Global small business platform Xero has launched new bill payment capabilities for its US customers, as part of a strategic partnership with BILL, a financial operations platform for small and mid-sized businesses.
The new service is now available to all Xero small business customers in the US and means they can now pay their bills without leaving the Xero platform.
Xero’s new online bill payments, enabled by BILL, will give small businesses the ability to pay multiple bills at once, without leaving Xero.
They will also have access to BILL’s proprietary network of 7.1 million members, where they can find vendors and begin paying them.
Xero’s US small business customers will be able to track the status of all bill payments made from Xero, via a digital record of which vendors have been paid, while two-step verification helps to protect payments and financial data from fraud.
Ariege Misherghi, senior vice president and general manager of AP, AR and accountant channel at BILL, said: “We are excited that our embedded bill pay capabilities are now available to Xero customers in the US through Xero’s platform.
“This will help businesses pay bills efficiently with a variety of payment options and connect with our large vendor network for easy and secure payments. Together, we are creating even more value for small businesses and accountants by streamlining their processes and giving them more visibility and control over their cash flow.”
Diya Jolly, chief product and technology officer, Xero
Xero formed a strategic partnership with BILL back in February 2024, with the aim to make financial automation and cash flow management easier and more accessible for US Xero customers.
A recent report published by Xero, called ‘I want to pay that way’, found that 48% of US small businesses said they felt some cash flow pressures over a 12-month period.
In addition, the report revealed that 38% of small businesses face challenges keeping track of due dates, while 20% cited not being able to manage and pay bills in one place as a challenge.
Diya Jolly, chief product and technology officer at Xero, said: “When people think of small business cash flow, they often overlook the importance of managing accounts payable.
“We’ve seen the challenges that small businesses face when paying their bills, and we’re confident that our new US online bill payments offering, powered by BILL, will ease the administrative burden for our customers and streamline their bill pay processes by allowing them to manage their payments all in one place.”
Further reading: Xero forms partnership with US small business banking platform Bluevine
Mike Cascone, vice president, government experience, Americas at Xero is speaking at Open Banking Expo Canada on June 17, in Toronto. Find out more about speakers and the agenda – and get your ticket here.
