Market data on corporate payments, virtual card adoption, security, and integrated travel and spend management
Choosing a corporate payment program is increasingly a decision about spending controls, employee experience, and the quality of financial data. Finance leaders need a way to connect business purchases with approval policies, accounting records, and travel bookings. Global commercial card spending exceeded $4.3 trillion in 2024, according to FIS, and is forecast to exceed $6 trillion by 2029. These figures measure purchase volume across commercial card types, not revenue earned by card providers.
Engine's modern travel management platform connects hotel, flight, and rental car bookings with travel policies, reporting, and payment workflows. Its Engine X charge card adds configurable spending controls and virtual or physical employee cards for approved businesses. This article examines the market statistics behind the broader movement toward integrated business payments and travel management.
Key Takeaways
- Corporate card market forecasts point upward: A November 2025 market report valued its defined corporate credit card market at $25.51 billion in 2025 and projected $43.08 billion by 2032. These are market-size estimates, not card transaction volumes.
- B2B payments dominate virtual card value: Juniper Research estimated that B2B transactions represented 76% of its $5.2 trillion virtual card payment market in 2025 and forecast $14.6 trillion in B2B virtual card payments by 2029.
- Travel buyers are reviewing payment programs: In a February 2025 GBTA poll, 41% of responding corporate travel buyers planned to evaluate or change their payment solutions that year.
- Payment fraud remains a concern: The 2026 AFP fraud survey found that 76% of responding organizations experienced attempted or actual payment fraud in 2025.
- Late payments carry reported costs: In a 2025 small-business survey, owners estimated $39,406 in average annual losses related to late customer payments.
- Corporate cards are common in managed travel: In GBTA's 2026 traveler survey, 68% of respondents reported that their employers provided corporate credit cards.
The Rise of Corporate Cards in Business Travel and Beyond
Corporate cards can combine payments with transaction reporting, approval processes, and organizational spend controls. The figures below distinguish total card purchase volume from research firms' estimates of industry market size.
1. Global commercial card spending exceeded $4.3 trillion in 2024
Commercial card spending surpassed $4.3 trillion in 2024, according to a June 2026 FIS analysis citing commercial card research. The measure spans debit, credit, prepaid, and virtual commercial cards. It does not represent issuer revenue.
2. Commercial card spending is projected to exceed $6 trillion by 2029
The same FIS analysis projects commercial card purchase volume above $6 trillion by 2029 as businesses extend card use across more purchasing categories. This is a forecast, not realized spending.
3. The corporate credit card market was estimated at $25.51 billion in 2025
A November 2025 market report estimated the corporate credit card market at $23.78 billion in 2024 and $25.51 billion in 2025. The estimates reflect the report's defined market, not the value of all transactions made using corporate cards.
4. One corporate credit card market report forecast $43.08 billion by 2032
That November 2025 report projected $43.08 billion by 2032. This publisher-specific market-size forecast should be distinguished from projections of the value of transactions made with corporate cards.
5. One commercial card market forecast reaches $93.18 billion by 2035
An August 2026 Spherical Insights report projected a $93.18 billion commercial or corporate card market for 2035. Its market definition differs from both FIS commercial card spending and the narrower corporate credit card estimate above.
6. 89% of small businesses in a cardholder study used credit cards for recent purchases
The 2025 J.D. Power study reported that 89% of surveyed small businesses used a credit card for recent business purchases. The study sampled existing small-business credit card customers, so this percentage should not be generalized to all U.S. small businesses or treated as the adoption rate for dedicated corporate cards.
For companies coordinating conferences, client visits, and sales travel, Engine provides travel policy enforcement for eligible hotel, flight, and rental car bookings. Travel administrators can manage policy exceptions and approvals, while approved Engine X accounts have separate card-level spending controls.
Understanding the Corporate Card Options Available in 2027
Corporate credit cards, charge cards, and purchasing cards can serve different expense and payment needs. Understanding how businesses use cards is as important as comparing reward structures and administrative features.
