Quadient forecasts blockchain adoption in finance by 2025

Quadient, a company involved in the financial automation sector, has shared its projections on the transformative trends anticipated to affect the finance and accounting sector by 2025.

Sarah-Jayne Martin, Director of Financial Automation at Quadient, predicts that an increasing number of finance teams will adopt blockchain technology in 2025 to enhance the accuracy of financial transaction logging, reporting, and analysis. "In 2025 more finance teams will turn to blockchain for accurate financial transaction logging, reporting and analysis. So far, blockchain adoption in traditional businesses has been limited due to its complexity and a lack of specialised knowledge. However, there is a growing awareness of its advantages. In part, this is due to an acceptance that the benefits of blockchain extend beyond cryptocurrency and outweigh the perceived complexities," she stated.

Martin pointed out the potential benefits of blockchain for finance teams, highlighting its ability to provide transparency and improve processes such as credit risk analysis by offering instant access to transaction histories and credit data. "In practice, the increased level of transparency can play a pivotal role for finance teams. For example, blockchain's accurate record keeping can transform areas like credit risk analysis by enabling instant access to transaction histories and credit data. On top of this, blockchain's built-in chronological audit trails streamline compliance reporting and ensure regulatory alignment. Ultimately, embracing blockchain will help finance teams mitigate risk and improve financial precision, which will help drive wider growth in a competitive landscape."

In addition, Martin addressed the future of the accounting profession, expressing concern that it may become less appealing unless education and training approaches evolve. "In 2025, the already declining number of students studying finance and accounting will see a significant drop. Coupled with an ageing population in finance, we are going to see a serious skills gap. Accounting and finance roles simply aren't alluring anymore. These roles were previously considered a 'safe' profession, but graduates simply don't value this in employment anymore. Why would a graduate want to then spend another three more years doing exams, when their peers are getting stuck into the working world?" Martin explained.

She urged the industry to re-evaluate what attracts new graduates, suggesting that practical skills and modern technology should be prioritised to prevent burnout and address future application declines. "The whole industry, from educators to employers, need to reassess what will attract graduates to pursue a finance profession. For example, are three years of additional study really necessary, or could this be condensed so that new recruits can spend more time on developing their practical skills? Likewise, younger generations now demand the latest technology and tools when they enter the workplace. Employers need to ensure they provide automation solutions that reduce the manual burden on graduates, so they are less likely to feel burnout. Without this understanding of what graduates want and investment in technology, employers will see a sharp decline in applications in 2025."

Martin also discussed the anticipated shift towards instant cash flow in the business world by 2025, driven by real-time payment systems that reduce delays traditionally found in business transactions. "In 2025, real-time payments will become the expected norm in business transactions, as the corporate world takes a leaf out of the consumer banking playbook. Companies, no longer content with waiting days for funds to clear, are demanding instant transfers to enhance cash flow across the credit-to-cash cycle. The rise of digital invoicing, automation, and advancements in payment infrastructure mean that delays in the payment process will increasingly be seen as an avoidable friction," she said.

She highlighted how this transition could provide businesses with timely liquidity, stronger vendor relationships, and a more agile market response. "We'll see financial leaders prioritising these systems to gain a competitive edge by freeing up working capital faster. Reduced payment delays will also help to build stronger vendor relationships, smoother operations, and a more agile response to market changes. This shift, supported by the continued evolution of Open Banking and real-time payment networks, promises a more transparent, efficient financial landscape where immediate payments aren't a luxury but a baseline expectation. Businesses that use these capabilities will stand to significantly improve liquidity, resilience, and overall financial health, driving a new standard for the industry."

Simon Yaxley, Accounts Receivable Solutions Consultant at Quadient, foresaw accounts receivable (AR) teams gaining a more prominent role in strategic business decision-making due to economic pressures. "In 2025, businesses facing economic pressures surrounding taxes, inflation and interest rates will increasingly rely on finance teams for strategic insight. We will see AR teams elevated from a back-end collection function to a strategic advisory role, empowering finance to guide decision-making and contribute directly to business resilience and growth. As a result, AR teams will be expected to use predictive analytics and AI to analyse payment data with greater accuracy. This will help forecasting cash inflows, identifying cash at risk, and suggesting process improvements," he remarked.

Joey Glazer, Director of Sales – SME at Quadient, anticipated that accounts payable (AP) teams will increasingly leverage open banking by 2025, benefiting from AI-powered tools that enhance efficiency and accuracy. "In 2025, AP teams will increasingly rely on open banking to meet the growing demand for faster, more accurate, and secure payments. AI-powered tools within open banking will give AP teams a decisive advantage, whether through real-time transaction verification or advanced analytics that detect suspicious patterns early. Together, AI and open banking will allow AP professionals to operate with new levels of efficiency, freeing up time for higher-value tasks such as managing supplier relationships. Ultimately, AP teams that are reluctant to fully embrace open banking and AI will continue to find it challenging to identify fraud patterns or eliminate data entry mistakes. This in turn will see them fall behind competitors who can take advantage of faster, more accurate, and secure payment processes," he concluded.