Spend a few minutes talking with finance leaders and a familiar set of frustrations starts to surface. Many commercial card programs still rely on controls that are too broad to be useful, with little ability to tailor them to the realities of a growing, complex organization. Transaction data often arrives too late to influence decisions, leaving teams reacting to spend after it happens instead of managing it in real time. Onboarding new users is frequently slow and manual, creating headaches for administrators and pushing employees toward personal cards — which in turn means reimbursements, extra paperwork, and lost visibility. In a recent survey, many banks report onboarding timelines of 4–16 weeks, with Deloitte noting average commercial client onboarding can take over four months (Deloitte, 2024). Rebate programs, when they exist at all, often feel disconnected from the company’s actual spending priorities. And on the security front, too many programs still focus on catching fraud after the fact rather than preventing it in the first place.
These gaps are not new. What has changed is the level of patience. Finance teams no longer need to tolerate slow, rigid, or disconnected solutions. Viable alternatives now exist — many from agile, software-driven providers that make speed, control, and real-time data the default. Spending on virtual cards issued by fintech providers has grown well above 20% annually, often exceeding 60% YoY from a smaller base (Accenture, 2024) for the past three years, showing how quickly buyers will shift when they find a better experience. That shift puts pressure on banks to rethink not just the products they offer, but the entire experience around them.
CFOs aren’t looking for gimmicks or novelty. They want a platform that behaves like the best software they use elsewhere in the business — one that delivers real-time visibility, mirrors their organizational structure in its controls, issues cards instantly, integrates directly with ERP and expense tools, and shortens the month-end close. They want less friction in reimbursements and better leverage of working capital. The gap between that expectation and what most banks currently deliver is exactly where Tier 1 institutions can win.
The capabilities outlined in a modern commercial card platform — instant issuance, granular controls, real-time data integration, proactive fraud prevention — represent a significant leap from what most legacy systems can deliver. Attempting to build them directly into an existing core often means extended timelines, high costs, and considerable operational risk.
Progressive modernization offers a different path. Instead of replacing the core platform, banks can layer an API-first issuing and ledger infrastructure alongside it. This approach allows new capabilities to be deployed where they are needed most, while preserving the stability of systems that already work. Functions can then be migrated in phases, ensuring control, continuity, and minimal disruption.
The modern platform carries these capabilities natively. Role-based controls, instant card creation, real-time data feeds, tokenization, and multi-currency support are already built in and ready to configure. This eliminates the need for lengthy custom development while enabling a program that reflects the bank’s policies, brand, and client needs.
A typical deployment can be completed in months:
This phased approach allows banks to introduce modern features quickly, compete directly with fintech challengers, and set a proven foundation for extending modernization into adjacent products such as fleet programs, installment cards, or global rebate platforms.
The real advantage for Tier 1 banks isn’t in mimicking fintech branding or perks. It lies in combining the agility of a modern platform with the scale, trust, and financial strength that only large institutions possess. When those two elements come together, the competitive edge is undeniable. Tier 1 banks already have every structural advantage to lead the commercial cards market—balance sheets, trust, global reach, and deep relationships with the companies driving the most valuable transactions.
With the right partner, you can launch in as little as 180 days — reintroducing your commercial card program to the market with the agility to win today and the platform to grow tomorrow. Virtual and physical cards, revolving or installment products, rebates, fleet, multi-currency — all on a single, API-driven system that integrates directly into client workflows.
The banks that modernize now will claim a disproportionate share of the next trillion dollars in commercial card volume. By partnering with Episode Six, you can launch quickly, offer the products your customers want, and easily adjust your platform to what they’ll want next. So what are you waiting for? Contact Episode Six today.
Episode Six is a global provider of enterprise-grade card issuing and ledger infrastructure for financial technology companies, banks, and brands. Episode Six delivers the innovative capabilities needed to compete with disruptors and lead the market. Flexibility, adaptability, and resilience are built into the core of Episode Six's platform, ensuring clients maintain a market-leading position. Episode Six operates in over 45 countries, powering millions of accounts and billions in payments globally, with an expanding team located in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and India. Investors include HSBC, Mastercard, SBI Investment Co Ltd, Anthos Capital, Avenir, and Japan Airlines.