Today In B2B: UK Debt Collectors Eye SMB Aid Recovery; ActiveWorx Launches B2B Payments Optimization Tool

Today in B2B payments, ActiveWorx launches its B2B payment optimization tool, while PayJunction debuts an eInvoicing feature. Plus, U.K. debt collectors seek a bigger role in recovering SMB aid, Fides expands bank connectivity for treasurers and jobless claims dip slightly.

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    ActiveWorx Introduces B2B Payments Offering On AP Platform

    ActiveWorx, Inc. has rolled out B2B payments optimization offerings on its platform. The launch of the company’s payment functions will address ongoing corporate payment processing hurdles with process automation software and payment services that harness artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced machine learning (ML), according to an announcement. “With integrations to multiple payment processors, the ActiveWorx platform now offers corporate payment capabilities in various formats, including international payments, to more than 120 foreign countries,” William Bridgers, senior vice president of payment services, said in the announcement.

    PayJunction Debuts Digital Invoicing For Virtual Terminal Clients

    Payment processing technology developer PayJunction has rolled out a digital invoice function for companies that harness its virtual terminal offering, according to a Thursday (Jan. 7) announcement. PayJunction says the functionality has been proven useful for companies such as law practices and veterinary clinics that have moved to curbside and virtual video sessions to help curb face-to-face meetings amid the pandemic, according to the announcement. Billing workers who are on-site or who telecommute can sign in from any “browser-connected” device, according to the company. These workers can create an invoice, input particulars, connect it with a client’s work order or file, and electronically send a request for approval and payment.

    Fides Expands Connectivity For Finance Professionals

    Fides Treasury Services, which works in multibank connectivity and communications, has rolled out new details about its plans to extend its shop for corporate treasury and finance solutions, according to a press release. The new marketplace will be available through the Fides Multibanking Suite web portal, the release stated. The suite gives corporate treasury and finance professionals a new level of visibility into banking transactions and connections, with a security measure no matter where it’s accessed. The tool can be used to control administrations and approvals, with a lone sign-on and “intuitive” user interface, according to the release, and it can help with saving time and providing visibility.

    UK Debt Collectors Want More To Do With Unpaid COVID Debts

    U.K. debt collectors want the government to give them a bigger role in recovering the debts from the 44-billion-pound (about $60 billion) business rescue program, the Financial Times reported. The Treasury has faced questions as of late over how to minimize the losses for taxpayers under the scheme. FT reported that the government provided 100 percent guarantees for banks in order to help encourage them to lend quickly to small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in need due to the pandemic’s economic effects. That scheme has helped around 1.4 million SMBs, and was seen as instrumental in saving thousands of them from collapsing under virus-related lockdowns.

    Initial Jobless Claims Dip Slightly To 787K

    Initial jobless claims for the week that ended Jan. 2 dropped 3,000 from the previous week’s revised level for a total of 787,000, according to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Thursday (Jan. 7). The previous week’s total was revised from 787,000 to 790,000. For the week that ended Dec. 26, the advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment was 5.07 million, a decrease of 126,000 from the previous week’s revised level. “Momentum has weakened in recent months, a trend that will likely persist in the near term,” Rubeela Farooqi of High Frequency Economists told Yahoo! Finance. “Risks to the labor market are skewed to the downside from a deteriorating health backdrop that will impact business activity.”


    Perplexity AI Hits $18 Billion Valuation in Latest Funding Round

    Perplexity AI, the generative AI search startup, has secured $100 million in new capital, boosting its valuation to $18 billion, Bloomberg reported. The deal extends a recent funding round that had previously valued the company at $14 billion and highlights the continued enthusiasm among investors for top-tier AI ventures.

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      Founded in 2022, Perplexity has rapidly scaled, tripling its valuation several times over the past year. It has also been the source of reports that Apple is interested in acquiring the company. The firm had initially targeted an $18 billion valuation in March 2025 but settled for a smaller round at $14 billion before this latest infusion brought it back to its original goal. The move signals robust investor interest in the competitive AI search space as incumbents and new entrants alike race to develop advanced generative models for internet search and discovery.

      As Bloomberg details, “The company brought in $100 million with the financing, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The deal is an extension of a previous round from a few months ago that valued the company at $14 billion, the person said — investments that underscore the Silicon Valley rush to back the top AI startups.”

      Most recently PYMNTS covered Perplexity’s launch of a $200-a-month or $2,000-a-year subscription tier called Perplexity Max. The new subscription plan, announced July 2, includes all the features of the $20-a-month or $200-a-year Perplexity Pro and adds unlimited access to artificial intelligence (AI) models in Perplexity Research and Labs, unlimited queries to its Perplexity Labs productivity tool, early access to new products and features, and priority support, according to a Perplexity help center page.

      Apple has reportedly held in-house talks about acquiring Perplexity AI. That’s according to a report Friday (June 20) by Bloomberg News, which points out that such a purchase would help Apple meet its need for AI technology and expertise. Sources told Bloomberg that Adrian Perica, the company’s head of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), has discussed the idea with services chief Eddy Cue and key AI decision-makers. The talks are in their early stages and might not yield an offer, the sources added.

      As the report noted, an acquisition would allow Apple to build an AI-based search engine as it faces the possible loss of its years long deal with Google, which made that company the default search on Apple devices.