New research finds UK businesses see strategic value in embedded payments, but gaps in integration, transparency and speed are limiting their potential.
Edenred Payment Solutions, a leading payments solutions provider, announces findings from new IDC research commissioned by the company, exploring the evolving landscape of embedded payments and payouts for software and financial services companies and the businesses using these capabilities in the UK.
More than 75% of respondents see strategic value in embedded payments, recognising their potential to streamline operations, strengthen competitive differentiation, improve customer retention and create new opportunities for growth.
Yet the research reveals a significant gap between that strategic potential and businesses’ current experience. Only 10.8% of businesses using embedded payments and payouts say their payment and payout experiences are fully integrated, while more than half report only basic or limited integration.
Three challenges stand out:
- Transparency: 67% of businesses cite data transparency and payment status updates as a shortfall in their payout experience.
- Speed: 56% cite the speed of funds availability.
- Fragmented tooling: 5% of businesses use four or more systems across payment processing, reconciliation and reporting.
The wider findings reinforce the challenge. Only 40.5% say they have a mostly or very transparent view of their payment data. Managing payments across multiple systems can make it harder to reconcile payments, maintain visibility and make effective use of payment data.
“Businesses increasingly recognise the strategic value embedded payments can bring, but there is still a gap between that potential and the experience they have today. Visibility, speed, and fragmented processes can make payments harder to manage and limit the value businesses can realise.
“For software and financial services companies, that creates a real opportunity to go beyond simply offering payment capabilities. By addressing these operational challenges and making payments easier to manage, they can deliver greater value to their customers and differentiate through the payment experience they provide,” said Rehana Mitha, Managing Director at Edenred Payment Solutions.
The findings highlight an opportunity for software and financial services companies offering payment and payout capabilities to better address the operational needs of the businesses they serve. As embedded payments become more strategically important, providing greater visibility, flexibility and simplicity can become an increasingly important source of differentiation.
Access the full IDC research: Embedded Payments: Strategic Promise Meets Operational Reality
Find out more about Edenred Payment Solutions: eps.edenred.com
About the research
The IDC InfoBrief Embedded Payments: Strategic Promise Meets Operational Reality, sponsored by Edenred Payment Solutions, is based on research among 200 senior decision-makers at UK mid-market and enterprise organisations.
The research includes 120 organisations using embedded payment and payout capabilities and 80 organisations providing or embedding payment and/or payout capabilities within products or platforms offered to other businesses or users.
Source: IDCInfoBrief, sponsored by Edenred Payment Solutions, Embedded Payments: Strategic Promise Meets Operational Reality, #EUR254814926-IB , August 2026.
About Edenred Payment Solutions
Edenred Payment Solutions is a leading fintech payment provider and regulated Electronic Money Institution (EMI) operating across the UK and Europe.
Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK and the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) in Europe, the company leverages more than 20 years of technical and compliance expertise to enable businesses to design, launch and manage scalable payment programmes.
As a principal member of Mastercard® and Visa, Edenred Payment Solutions delivers flexible, API-driven infrastructure across digital banking, embedded finance, card issuing and B2B transaction processing.
By removing technical and regulatory complexity, it helps leading brands including Tide, Sainsbury’s, thinkmoney, Hnry and Oney create compliant payment experiences for their end users.
For more information, visit eps.edenred.com.
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About Edenred
Edenred is the global leader in Benefits & Engagement and Mobility.
With more than 1 million client companies across 44 countries, Edenred’s platform gives more than 60 million users access to the services and products of more than 2 million partner merchants.
Edenred offers digital solutions dedicated to employees (meal vouchers, commuting, gift cards, wellness, rewards, and preferential offers), fleet managers (multi-energy solutions including EV charging, maintenance services, VAT refund services, tolls, and parking), and corporate payments (virtual cards).
Guided by Edenred’s purpose, “Enrich connections. For good.”, these solutions enhance employees’ well-being and purchasing power and simplify the lives of professional drivers. They promote access to healthier food, more environmentally friendly products, and more sustainable mobility. Finally, they improve the attractiveness and efficiency of businesses while vitalising the employment market and local economies.
Edenred’s 12,000 employees are committed to making the world of work a connected ecosystem that is safer, more efficient and more responsible every day.
In 2025, thanks to its unique technology platform, Edenred generated a business volume of €49 billion, mainly through mobile applications, online platforms, and cards.
Edenred is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and included in the following indices: CAC Next 20, CAC Large 60, Euronext 100, Euronext Tech Leaders, FTSE4Good, DJBIC Europe Index and DJBIC World Index.
CONTACTS
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