7. 59% of surveyed small businesses charged over one-quarter of expenses to cards
In QuickBooks' July 2026 survey, 59% of responding small businesses reported charging more than 25% of their monthly expenses to credit cards. This is an expense-share measure rather than an average card spending amount.
8. 42% of surveyed small businesses paid their credit card balances in full monthly
The same July 2026 QuickBooks survey found that 42% of responding small businesses paid their credit card balances in full every month. This describes self-reported repayment behavior, not the share of businesses holding charge cards or other corporate payment products.
9. Credit card acceptance reached 79% in stores and 79% online
PYMNTS Intelligence reported separate credit card acceptance rates of 79% in stores and 79% online among U.S. small and midsize businesses in February 2026. These channel-specific results do not establish that an identical group of businesses accepted cards in both channels. Accepting customer cards also differs from paying business expenses with corporate cards.
10. More than 55% of surveyed small businesses used credit cards for financing
A University of Chicago research brief published in 2025 found that more than 55% of surveyed small businesses had used business credit cards as financing during the previous 12 months. Financing use is distinct from paying routine expenses in full.
11. Purchasing cards were projected to hold 36.2% of one commercial card market in 2026
Coherent Market Insights, in a January 2026 report, projected that purchasing cards would account for 36.2% of its defined commercial or corporate card market by product type in 2026. This is a modeled market segment share, not the proportion of companies holding purchasing cards.
12. Large enterprises were projected to represent 62.5% of one commercial card market in 2026
Coherent Market Insights projected that large enterprises would account for 62.5% of its commercial or corporate card market by end user in 2026. This projected share does not represent the percentage of individual cards issued to large enterprises.
Engine X is a business charge card integrated with Engine travel bookings and spend reporting. It has no annual fee, and approved businesses can issue physical and virtual cards and set spending limits by employee, transaction, or category. The card offers 6% to 10% back in points on eligible hotels and rental cars booked through Engine, based on qualifying annual spend, plus 1.5% back in points on other qualifying purchases. Rewards have no cash value. Card terms and eligibility apply. All applications subject to credit approval.
Virtual Cards: A Secure and Flexible Payment Method
Virtual cards can provide digitally issued payment credentials and configurable controls over amounts, merchants, or permitted uses. Market forecasts use different methodologies: some measure payment face value while others estimate provider revenue or another industry valuation.
13. Global virtual card transaction value was modeled at $6.43 trillion in 2026
Mordor Intelligence estimated $5.42 trillion in global virtual card transaction face value in 2025 and $6.43 trillion in 2026. These figures are modeled payment values rather than audited totals of completed transactions.
14. Virtual card transaction value is projected to reach $15.14 trillion by 2031
In its January 2026 market model, Mordor Intelligence projected $15.14 trillion in virtual card payment face value by 2031. This is a modeled future transaction value, not realized payment volume.
15. Worldwide virtual card payments were forecast to exceed $17.4 trillion by 2029
A March 2025 Juniper forecast projected more than $17.4 trillion in global virtual card payments in 2029. This refers to the total virtual card payment market, including business and consumer payments, and is distinct from Mordor Intelligence's separately modeled values.
16. B2B virtual card payments could reach $14.6 trillion by 2029
Juniper Research forecast $14.6 trillion in global B2B virtual card payment value in 2029, representing 83% of its total virtual card payments forecast. This is projected transaction value, not card-provider revenue.
17. B2B payments represented 76% of Juniper's 2025 virtual card estimate
In May 2025 research, Juniper estimated that B2B payments comprised 76% of a $5.2 trillion global virtual card payments market in 2025. Its forecast should not be combined with a separate publisher's model as though they shared a methodology.
18. Business accounts held 71.57% of a modeled virtual card market
Mordor Intelligence assigned business end-user accounts a 71.57% share of its modeled virtual card market in 2025. This market share measures the researcher's end-user segment, not the percentage of businesses that have adopted virtual cards.
19. Single-use virtual cards represented 59.13% of modeled market value
In Mordor Intelligence's 2025 model, single-use virtual cards represented 59.13% of market value by use category. This modeled market share does not indicate the fraction of individual cards issued that were single-use.
