Capital One just made a $5.15 billion move that could change how businesses manage money

"Capital One is buying Brex in a $5.15 billion stock-and-cash deal that underscores how traditional banks are turning to fintech startups to modernize the way businesses manage money. The acquisition, announced Thursday, would bring the San Francisco-based corporate card and expense management company into the fold of one of the largest U.S. financial institutions. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2026, pending regulatory approval and customary conditions."

"Over time, the company evolved into a broader platform that combines payments, spend management, and banking services in a single interface used by more than 25,000 companies, including DoorDash, Robinhood, Zoom, and Plaid. In recent years, Brex has increasingly described itself as an "AI-native" finance platform, highlighting tools that automate expense review, enforce spending policies, and reduce the manual work typically handled by finance teams."

"At first glance, the deal looks like a straightforward expansion into corporate cards. In reality, it is about software, automation, and how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape financial operations inside companies. For more than a decade, large banks have tried to compete with fintech startups by building their own digital tools. Many of those efforts have struggled to match the user experience and speed of companies designed from the ground up as software platforms."

Capital One is acquiring Brex for $5.15 billion in a stock-and-cash deal expected to close in mid-2026, pending regulatory approval. Brex will remain led by CEO and cofounder Pedro Franceschi as it joins one of the largest U.S. banks. Brex evolved from offering startup corporate cards without personal guarantees into a platform combining payments, spend management, and banking services for over 25,000 companies. Brex positions itself as an "AI-native" finance platform with tools that automate expense review, enforce spending policies, and reduce manual finance work. The acquisition reflects banks turning to fintech to modernize operations and accelerate software-driven services.

Read at Fast Company