Real-time liquidity is now critical, but fragmented systems and manual processes still limit visibility, slowing decisions and increasing risk across payments operations.
In today’s world of 24/7/365 payments, liquidity management has shifted from a back-office function to a strategic pillar of resilience and competitive advantage. As settlement cycles shorten and expectations rise, the ability to see and act on cash positions in real time has become critical. Yet many banks and non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) are navigating this landscape with legacy infrastructure, manual processes, and fragmented systems that restrict visibility and slow decision-making.
These challenges were explored during a recent virtual Techsommet session, “Reimagining Treasury Management”. Craig Jeffrey, founder and managing partner at Strategic Treasurer, joined Leo Gil, VP, product management for treasury solutions at Bottomline, to discuss how banks and NBFIs can maximise liquidity while improving cash visibility. Together, they unpacked the systemic barriers institutions face today and outlined practical steps for modernising treasury operations.
The cash visibility gap: What institutions are experiencing today
When attendees were asked how their institution currently views cash, their responses closely aligned with Bottomline’s Fifth Annual Future of Competitive Advantage in Banking & Payments Report.
- 34% have a single consolidated view of cash.
• 45% have some automation but not complete visibility.
• 21% still rely on manual spreadsheets.
These figures highlight a clear gap between ambition and execution. While most institutions recognise the importance of real-time visibility, many still struggle to achieve it in practice.
The barriers are well understood:
- 50% cite the lack of an end-to-end view due to disparate systems.
• 31% point to limited investment and leadership buy-in.
• 19% reference regulatory pressure and rising customer demands.
Together, these challenges paint a picture of an industry that knows where it needs to go but is often constrained by its existing operating model.
Introducing the Payment Pioneers: A look at industry leaders
The research also identifies a group of higher-performing institutions that Bottomline refers to as Payment Pioneers. These organisations have made tangible progress in modernising their cash and payments infrastructure, and the difference is measurable.
Among this group, 50% have achieved a single, enterprise-wide view of cash. This level of maturity enables more accurate liquidity planning, faster decision-making, and the use of advanced analytics. By contrast, 21% of institutions across the wider market still depend on manual, spreadsheet-based cash management, reinforcing how far many have to go. One in three institutions also reports that legacy systems prevent them from keeping pace with industry change and regulatory demands.
Payment Pioneers demonstrate what is possible when systems are integrated and data is accessible in real time. They show how clarity in forecasting and proactive liquidity optimisation can become a source of strength rather than a constraint.
Why Real-Time Liquidity Matters More Than Ever
Craig Jeffrey opened the discussion with a simple but powerful message. Real-time liquidity management is now critical because risk decisions depend on up-to-date data.
That pressure is coming from multiple directions. Regulators increasingly expect stronger intraday visibility. Real-time payments continue to compress settlement windows. At the same time, treasury teams are expected to manage growing operational complexity using systems that were never designed to work together.
Without timely insight, blind spots emerge. Risk increases, decision-making slows, and agility is lost.
Fragmented systems: The primary barrier to visibility
Leo Gil highlighted fragmentation as the most significant structural challenge facing many institutions. Over time, organisations have accumulated multiple treasury, cash, and payments platforms, alongside NOSTRO and VOSTRO accounts, virtual account structures, and regional payment engines. Legacy data formats further complicate reporting and forecasting, while large transformation programmes often compete for funding, pushing treasury modernisation down the priority list.
It is against this backdrop that 50% of institutions cite disparate systems as the primary barrier to achieving meaningful cash visibility.
ISO 20022 and automation: Accelerators for modernisation
ISO 20022 plays an important role, but only when institutions look beyond compliance alone. Richer, standardised data improves reconciliation and forecasting. Automated balance ingestion and intraday monitoring reduce manual effort. Interoperability across systems becomes achievable, and better data quality helps reduce false positives while improving the customer experience.
To support this journey, Bottomline advocates a practical, phased approach. Connecting systems through APIs, standardising data formats, and centralising liquidity information allows institutions to build momentum. From there, dashboards, alerts, and AI-driven forecasting help turn insight into action. This approach delivers value quickly while creating a scalable foundation for the future.
The strategic case for treasury transformation
When treasury modernisation is framed around outcomes, the business case becomes clear. Intraday visibility and automation reduce risk. Manual reconciliation and spreadsheet dependency fall away, improving operational efficiency. Resilience increases through better exception management and multi-rail fallback. Profitability improves as institutions optimise liquidity buffers and free up trapped cash.
Treasury transformation is therefore more than a systems upgrade. It is a strategic capability.
What should financial institutions do next?
For institutions looking to move forward, the priorities are clear. Assess where visibility breaks down and where data is delayed or incomplete. Focus automation on reconciliation, intraday monitoring, and other high-effort manual processes. Invest in real-time, ISO-native technology that can scale with new payment schemes and evolving regulatory demands.
How Bottomline helps institutions move forward
Bottomline supports banks and NBFIs by helping them achieve real-time visibility across enterprise-wide liquidity, automate high-friction treasury processes, and consolidate data across systems. Advanced analytics and AI-enabled forecasting provide treasury teams with the same level of insight they increasingly offer to corporate clients.
Bottomline is offering a 1:1 Liquidity Visibility Strategy Workshop to help institutions benchmark their maturity and identify practical next steps.
Ready to become a Payment Pioneer?
Contact the Bottomline team to discuss how we can help modernise your treasury operations and support your journey toward Payment Pioneer status.
