Visa

Unlocking strategic value with expense management solutions and corporate cards in the Asia Pacific (AP) region

Demand for corporate Expense Management Systems (EMS) is surging among dynamic mid-market and large corporations in high-growth markets in the Asia Pacific region. In this research paper, Visa explores how these organisations are benefiting from these systems – and how EMS can support their businesses as they continue to grow. The insights from this research paper are based on a quantitative survey of 503 large and mid-market companies, complemented by qualitative in-depth interviews with 71 firms across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines. The research was conducted between October and December 2024.

Key Insights & Highlights:

  1. Expense tracking and reporting, plus integration with existing finance systems, are the most popular EMS features. Large companies surveyed (91%) are more likely to look to integrate EMS and accounting systems than mid-market firms surveyed (65%).

  2. Between 79% and 91% of firms surveyed want to streamline employee reimbursements through their EMS. Implementing a corporate card programme removes the need for employee reimbursement and helps improve efficiency.

  3. On an annualised basis, companies using EMS platforms reported an average US$28,000 improvement in efficiency per finance employee and total efficiency gains of US$75,000. This means EMS platforms delivered an average return on investment (ROI) of around 16 times the average subscription cost.