Top 10 B2B International Payment Platforms for Businesses in the UAE

Cross-border payments are critical for many businesses, yet they remain one of the least transparent areas of finance.

In 2024, global B2B cross-border payment volumes reached approximately $32 trillion, reflecting the scale and importance of international supplier and partner transactions. As volumes grow, so does the operational complexity behind them.

FX fluctuations, intermediary fees and slow settlement timelines often mean the true cost of an international payment becomes clear only after it is completed. For finance teams paying overseas suppliers or partners, this lack of visibility complicates cash-flow planning, reconciliation and variance explanation.

A B2B international payment platform helps address these challenges by centralising cross-border payments, improving FX transparency and streamlining approvals and reconciliation. As global transactions grow, these platforms enable businesses to move money internationally with greater control and predictability.

This guide explains what a B2B international payment platform is, how it works and what to look for when choosing one.

Key Takeaways:

• B2B international payment platforms are built for invoice-led, high-value business payments. Unlike consumer remittance tools, they support approvals, documentation, accounting integration, and repeat supplier payments at scale.
• Traditional cross-border payments fail on transparency and predictability. Hidden FX spreads, slow settlement, and post-transaction fee surprises make cost control, cash-flow forecasting, and variance explanations difficult.
• Modern platforms centralise control, FX visibility, and approvals. Upfront FX pricing, invoice-linked approvals, and real-time payment tracking turn international payments into a controlled finance workflow rather than a reactive task.
• Reconciliation and accounting readiness are as important as payment speed. The real value comes from clean invoice references, automated reconciliation, and ERP integrations that reduce month-end effort and audit risk.
• The right platform depends on how your business actually pays suppliers. Finance teams should prioritise workflow fit, FX transparency, corridor reliability, approval controls, and scalability over feature checklists or headline pricing.

What Is a B2B International Payment Platform?

A B2B international payment platform is a system that enables businesses to send and receive payments across borders in a structured, controlled and transparent way. It is designed specifically for business-to-business transactions, where payments are typically higher in value, linked to invoices and subject to approvals, accounting and compliance requirements.

These platforms centralise cross-border payments into a single workflow. Finance teams can manage approvals, view FX rates and fees upfront, track settlement status and reconcile transactions back to invoices and accounting systems.

How B2B platforms differ from consumer remittance tools:

• Purpose-built for businesses: Designed for repeat supplier payments rather than one-off personal transfers.
• Invoice and approval-driven: Payments are linked to business documentation and internal controls.
• Built for scale: Supports higher transaction values, multiple suppliers and ongoing payment cycles.
• Accounting-ready: Provides records and references needed for reconciliation, reporting and audits.

This balance keeps the section readable while still sounding authoritative.

Common Challenges in Cross-Border B2B Payments

Despite their importance, cross-border B2B payments are often complex and difficult to manage. Finance teams face recurring challenges that affect cost control, predictability and operational efficiency.

• Hidden FX spreads and fees: Many international payments include wide FX margins and intermediary charges that are not visible upfront. This makes it difficult to understand the true cost of a transaction before it is completed.
• Slow settlement timelines: Traditional banking processes often involve manual checks and multiple intermediaries, leading to delays that disrupt supplier relationships and operational planning.
• Limited visibility into landed cost: Without upfront clarity on FX rates and fees, finance teams only see the final cost after settlement. This limits accurate cash-flow forecasting and margin analysis.
• Manual approvals and reconciliation: Cross-border payments frequently rely on email-based approvals and spreadsheet tracking, increasing the risk of errors, delays and inconsistent records.
• Difficulty explaining FX variances to leadership: When FX costs fluctuate or fees are applied post-transaction, finance leaders struggle to explain payment variances clearly to management or auditors.

These recurring challenges highlight why traditional cross-border processes struggle to keep pace with growing global transaction volumes and increasing financial scrutiny.

What a Modern B2B International Payment Platform Solves

Modern B2B international payment platforms are designed to address the structural gaps in traditional cross-border payments. They bring control, transparency and efficiency into a single, manageable workflow.

• Centralised payment execution: All international payments are initiated and tracked from one platform, reducing reliance on multiple banks, portals or transfer services.
• Transparent FX pricing: FX rates and applicable fees are visible before a payment is executed, allowing finance teams to understand the total cost upfront and avoid unexpected margin impact.
• Faster settlement across corridors: Streamlined processes and optimised payment routes reduce delays, helping businesses settle supplier payments more quickly and predictably.
• Invoice-linked approvals and controls: Payments are reviewed and approved against supporting invoices, ensuring accuracy, accountability and alignment with internal policies before funds move.
• Cleaner reconciliation and reporting: Clear payment references, documentation, and integrations simplify reconciliation, improve reporting quality and reduce manual effort at month-end.

Together, these capabilities transform cross-border payments from a reactive, manual process into a controlled and predictable part of financial operations.

Top 10 B2B International Payment Platforms to Consider

B2B international payment platforms vary in scope, coverage and use case. While some focus on payment infrastructure or FX efficiency, others combine cross-border payments with spend controls, approvals and reconciliation. 

Below are several platforms businesses commonly consider.

