Allianz Trade and France's Pledg launch B2B BNPL solution

Insurance company Allianz Trade has teamed up with French fintech Pledg to create a Buy Now, Pay Later solution for B2B ecommerce websites.

This will allow B2B ecommerce sites to offer split or deferred payments to customers while being assured of payment. When a buyer chooses a deferred payment on the ecommerce site, Allianz Trade’s system analyses his financial health, before the confirmation of the deferred payment and the instant payment of the site by Pledg.

‘With Allianz Trade, we noticed that a gap existed within B2B e-commerce, where payment methods often remained cumbersome and restrictive,’ explained Managing Director of Pledg, Jacques-Olivier Schatz.

‘The solution makes it possible to remove concerns around the risk of non-payment, with the seller's cash flow being preserved in all cases,’ said Adrien Bonhomme, Chief Product Officer of Pledg.

B2B transactions in France and the wider continent

Data from Statista shows that the revenue from B2B e-commerce sales in France is forecast to be USD 195.4 billion by 2025. 

In 2017, France began phasing in mandatory e-invoicing on B2B transactions. The country intends to impose mandatory B2B e-invoicing and e-reporting from 2023. The government’s objectives in the move include the prevention of tax fraud, cost reduction and an enhanced ability to monitor the economy thanks to the real-time data from businesses.

Separate research from Statista shows that European B2B companies began greatly increasing their presence on ecommerce channels in the wake of the pandemic. Statista’s research also finds a shift in the attitude of buyers involved in B2B ecommerce, with buyers becoming picky not just about prices but the quality of service.

More on Pledg and Allianz Trade

French fintech Pledg was founded in 2016 and started off serving group purchases, before expanding into fractional and deferred payments. In March last year, Pledg raised USD 80 million, which went towards its activity in the latter sphere.

Allianz Trade gained its current name in March, having formerly been known as Euler Hermes, a group known by that name since 2003 but whose history traces back over a hundred years under various names. It was absorbed into the Allianz Group in 2018. The company has more than 5,500 employees and is present in 52 countries.