 30 to 90 days.