Dext, the leading provider of bookkeeping automation and part of the IRIS Software Group, today announced a strategic partnership with Airwallex, a leading global payments and financial services platform. This collaboration enables the launch of Dext Payments later this year - a seamlessly integrated payments solution within the Dext platform, completing the accounts payable workflow in Dext and offering full automation from invoice upload through to payment.

The partnership between Dext and Airwallex brings together two fintech leaders with a shared vision: to modernise financial workflows for SMBs and their accounting and bookkeeping partners. By integrating Airwallex’s world-class payments infrastructure into Dext’s intelligent automation platform, Dext Payments will deliver a single, seamless solution for managing supplier and expenses payments, payroll and an easier way to get paid directly from an invoice. The solution also introduces enhanced security by verifying suppliers and payment details using data held by Dext, giving users greater confidence that suppliers are paid correctly and effortlessly.

Today’s SMBs face increasingly complex operations. In the UK alone, nearly half of small business invoices are paid late, waiting an average of 46 days to get paid and losing valuable time chasing overdue payments. Recognising the impact on cash flow and business viability, the UK Government has reinforced its Fair Payment Code, urging prompt payment practices across supply chains.

Dext Payments will solve these challenges head-on by delivering a secure, centralised payments layer directly within the Dext platform. It gives businesses and their advisors clarity, control and confidence over how money moves, whether paying suppliers or getting paid faster by customers.

Commenting on the partnership, Sabby Gill, CEO of Dext, said “Airwallex stood out as the ideal partner to power Dext Payments. Its global presence allows us to support customers in every region we operate in, and Airwallex’s secure, developer-friendly platform integrates seamlessly with the Dext platform. With competitive FX rates, multi-currency wallets, and a strong focus on compliance, Airwallex gives us the confidence to bring this product to market at scale.

“With our focus on making bookkeeping effortless, Dext Payments makes complete sense. It brings everything into one place, eliminating friction and giving our customers clarity, control and confidence over how they pay and get paid.”

This partnership enables Dext to launch a payment solution which combines automation, security, and control, powered by Airwallex’s single, integrated embedded finance platform.

For accountants and bookkeepers, Dext Payments will allow them to expand their offering by providing payment services to clients. With direct access to client wallet balances within Dext, payments will be quickly reviewed, approved and processed. The platform will also streamline reconciliation through automation and incorporates built-in fraud detection, reducing manual effort while improving security and accuracy. These capabilities become even more valuable in light of the new requirements under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), which emphasises greater financial transparency and digital reporting.

For small businesses, Dext Payments will enable users to pay suppliers and employees directly, add payment links to invoices for faster payment collection, and manage multi-currency wallets with access to market-leading FX rates. Businesses can also receive payments using local bank details in 12 countries and over 20 currencies.

Airwallex’s financial infrastructure underpins Dext Payments with the scale, security, and flexibility needed to serve a global customer base. Regulated across multiple jurisdictions, including by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), it enables payouts in over 150 countries and 46+ currencies. Its embedded finance offering, from multi-currency accounts and wallets to card issuance, enables customers to embed and monetise financial services, while a robust compliance stack ensures end-to-end security.

“We’re excited to partner with Dext, a company that shares our passion for modernising financial operations,” says Kai Wu, Chief Revenue Officer at Airwallex. “Dext’s strong customer base, deep domain expertise, and focus on automation make them the perfect partner to take our financial infrastructure to market in a way that drives real customer impact.

With Airwallex’s breadth of payment and financial service capabilities, we are perfectly positioned to power the financial infrastructure of tech-forward businesses like Dext as they look to accelerate growth and expand globally.”

Dext Payments will enter alpha testing in August across select user groups and markets. All Dext users are encouraged to register their interest in the upcoming beta programme. The global rollout will begin in Autumn 2025, starting with the UK, followed by phased launches across Europe, North America, and APAC.

Airwallex was founded in 2015 in Melbourne, Australia, and is one of the fastest-growing fintechs globally. The company recently completed a $300 million Series F funding round at a valuation of $6.2 billion and surpassed $800M ARR. The company employs 1,800 people across 25 offices worldwide and plans to continue expanding its team.