B2B payments platform Pliant is working to capitalize on AI advancements as it looks to make a splash in the U.S. market.  

The Visa partner headquartered in Germany established U.S. operations in January and is using AI to enhance efficiency, with emphasis on compliance, customer service and credit risk management, Chief Executive Malte Rau told FinAi News.  

Pliant also offers customer-facing AI features within its platform, including chatbots and data analytics tools, he said. 

To compete with B2B payment platforms such as Brex and Ramp, Pliant is focused on providing a modular, API-first infrastructure so that banks can offer highly customized corporate credit card programs, Rau said.  

This allows Pliant’s software providers, or “card-adjacent” partners, to focus on their specific strengths, whether that’s ERP systems, accounting systems, expense management tools or embedded finance solutions, he added. 

“We are in a prime position to be an AI solution provider to the banks when it comes to the interface between the business and the bank,” Rau said.  

Pliant’s competitors are embracing AI, as well. Brex, for example, offers AI tools that detect fraud and automate expense filings, according to Capital One, which is buying the fintech for nearly $5.2 billion.  

Meanwhile, Ramp is investing heavily in agentic AI to help corporate customers combat invoice fraud and automate tasks like confirming account numbers.  

Growing card market 

Several U.S. banks are piloting Pliant’s platform, Rau said without disclosing their names. The company’s European bank partners include Commerzbank, Dortmunder Volksbank and VVRB.  

Pliant’s decision to enter the U.S. market was driven by its latest $40 million series B funding round completed in April 2025 and the potential for a higher valuation, Rau said, noting that the U.S. card market is larger than Europe’s.  

The corporate credit card market in the U.S. is projected to hit $24.4 billion by 2034, up 43.5% compared with 2025, according to research and consulting firm Market.us.  

The global market for AI in payments could surpass $190 billion in 2030, a nearly fourfold increase from $50.1 billion in 2025, according to software development and AI solutions company Appinventiv.  

Gen AI, agentic opportunities 

Pliant is exploring generative AI to enhance marketing, with opportunities to design ads and improve content creation overall, Rau said.  

Gen AI can also help create better API descriptions and more intuitive help centers, he said. 

Rau also said he expects agentic AI to continue reshaping the payments industry, particularly for post-transaction processes such as invoicing and receipt collection. 

Highlighting this trend, Visa, American Express and Mastercard are introducing agentic solutions for businesses.  

In addition, more AI agents are being authorized to use credit cards on behalf of users with built-in guardrails, Rau said.  

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