Flip phone or smart phone? DVD or streaming video? These choicesseem obvious today, but the viability of every new technologyremains questionable until adoption reaches a tipping point thatconvinces people and industries to embrace change. Virtual cardsare now approaching that tipping point.

To understand the advantages and ongoing evolution of virtual cards, consider what drove adoption ofphysical commercial cards in the first place. For the buyingorganization, commercial cards streamline the payment process,provide greater control over how and where purchases can occur,provide transparency into purchase activity post-transaction, andreduce expenses associated with paper check processing. Commercialcards also have value for suppliers, as they provide immediate andguaranteed access to funds, simplified processing, and valuableremittance data not necessarily available with paper checks, wiretransfers, or ACH payments.