In today’s unpredictable economic environment, corporate liquidity management is more high-stakes than ever. The latest Visa Working Capital Index reveals a profound shift in how CFOs and treasurers are shaping the future of working capital management. 

At the heart of this transformation are two distinct behavioural profiles: the strategic planner and the adaptable accelerator. By understanding these profiles, finance leaders can sharpen their working capital strategies to weather volatility and drive growth.

Two faces of working capital leadership

The two profiles represent the diametrically different approaches taken by financial managers. Together, the profiles map the evolving landscape of liquidity management.

• Strategic planners are typically longer-tenured finance leaders who emphasise deliberate, forward-looking cash flow management. They tend to take advantage of AI-based forecasting and supplier integration tools to improve visibility, optimise payment terms, and reduce late fees. Efficiency and resilience are central to their ethos. Corporate and virtual cards for this group prioritise streamlined approvals and payables workflows, reducing operational friction.
• Adaptable accelerators are all about agility and real-time decision-making. Often characterised as less tenured or more dynamic, they have significantly ramped up their use of working capital solutions, accelerating payments to suppliers, managing just-in-time inventory, and reacting to market shifts. This is why the “adaptable accelerator”’ use of corporate and virtual cards to control payment timing has tripled year-over-year.

Striking a balance between both personality types is crucial: effective working capital management requires the balance of both careful planning and tactical fluidity.

Transforming savings into strategic growth

The value of working capital solutions goes well beyond liquidity smoothing. The survey reports an average of £14 million in annual savings through better supplier payment terms, penalty avoidance, and smarter inventory practices. Of the surveyed finance leaders:

• Nearly 60% reinvested these savings into building robust cash reserves, reflecting rising market uncertainty and an increased focus on resilience.
• 72% of the adaptable group prioritise accelerating supplier payments, capturing early payment discounts, and reinforcing supplier relationships.

CFOs and treasurers who leverage these savings can change the role of  finance teams from operational positions towards strategic enablers.

Corporate cards: The strategic liquidity lever

No longer just payment instruments, corporate and virtual cards are becoming powerful tools for managing cash flow timing and accelerating receivables. Key insights from the report include:

• Over half of CFOs and treasurers cite card acceptance as the top strategy to reduce Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), directly accelerating cash inflows.
• Supplier adoption of card payments remains robust globally, driven by the promise of faster settlements and improved visibility.
• Nearly 40% of adaptable CFOs use cards to control the timing of payments, giving them flexibility to seize short-term opportunities.
• Strategic planners rely on cards to automate payables, reduce manual reconciliation errors, and improve internal controls.

Now more than ever, mastering card programs, both on the payables and receivables sides, is becoming a key competency for finance leaders.

Harnessing AI and digital innovation for forecasting and automation

AI adoption is accelerating, with nearly 60% of corporate finance leaders globally using AI-powered tools to improve working capital. Leading regions like Europe and Latin America report even higher adoption rates of around 62-65%. AI use cases range from cash flow forecasting to supplier onboarding and automating repetitive processes.

At the same time, there is an increasing demand for simplified, modular digital platforms that align credit access and financing with cash flow cycles. 37% of growth corporates want on-demand financing solutions that respond flexibly to shifting cash needs. 47% of them prioritise tools that simplify credit and account management, reducing administrative overhead.

CFOs and treasurers who embrace AI and digital innovation gain better cash flow visibility, reduce forecast errors, and make smarter liquidity and funding decisions.

Overcoming persistent hurdles and expanding opportunity

The path to optimised working capital management is not without challenges. Rejection rates for working capital financing applications have seen a sevenfold increase, mostly due to loan size mismatch rather than credit risk, highlighting a critical supply-demand gap. Compliance complexity and slow approvals continue to impede some firms’ access to liquidity.

Adoption rates also vary by region and industry. North America leads in corporate card usage, Europe comes first in AI integration, while Latin America and CEMEA regions are poised for the fastest growth in solution adoption. 

Industries such as retail, media, technology, and commercial travel are adoption leaders, while professional services, fleet and mobility, and facility management lag behind.

By advocating for more tailored financial products, CFOs and treasurers can unlock untapped liquidity potential while still maintaining stability.

A balanced strategy for a volatile future

More than anything, the Visa Working Capital Index shows that CEOs and boards are increasingly looking to their CFOs and treasurers to balance long-term strategy with agility in working capital management.

Through AI-driven planning, flexible corporate card solutions, and tailored financing options, finance leaders can breathe agility into their supply chains. This balanced approach transforms working capital from a reactive tool into a proactive growth catalyst.

As volatility continues to reshape global markets and supply chains, mastering the duality of the strategic planner and adaptable accelerator will be a defining trait of successful corporate finance leadership in 2025 and beyond.