"Many small-business owners are stretched thin-acting as CEO, CFO, and COO all at once. For Mastercard, whose network processed 175 billion transactions last year, the initiative represents a broader shift: moving beyond payments to helping shape the intelligence behind how businesses operate."
"The timing may be significant for small businesses, which support the U.S. economy but continue to grapple with economic uncertainty. Many small companies can't afford a full-time finance chief-the kind of expertise that can help navigate an uncertain environment. Instead, they are increasingly turning to fractional or virtual CFOs, a trend that is growing quickly."
Mastercard is developing AI agents designed to serve as virtual executives for small businesses, beginning with a virtual CFO launching later this year through its network of financial institutions and partners. Small-business owners often juggle multiple executive roles simultaneously while lacking resources for full-time finance leadership. The virtual CFO initiative addresses this gap as small-business sentiment declines amid economic uncertainty. The global virtual CFO market is projected to grow from $4.7 billion in 2026 to over $10 billion by 2035. This represents Mastercard's strategic shift from processing payments to providing operational intelligence that helps businesses make informed decisions.
Read at Fortune
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