For teams managing employee travel, Engine's reporting and analytics centralize captured booking and billing data, including relevant project and cost fields. Approved businesses can also review eligible Engine X transactions within their spend management workflow.
Corporate Card Adoption: Growing Interest Across Business Sizes
Adoption findings depend heavily on who was surveyed. Corporate travel managers, B2B buyers, finance executives, and individual travelers are not interchangeable populations, and their responses should not be treated as a single global business adoption rate.
20. 7% of surveyed Indian travel managers reported organizational virtual card use
A 2025 GBTA India study of 157 corporate travel managers found that 7% said their organizations used virtual card numbers for business travel payments. The result measures payment methods reported by this India-specific sample, not global virtual card adoption.
21. 74% of surveyed B2B buyers expected significant virtual card use by 2028
A June 2026 Mastercard article, citing a 2025 white paper, reported that 74% of surveyed B2B buyers expected virtual cards to account for at least one-quarter of their transactions by 2028. These are expectations, not observed 2028 payment shares.
22. Corporate payment cards in use could total 66 million by 2030
Juniper Research projected approximately 55 million corporate payment cards in use worldwide in 2026 and 66 million in 2030. These are counts of corporate payment cards, not counts of businesses adopting virtual cards.
23. 78% of surveyed middle-market CFOs expressed interest in accepting virtual cards
In PYMNTS Intelligence's 2024 report, 78% of surveyed middle-market CFOs expressed high interest in accepting virtual cards to facilitate automated invoice approvals and timely payments. The underlying research surveyed 60 CFOs at U.S. companies with annual revenue between $100 million and $1 billion in February 2023. Interest does not establish actual acceptance or use.
24. 79% of surveyed larger middle-market firms received virtual card payments
PYMNTS Intelligence's 2024 report, based on a February 2023 survey, found that 79% of participating firms in the $750 million to $1 billion annual revenue bracket had received virtual card payments in the previous six months, versus 60% in the $100 million to $250 million bracket. The research surveyed 60 middle-market CFOs, so these figures describe its revenue-group samples rather than virtual card adoption across all businesses.
25. 41% of surveyed corporate travel buyers planned payment program reviews
In GBTA's February 2025 poll, 41% of responding travel managers and procurement professionals expected to evaluate or change corporate payment solutions, including corporate cards or virtual payment solutions, during 2025. The result describes plans at the time of the survey, not completed program changes.
Fraud Prevention and Security Driving Virtual Card Growth
Virtual credentials and card-level restrictions can help organizations control exposure to unauthorized payments. The following studies establish the prevalence of payment fraud and the distribution of card products, not a specific fraud reduction achieved by any one virtual card program.
26. 76% of surveyed organizations experienced attempted or actual payment fraud
The 2026 AFP payments fraud survey, based on 465 corporate professionals, reported that 76% of organizations experienced attempted or actual payments fraud during 2025. The measure includes attempts as well as successful incidents.
27. 58% of surveyed organizations reported check-related fraud
The same 2026 AFP survey found that 58% of responding organizations reported check fraud in 2025. This illustrates a concern surrounding existing business payment methods; it does not quantify fraud prevented by virtual cards.
28. Open-loop cards were projected to represent 68.6% of one commercial card market in 2026
Coherent Market Insights projected that open-loop cards would hold 68.6% of its commercial or corporate card market by card type in 2026. These cards can be used at merchants accepting their associated payment networks. The percentage is a market share forecast, not the proportion of cards issued.
29. Remote payments held 73.64% of modeled virtual card market value
Mordor Intelligence estimated that remote payments represented 73.64% of the virtual card market by payment type in 2025. This is a modeled market-value share rather than a transaction-count percentage.
30. Virtual credit cards made up 47.36% of modeled virtual card market value
Under Mordor Intelligence's segmentation, virtual credit cards represented 47.36% of modeled market value by card type in 2025. This is a market-value share, not a count of virtual credit cards issued.