1. Alaan

Alaan is a spend management platform built for modern finance teams in the Middle East. It combines corporate cards, expense tracking and accounting automation to give businesses a unified view of spend, including international and supplier payments where cards alone aren’t sufficient.

Key Features:

• International Supplier Payments with Super Pay: Enables businesses to initiate C2B and supplier transfers beyond corporate cards, with upfront visibility into FX rates, total costs and settlement status, reducing surprise fees and improving global payables control.
• Smart Corporate Cards with Controls: Issue unlimited corporate cards with custom spend limits and vendor restrictions, helping enforce policy at the point of payment.
• Real-Time Expense Visibility: All transactions are captured instantly in a central dashboard, giving finance teams a live view of spend across teams, projects and suppliers.
• AI-Powered Receipt Capture and Matching: Alaan Intelligence extracts details from receipts and invoices, links them to transactions and flags discrepancies, reducing manual effort and errors.
• Approval Workflows Before Payments: Customisable approval hierarchies ensure invoices and payment requests are reviewed and authorised before funds are released.
• Accounting Automation and Sync: Integrates with accounting systems to auto-sync expense data, maintain accurate books and speed up reconciliation.

Best suited for: UAE and MENA-based businesses that want to manage corporate spend and supplier payments in one system, with strong controls, visibility and accounting integration.

2. Nium

Nium is a global cross-border payments and payouts infrastructure platform enabling businesses to send, receive and convert funds in real time to over 190 countries and 100+ currencies.

Key Features:

• Global real-time payouts: Instant transfers across 100+ payment corridors.
• Multi-currency accounts: Support for funding, collecting and disbursements in multiple currencies.
• Transparent FX and routing: Real-time FX rates with competitive pricing.
• API integration: Connect to enterprise systems for automated payment workflows.

Best suited for: Large enterprises, global payrolls and platforms that require programmable payment infrastructure with broad currency and country coverage.

3. Wise Business

Wise Business offers multi-currency accounts and low-cost international payments with mid-market exchange rates, making global transfers simpler for SMBs.

Key Features:

• Multi-currency accounts: Hold and convert funds in 40+ currencies.
• Local bank details: Get local bank account numbers to receive payments like a domestic customer.
• Transparent pricing: No hidden fees and clear cost breakdowns.
• Batch payments: Make bulk payouts to multiple recipients at once.

Best suited for: Small and mid-sized businesses that need cost-effective global transfers and simple multi-currency operations.

4. Stripe Payments

Stripe is a global payments infrastructure platform that supports cross-border payments and multiple currency processing, helping businesses accept and manage international transactions.

Key Features:

• Global reach: Accept and send payments in 195+ countries.
• Local acquiring tools: Improve acceptance rates with region-specific payment routing.
• Advanced fraud protection: Tools like Stripe Radar help secure global transactions.
• Comprehensive APIs: Flexible integration for marketplaces and platforms.

Best suited for: E-commerce businesses, SaaS platforms and marketplaces that need scalable global payment acceptance and payout capabilities.

5. Airwallex

Airwallex provides international payment, multi-currency accounts and global banking features that help businesses manage cross-border finances from one platform.

Key Features:

• Multi-currency wallets: Hold, send and receive in multiple currencies.
• Real-time FX rates: Competitive foreign exchange with transparent pricing.
• Integrated payment methods: Supports cards, bank transfers and wallets across markets.
• Business account and cards: Combine payments with spend management features.

Best suited for: Growing companies and international traders that need flexible multi-currency payments and financial tools under one platform.

6. Verto

Verto focuses on simplifying cross-border business payments with global account capabilities that allow receiving and making payments internationally, often via traditional SWIFT channels.

Key Features:

• Global business account: Hold multiple currencies and receive payments worldwide.
• Cross-border transfers: Send international payments efficiently.
• Emerging market focus: Good support for payments in less-served regions.
• Simplified payer experience: Wallet-style accounts for ease of use.

Best suited for: SMEs and businesses operating across emerging markets or holding multiple currency balances.

7. Payoneer

Payoneer is a global cross-border payment platform that helps businesses receive and send international payments, access multi-currency accounts, and pay suppliers or contractors around the world. 

Key Features:

• Multi-currency receiving accounts: Businesses can receive funds in different currencies as if they had local bank accounts in those regions.
• Global payouts: Send payments to contractors, suppliers or partners in over 150 countries.
• Mass payment capability: Supports batch payouts, making it easier to pay multiple recipients at once.
• Integrated marketplace support: Seamlessly integrates with leading online marketplaces and platforms to simplify receivables.

Best suited for: Freelancer platforms, e-commerce businesses and global marketplaces that need flexible multi-currency receivables and payouts for contractors and partners.

8. PingPong

PingPong is a cross-border payments and currency solution platform that enables businesses to send and receive international payments with competitive FX rates and a focus on simplicity and cost transparency.

Key Features:

• Multi-currency accounts: Hold and manage balances in multiple currencies to reduce conversion costs and simplify global operations.
• Competitive FX pricing: Offers transparent foreign exchange rates with lower spreads compared to traditional banks.
• Direct cross-border transfers: Pay suppliers and partners internationally with straightforward transfer flows.
• Integrated payment tools: Built-in tools to help e-commerce sellers manage payouts and receipts from marketplaces.

