Bottomline Launches Global Pay Connect SaaS Platform

Bottomline has debuted a new software-as-a-service platform named Global Pay Connect. The platform is designed to help financial institutions extend their payments infrastructure through API-enabled services and third-party data integration, according to a company release.

Financial institutions face pressure to support real-time payments, achieve ISO 20022 compliance, ensure cross-border transparency, and adapt to emerging payment models. Outdated systems are making this a challenging environment to navigate, the release stated.

Infrastructure Challenges and SaaS Adoption

Research cited by Bottomline found that 40% of chief financial officers identify outdated infrastructure as the biggest obstacle to adopting real-time payments. Only 28% describe SaaS adoption across their institution as modern, API-enabled, and end-to-end.

Platform Capabilities and Connectivity

Global Pay Connect offers connectivity across major global and domestic payment networks. The listed networks include Swift, SEPA, SIC, Bacs, CHAPS, CHIPS, Lynx, EBICS, and host-to-host connections.

The platform also provides modernization through ISO 20022 transformation, payment data enrichment, and Message Vault capabilities. It delivers intelligence via real-time visibility into payment activity and AI-enabled insights designed to help institutions secure more value from their payment data.

Partnership and Future Evolution

Bottomline has formed a partnership with blockchain company Chainlink. Global Pay Connect enables interoperability through that firm, allowing banks to connect seamlessly to multiple blockchain networks through a single, network-agnostic integration model.

Vitus Rotzer, global head of banking GTM at Bottomline, framed the platform's role. "Global Pay Connect is the bridge between today’s payment infrastructure requirements and the future evolution of payments ecosystems," Rotzer said in the release. He added that it will help institutions deliver greater value from payment data through intelligent validation and AI-enhanced insights, while supporting emerging payment models like digital assets and tokenization.

Real-time payments are providing banks with another reason to confront legacy technology they have spent years working around. A recent PYMNTS report noted that 92% of financial institutions expect to enable The Clearing House’s RTP network within the next two years. This shift could turn infrastructure modernization from a long-term project into a more immediate spending requirement.