Balance, an AI-powered financial infrastructure platform for B2B commerce, has partnered with Alibaba.com to launch “Pay Later for Business,” an embedded financing solution announced on June 26, 2025. This offering enables U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access instant credit at checkout, enhancing purchasing power and flexibility in payment timing.
Pay Later for Business: Embedded B2B BNPL solution on Alibaba.com for U.S. SMEs.
AI-Powered: Balance’s AI risk infrastructure ensures high approval rates and real-time credit management.
Impact: Increases order sizes by 68% and improves cash flow for 81% of users, per Alibaba.com data.
Partnerships: Follows Balance’s collaboration with Instacart Business for embedded invoicing.
Market Reach: Alibaba.com serves 40M+ B2B buyers across 200+ countries.
Context: Addresses tariff pressures and tight economic conditions for SMEs.
The “Pay Later for Business” solution, powered by Balance’s AI risk infrastructure, offers real-time credit approvals, enabling SMEs often overlooked by traditional financing to access up to $150,000 in credit. “Flexible B2B payments are essential for business customers who want to grow,” said Yiran Li, Head of Customer Retention Strategy at Alibaba.com U.S. The solution integrates seamlessly into Alibaba.com’s checkout, allowing businesses to defer payments and manage cash flow effectively.
Balance’s technology boosts conversions and average order values by 20-30%, per industry benchmarks, without merchants bearing credit risk. “In tight economic conditions, access to financing can make the difference between surviving and thriving,” said Bar Geron, CEO of Balance. The partnership follows Balance’s work with Instacart Business, reinforcing its role in reimagining B2B payments. Alibaba.com’s 68% of Pay Later users report increased order sizes, with 81% citing easier financing compared to traditional options.
The $1.1B B2B BNPL market is growing 25% annually, driven by demand for flexible payments amid tariff pressures (Gartner, 2024). Alibaba.com, with 200,000+ global suppliers, competes with platforms like TradeIndia, but its BNPL offerings, including prior partnerships with Billie and Kabbage, set it apart. Posts on X highlight enthusiasm for the Balance partnership, though some note challenges in credit eligibility for new SMEs. With 40M+ active buyers, Alibaba.com’s integration of Balance’s solution positions it to empower U.S. SMEs in a competitive global market.
Balance is a leading AI-powered financial infrastructure platform for B2B commerce, enabling embedded payments, digital trade credit and B2B BNPL solutions.
Merchants use Balance to accept payments, offer net terms, and automate accounts receivable - boosting revenue, lowering payment costs, and improving cash flow, while minimizing complexity and credit risk.
With robust APIs supporting embedded and customizable customer journeys, advanced billing, AI-powered credit risk management, industry-best approval rates and flexible financing, Balance streamlines B2B payments from onboarding to reconciliation, powering invoice-to-cash operations for leading enterprises.
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