Engine's DirectBill gives eligible approved businesses a centralized billing option. Engine extends a line of credit; Engine pays the hotels, and the customer receives one consolidated invoice after stays. With Engine's Incidentals Coverage add-on, travelers skip credit card authorization forms at check-in for eligible stays, subject to applicable property conditions.
Pain Points Driving Corporate Card Innovation
Late customer payments, manual payment processes, and administrative work affect cash flow planning. The surveys in this section reflect the particular types of businesses surveyed, rather than all companies or the expected outcome of adopting one payment product.
31. 97% of surveyed U.S. agencies were chasing late payments
Ignition's 2025 agency report found that 97% of surveyed U.S. marketing and creative agencies were chasing overdue client payments. The population is agency businesses, not all U.S. employers.
32. 59% of surveyed small businesses waited over 30 days for invoice payments
In QuickBooks' July 2026 survey, 59% of responding small businesses said invoices took more than 30 days to be paid. This measures the reported time to receive customer payments, not the proportion of suppliers paid late.
33. Small-business owners estimated $39,406 in annual late-payment losses
A 2025 survey of 503 owners by Gateway Commercial Finance found that respondents estimated average annual business losses of $39,406 from delayed customer payments; 9% estimated losses of at least $100,000. The figures are respondents' estimates, not independently audited losses.
34. 71% of surveyed agencies had at least one-quarter of invoices paid late
According to Ignition's May 2025 survey of 273 U.S. agency managers and executives, 71% said at least one in four invoices was paid late. The statistic uses the originating survey's one-quarter threshold.
35. 23% of surveyed small businesses had fully automated bill payment
The July 2026 QuickBooks survey reported that 23% of respondents used fully automated bill payment systems and 50% used somewhat automated systems. The results concern bill-payment workflows, not automation of every business expense.
36. 13% of surveyed small businesses cited manual processes as a payment obstacle
In that July 2026 QuickBooks research, 13% of responding businesses identified manual processes as the leading internal challenge contributing to late payments to contractors, suppliers, vendors, or creditors during the previous three months. The figure represents a selected challenge, not all companies experiencing payment delays.
Regional Market Distribution and Payment Patterns
Regional findings below use different measures, including modeled virtual card payment value, estimated virtual card provider revenue, and total noncash payment activity. Each statistic should be interpreted within its source's population and market definition.
37. North America held 38.74% of modeled virtual card market value
Mordor Intelligence estimated that North America represented 38.74% of the global virtual card market by value in 2025. This is not the share of all people or companies using virtual cards.
38. Asia-Pacific virtual card market revenue projected at $23.82 billion for 2033
Grand View Research projects Asia-Pacific virtual card market revenue of $23,815.9 million, or approximately $23.82 billion, in 2033. This is a market revenue forecast, not a prediction of virtual card transaction face value or business adoption.
39. The U.S. recorded 236.6 billion noncash payments in 2024
The Federal Reserve Payments Study counted 236.6 billion U.S. noncash payments in 2024. Cards represented 79% of these transactions by number but only 8% by value. These figures include consumer, business, and government payments rather than commercial card activity alone.
40. Europe's virtual card market generated an estimated $8.46 billion in 2025 revenue
Grand View Research estimated European virtual card market revenue at $8,455.3 million, or approximately $8.46 billion, for 2025 and projected $39,851.3 million for 2033. Its revenue measure is not comparable to the trillion-dollar transaction-value estimates elsewhere in this article.
Business Travel and Industry-Specific Adoption
Business travel brings booking policies, traveler purchases, payment credentials, and expense reporting into the same operational workflow. Adoption research highlights the value of managing these connected processes.
41. 68% of surveyed business travelers were provided corporate credit cards
In GBTA's 2026 global survey, 68% of responding business travelers said their companies provided them with a corporate credit card. The measure concerns card provision, not the share of travelers using virtual cards.
