Prospa research: Two in three Aussie SMEs want rewards on their bills, yet only 8% are cashing in on supplier payments

Detailed summary

Two in three Australian SMEs would use a rewards-enabled payment platform if given the option, yet only 8% currently use one for B2B payments. SMEs said they would put an average…

New Prospa and YouGov research finds SMEs would put an average of nearly $9,400 a month through a rewards-enabled payment platform, while only 8% currently route B2B payments through platforms offering rewards

SYDNEY, Nov. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian small and medium businesses could be missing out on rewards from thousands of dollars in necessary business spending each month, as rising operating costs continue to put pressure on margins.

New research from Australian fintech Prospa and YouGov found 84% of Australian SMEs have experienced rising operational costs, while 80% say unavoidable expenses have squeezed their margins over the past 12 months.

With businesses already paying suppliers, bills and other operating costs, the findings suggest SMEs are increasingly looking for ways to get more value from spending they cannot avoid.

Two in three Australian SMEs would use a rewards-enabled payment platform if given the option, yet only 8% currently use one for B2B payments. SMEs said they would put an average of $9,398 a month through a platform that offered rewards.

Beau Bertoli, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Prospa, said: "Every business has regular expenses that need to be paid, regardless of the economic environment. This research shows there is an opportunity for business owners to get more value from those everyday payments, rather than viewing them as simply a cost of doing business.

"Australian SMEs are looking for more value from the unavoidable costs of running a business. Two in three would put overheads through a rewards-enabled payment platform if given the option, yet only 8% currently route B2B payments through one. That gap shows rewards-enabled business payments remain a largely untapped opportunity."

The research found Australian SMEs currently use several methods to earn value from business spending:

"The results show that rewards are already part of how some SMEs approach business spending, although the methods used differ," Bertoli said.

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