Corporates, driven largely by the global economic crisis, have been increasingly demanding both more and improved treasury and payments functionality. Corporates today are seeking better and faster access to accounts, and a deeper and more nuanced understanding of their liquidity positions.

Many corporates have larger and more complex treasury requirements than most banks. Highly dependent on their banks, corporates have traditionally relied on bank-supplied software to connect to their treasury functions. As with much of banks’ IT software, these connectivity options have not only been largely proprietary to each bank, but often vary in functionality and delivery format. This report, The Bank-to-Corporate Connectivity Market: A Market in Flux, reflects on the dramatic change going on in the traditionally staid world of bank-to-corporate connectivity.

“Many banks know of Swift service bureaus, yet surprisingly few have a strategy around them,” says Gareth Lodge, Senior Analyst with Celent’s Banking Group and author of the report. “Celent estimates that 80% of all corporates connecting to Swift are choosing to do so via one of these bureaus. And with Swift now offering a fully scalable solution, and entrants offering alternatives, banks simply cannot afford to not be more proactive in this space.”

This report looks at the options a corporate has, many of which are from commercial organisations. It then asks whether this is a good thing for banks because it removes a burden, or whether it may disintermediate banks from their customers.

This 28-page report contains seven figures.