Best suited for: Small and mid-sized e-commerce businesses, online sellers and SMEs looking for cost-effective cross-border payments with transparent FX pricing.

9. Thunes

Thunes is a global cross-border payments network that enables businesses to send and receive international payments quickly and at scale, with a focus on real-time payout rails and broad geographic coverage.

Key Features:

• Global payout network: Supports business payouts to bank accounts, mobile wallets and cash pickup across many countries.
• Real-time settlement in select corridors: Offers near-instant payment settlement where local infrastructure permits.
• Multi-rail connectivity: Integrates with banks, wallets and local payment systems to broaden reach.
• Developer-friendly APIs: Provides programmable APIs for businesses to embed cross-border payments into their systems.

Best suited for: Enterprises, marketplaces and platforms that need to scale global payouts across diverse payment rails and support a wide range of destination countries.

10. Comfi.ai

Comfi.ai is an AI-driven financial decision platform that helps businesses optimise their payments and FX strategy using data and automation. It focuses on helping companies achieve better pricing and timing on international payments.

Key Features:

• AI-driven FX insights: Uses machine learning to suggest optimal times and pricing for international currency conversions.
• Scenario analysis: Provides forward-looking projections and simulations for different FX strategies.
• Cost transparency optimisation: Helps finance teams uncover hidden FX and payment costs to improve landed cost visibility.
• Integration with payment workflows: Interfaces with other payment systems to inform decisions without breaking existing processes.

Best suited for: Mid-sized and larger businesses that make frequent international payments and want to leverage data and AI to enhance FX cost control and payment timing strategy.

While each of these platforms serves a distinct segment of the market, the right choice ultimately depends on a few factors. Let's take a look at them.

How to Choose the Right B2B International Payment Platform

Choosing a B2B international payment platform is not about finding the most features. It is about finding the system that fits how your business actually pays suppliers today and how it plans to scale tomorrow. Finance teams should evaluate platforms through an operational and control lens, not just pricing.

1. Understand Your Real Payment Workflows

Start by mapping how your business actually pays suppliers today. Identify whether you make invoice-based payments, bulk procurement transfers, recurring vendor settlements or one-off international payments. Many platforms handle simple payouts well but struggle with structured, invoice-linked B2B payments.

2. Look for True FX Cost Transparency

Evaluate how clearly the platform shows FX rates, spreads and fees before a payment is made. Transparent pricing allows finance teams to predict landed costs accurately and explain FX variances without surprises after settlement.

3. Evaluate Corridor Reliability, Not Just Coverage

A long list of supported countries is less useful than dependable corridors. Review settlement timelines, cut-off times and transfer limits for the regions where you pay suppliers most frequently, especially for high-value or time-sensitive payments.

4. Check Approval Workflows and Spend Controls

Strong B2B platforms support governance. Invoice approvals, payment approvals and role-based controls reduce risk, prevent unauthorised transfers and create accountability across teams.

5. Prioritise Reconciliation and Accounting Integration

Payments should link back to invoices and flow cleanly into accounting systems. Platforms with built-in reconciliation and ERP integrations reduce manual effort and keep financial statements accurate.

6. Plan for Scale and Operational Complexity

Choose a platform that can handle growing payment volumes, multiple entities, currencies and suppliers without adding operational friction. Scalability should be built in from day one, not added later.

A well-chosen platform gives finance teams control, predictability and visibility across international payments, even as the business scales.

Wrapping Up

B2B international payments are no longer just about moving money across borders. For growing businesses, they directly impact margins, cash flow visibility and supplier relationships. The right payment platform brings transparency to FX costs, enforces approvals, simplifies reconciliation and gives finance teams confidence in every cross-border transaction.

Alaan is built for this reality. With corporate cards, invoice-linked transfers through Super Pay, built-in approvals and seamless accounting integration, Alaan brings international payments and spend management into one controlled system.

Book a demo to see how Alaan can help your finance team manage cross-border supplier payments with clarity, control and predictable costs. 

FAQs

1. What is a B2B payment platform?

A B2B payment platform is a system that enables businesses to send and receive payments with other businesses. It supports invoice-based payments, approvals, reconciliation and reporting, often across multiple currencies and countries, while providing controls and visibility required by finance teams.

2. What is the best platform for sending business payments overseas?

The best platform depends on your business needs. Companies that require transparent FX pricing, approval workflows and clean reconciliation benefit from platforms built specifically for B2B payments. Tools like Alaan are suited for businesses that need structured, invoice-linked international payments rather than simple remittances.

3. Which platform is best for B2B business payments?

There is no single best platform for all businesses. The right choice depends on payment volume, geography, approval requirements and accounting integration. B2B-focused platforms that combine payments with controls and reconciliation are generally better suited than consumer-first tools.

4. Is PayPal a B2B payment platform?

PayPal can be used by businesses, but it is primarily designed for consumer and small merchant transactions. It lacks many features required for structured B2B payments, such as invoice-level approvals, detailed reconciliation and enterprise-grade spend controls.