Sage adds business debit cards and banking to its accounting software

Sage, a business software company, plans to let small businesses make payments, use debit cards and see their banking activity inside its accounting software. It announced partnerships with Mastercard and Adyen on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The first rollout is in France.

What changed

Mastercard will be Sage's card network partner, which supports the debit cards. Adyen, a financial technology company, will provide banking-as-a-service infrastructure and onboarding. That phrase means the technology that lets a software company offer bank-style services.

Customers will be able to make payments, manage company spending with debit cards and keep banking activity connected with their accounting in Sage. The idea is to complement customers' existing banking relationships, not replace them.

Sage points to a common problem. Mastercard research cited in the release says small and midsize businesses in Europe use an average of five digital business tools. It also says 70% call integrated tools crucial. Sage executive Derk Bleeker called this the first step in its broader European banking-as-a-service strategy.

What is not known yet

The release, as reported, gives no launch date and no pricing. It says the service will expand across Sage's other European markets but does not name them or give a timeline. It also does not say whether customers outside Europe will get the same service. Those details will matter for any owner weighing the offer.