South African small businesses are showing strong interest in digital platforms that combine payment processing with everyday business management, but adoption remains relatively low, according to a new Visa report.
The Pay and Get Paid 2026 study found that 81% of surveyed SMEs consider an all-in-one payment and business solution appealing. However, only 41% currently use an integrated platform.
The findings point to a gap between digital payment adoption and the use of technology to manage the administrative tasks that follow transactions.
Disconnected systems create administrative challenges
Although most SMEs surveyed actively accept and make digital payments, many still manage their finances and operations across separate systems.
The report found that 27% of respondents struggle to track outstanding invoices, while the same proportion cited difficulties keeping financial records organised. A further 23% said managing payroll records was a challenge.
Among businesses not using integrated platforms, 16% said they considered them too expensive, 14% preferred their existing manual processes, and 11% believed their business was too small to need one.
These perceptions could slow adoption, despite the reported benefits for businesses already using integrated tools.
Users report efficiency gains
Among South African SMEs using an integrated business tool or platform, 97% reported satisfaction, while 91% said the technology had improved efficiency by reducing the time and effort needed to manage their businesses.
The report also identifies an opportunity for financial institutions to use payment and business-management data to develop a more complete picture of SME cash flow.
This could help institutions assess business needs and, over time, offer more tailored financing solutions, including support for working capital.
Visa South Africa country manager Lineshree Moodley said the value of digital payments increasingly extends beyond the transaction itself.
Integrated platforms could give financial institutions a broader, data-informed view of their SME clients and help them develop more relevant services, including financing where appropriate, she said.
South African SMEs surveyed
The Pay and Get Paid 2026 study examined how SMEs manage payments and day-to-day operations, as well as their demand for integrated payment and business solutions.
Research was conducted through face-to-face interviews with business owners and financial decision-makers between March and April 2026 across 11 markets. South Africa accounted for 271 of the SMEs surveyed.
