- New collaboration between Aspire and Stripe simplifies B2B transactions, cutting settlement times and improving cash flow for Southeast Asia’s small businesses.
- Aspire users can now accept payments via credit cards and digital wallets such as Apple Pay and WeChat Pay
Aspire allows SMEs access funds without traditional infrastructure
Aspire, a Singapore-based financial platform for SMEs, has partnered with global payments giant Stripe to enable card and wallet payments for its users, even if they don’t have a website. The integration allows Aspire clients to receive funds through credit and debit cards, as well as digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, GrabPay, and WeChat Pay, directly through invoices and payment links.
This move aims to streamline the invoicing process, reduce payment cycles, and improve cash flow for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). With the new system, businesses can cut settlement times from the typical seven days down to as little as three, significantly accelerating access to working capital.
Andrea Baronchelli, CEO and founder of Aspire, said the partnership removes “the friction of money,” giving SMEs more flexibility and speed in their financial operations. Stripe’s Asia Pacific Chief Revenue Officer, Paul Harapin, added that digital financial services can drive revenue growth — noting that 70% of APAC SMBs reported increased income after adopting digital payments.
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Why it’s important
The integration addresses two long-standing challenges for SMBs in Asia: long B2B payment cycles and limited access to flexible payment acceptance tools. With 64% of businesses expecting to pay online using virtual cards, the need for user-friendly, cost-efficient digital payment solutions is growing.
Aspire’s Stripe partnership also removes a significant barrier for smaller businesses — the need for a dedicated e-commerce platform or website. This democratises access to digital payments, especially in Southeast Asia’s rapidly evolving SME sector.
Research cited by Aspire suggests businesses unable to accept card payments may lose up to 4.6% in revenue — underlining the cost of not modernising. As competition increases across the region, access to fast, secure, and flexible payment tools could be a key differentiator for high-growth SMEs.
