Pliant, the fast-growing European fintech, is changing the way businesses manage their spending. Traditional corporate credit cards no longer meet modern needs. Companies often struggle with outdated systems that make it hard to issue, track, and control spending. Integrating card data into accounting software becomes messy, leading to inefficiencies and risks like overspending or fraud.
However, Pliant fixes these issues. Its platform lets businesses create virtual and physical cards instantly. Companies can set detailed spending limits, automate receipt collection, and connect all transactions directly to their financial systems.
Today, Pliant announced a $40 million Series B funding round, led by Illuminate Financial and Speedinvest. PayPal Ventures and Motive Ventures, early supporters, also returned for this round. With this latest raise, Pliant has now secured over $100 million in funding.
The company plans to use the new funds to grow globally. In addition, it will expand its 170-person team and strengthen its infrastructure. Partnerships like the one with Commerzbank are helping Pliant reach more businesses. As Pliant moves into the U.S. market, it is already building local teams and support systems.
Breaking Away From Outdated Business Cards
Founded in 2020 in Berlin, Pliant was created by fintech veterans Malte Rau and Fabian Terner. Both saw firsthand how rigid card systems slowed businesses down. Companies dealt with poor integrations, manual expense tracking, and little control over real-time spending.
Seeing the gap, Rau and Terner built a new platform. Pliant makes issuing cards digital, managing expenses simple, and financial reporting seamless. As a result, businesses spend less time on admin and more time growing.
Since its launch, Pliant has expanded into the travel, cards-as-a-service (CaaS), and banking sectors. It recently acquired the Austrian insurtech startup hi.health, opening new markets in insurance payments.
Today, Pliant supports over 3,500 businesses across Europe and has posted triple-digit revenue growth for multiple years.
Why Pliant Leads the Next Wave of Business Payments
Pliant offers businesses full flexibility. Its platform lets companies issue cards, track spending, and automate reporting through an easy app or API. Furthermore, SaaS companies can use Pliant’s white-label CaaS solution to offer card services without needing a banking license.
Integration is simple. Pliant connects directly with accounting, invoicing, and travel expense software. This means faster monthly closings, fewer errors, and no need for costly custom development.
Real-time controls are built in. Finance teams can set detailed spending rules and approval workflows. Every transaction needs a receipt, and Pliant automates the collection and matching process.
Moreover, Pliant stands out by offering top rewards. Companies get up to 1% cash back on all spending, up to 4% savings on foreign transactions, and carbon-offsetting features for travel expenses.
Pliant also provides high credit limits, flexible repayments, support for 11 currencies, and reduced foreign exchange fees. It is built to serve startups and large enterprises that operate globally.
How Pliant Stands Out From the Competition
Although the market is filled with competitors like Pleo, Moss, Spendesk, Payhawk, and Ramp, Pliant holds a clear edge. It combines real-time APIs, deep financial integrations, flexible rewards, and strong sustainability features.
In addition, its white-label card solutions and multi-currency support make it perfect for global companies. Very few rivals offer this full range of benefits.
Illuminate Financial’s Konstantin Koenig said, “B2B payments still suffer from outdated systems. Pliant brings automation, transparency, and speed to this broken process.”
Similarly, Speedinvest’s Tom Filip Lesche added, “Pliant is not just improving credit cards. They are building the foundation for future business payments.”
As it scales into new markets, Pliant is poised to become one of Europe’s next great fintech success stories.