42. 63% of surveyed travelers reported personal benefits from corporate card use
The same 2026 GBTA research reported that 63% of surveyed business travelers said they could collect personal benefits or features when using a corporate card for business travel. This describes respondents' reported access to card-related benefits, not the type or monetary value of those benefits or the share of all companies offering rewards.
Engine's modern travel management platform supports hotel, flight, and rental car bookings for conferences, company offsites, sales teams, and recurring business trips. It offers access to 1,000,000+ hotel properties, Engine Groups for nine or more rooms, and meeting and event spaces. Travel policy controls, centralized reporting, and eligible Engine X card controls help finance and travel teams manage bookings and spending together.
Eligible hotel bookings may qualify for participating hotel loyalty benefits alongside Engine Rewards, subject to the applicable program and booking terms. Engine's loyalty point stacking describes how these separate reward programs can work together on qualifying stays.
The Path Forward: Integration and Automation
Taken together, the statistics indicate strong interest in more connected payment tools, with adoption rates and market projections varying by user group and research method. Finance teams benefit from a clear separation between controls applied when travel is booked and controls applied when a card transaction is authorized.
Key developments relevant to corporate payment programs include:
- Accounting and ERP integration: Consistent transaction data can reduce duplicate entries and improve the accuracy of payment and expense records when configured for the company's workflows.
- Policy enforcement before purchase: Engine's travel policy controls can guide bookings and approval routing, while Engine X provides separate card-level spending controls for approved businesses.
- Centralized reconciliation: Engine's travel reporting tools organize captured booking and billing information by relevant teams and cost categories, helping streamline analysis and accounting workflows.
For organizations managing travel spending, Engine combines self-service booking with structured oversight across business travel, including group travel and event spaces. Its integrated payment options support finance and operations teams seeking more consistent visibility into company travel spend.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a corporate credit card and a charge card?
Corporate credit cards typically allow eligible account holders to carry balances subject to interest and card terms. Charge cards generally require balances to be paid according to the agreed statement schedule. Engine X is a business charge card with an approved company credit line and configurable spending controls. All applications subject to credit approval.
How can virtual cards improve payment security for businesses?
Virtual cards can support unique payment credentials, single-use card numbers, merchant restrictions, transaction limits, and expiration rules, depending on the specific program. These controls can reduce exposure to unauthorized spending. In Mordor Intelligence's 2025 model, single-use cards accounted for 59.13% of virtual card market value by use category, but market share does not measure actual fraud prevention.
What are the key benefits of integrating corporate cards with travel management software?
Combining booking and payment records can improve spend visibility, expense allocation, and reconciliation. Engine offers travel policy enforcement, travel reporting, and DirectBill consolidated invoicing. Approved businesses can complement these workflows with Engine X spending controls, bringing card transactions and travel records into a connected management environment.
Are there specific corporate card options tailored for startups or small businesses?
Programs vary in eligibility, payment structure, fees, and administrative controls. Engine's booking platform and Engine Groups service are free to use. No platform fees, no membership fees, no agent-assist fees, no contracts, no minimum spend. Optional Flex is a paid per-booking add-on, while FlexPro is a paid subscription. Separately, Engine X is a business charge card with no annual fee. Approved businesses can issue virtual or physical cards and set spending controls. All applications subject to credit approval. Card terms and eligibility apply.
How does Engine X differentiate itself from traditional corporate credit cards?
Engine X combines a business charge card with Engine's travel booking and spend management workflows. Approved businesses can issue virtual and physical cards, manage employee and category limits, and review card activity alongside Engine booking information. It has no annual fee and offers 6% to 10% back in points on eligible hotel and rental car bookings through Engine, based on qualifying annual spend, plus 1.5% back in points on other qualifying purchases. Points have no cash value. Card terms and eligibility apply. All applications subject to credit approval.
What role do virtual cards play in controlling employee spending?
Virtual cards can let businesses associate payment credentials with a specific employee, supplier, expense category, or transaction and apply configured limits. Their available controls depend on the card program. Engine X gives approved businesses configurable controls over card spending, complementing Engine's separate booking policies and approval workflows.
