Fintech Bluevine expanded its digital banking platform to U.S. business owners living outside of the country today as it ramps up AI and agentic AI initiatives.  

The expansion comes as Bluevine leans on AI to “build faster” and bring innovation to international banking, an area that is often underserved by traditional financial institutions because of regulatory constraints and excessive fees, co-founder and Chief Executive Eyal Lifshitz told FinAi News.

As part of its AI strategy, Bluevine is looking to add an agentic layer to its data primarily through third-party applications, allowing customers to ask questions and receive actionable insights, he said.

“I think a big question that exists in the industry right now is, ‘what will be the interaction model?”’ Lifshitz said. “Will customers ever want to log into their dashboard or their account or will it be all through agents?” 

Removing friction 

The platform can be accessed by U.S. business owners in Canada, Australia, select European countries, Israel, India, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, according to a Bluevine release today. 

The expansion eliminates the requirement for in-person branch visits to open a U.S. bank account, Lifshitz said.  

“Opening an account when they’re not here is next to impossible with a traditional bank,” he said.  

The expansion also removes friction tied to international money movement and cross-border payments, including settlement delays, high transaction fees and complex regulatory burdens, Lifshitz said. 

Because they can be nimbler with AI-driven innovations, fintechs have a significant opportunity to address challenges facing international businesses, he added.  

Through Bluevine’s platform, non-U.S. residents can open business accounts digitally and move money and make payments as standard Automated Clearing House transactions that will take three to five business days to clear, according to the release. Users also can manage finances for multiple businesses through a single Bluevine checking account.  

Bluevine’s core banking services are provided by Everett, Wash.-based Coastal Community Bank, which supported the expansion because it trusts that Bluevine will ensure regulatory compliance while helping it tap into international market opportunities, Lifshitz said. 

The $5.7 billion Coastal Community Bank could not be reached for comment by publication time.  

AI at Bluevine 

Lifshitz said Bluevine uses AI in:

• Coding;
• Customer support;
• Risk management;
• Document and check processing;
• Underwriting; and
• Cash-flow predictions.  

The fintech also is exploring agentic AI tools to enhance customer-facing and internal processes, Lifshitz said, noting that the technology can “parse a lot of information very quickly” from vast datasets. 

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