Good morning. Mastercard is betting the next wave of AI won’t just analyze transactions — it will help run companies.
The payments giant is building what it calls a “Virtual C-Suite,” a group of AI agents designed to give small businesses the kind of financial and operational insights typically reserved for large corporations.
The first digital executive, a virtual CFO, is expected to launch later this year through Mastercard’s network of financial institutions, accounting firms, and software partners.
“Many small-business owners are stretched thin—acting as CEO, CFO, and COO all at once,” Mark Barnett, Mastercard’s global head of small and medium enterprises, told me.
For Mastercard, No. 152 on the Fortune 500, whose network processed 175 billion transactions last year, the initiative represents a broader shift: moving beyond payments to helping shape the intelligence behind how businesses operate. You can read more of my conversation with Barnett about Mastercard’s virtual CFO here.
The timing may be significant for small businesses, which support the U.S. economy but continue to grapple with economic uncertainty. U.S. small-business sentiment fell again last month, slipping from 99.3 in January to 98.8 in February, according to a report by the National Federation of Independent Business released on Tuesday. The net share of owners expecting higher real sales dropped 8 points, erasing the strong gains seen earlier this year.
At the same time, many small companies can’t afford a full-time finance chief—the kind of expertise that can help navigate an uncertain environment. Instead, they are increasingly turning to fractional or virtual CFOs, a trend that is growing quickly. The global virtual CFO market is projected to grow from about $4.7 billion in 2026 to more than $10 billion by 2035.
Sheryl Estrada
sheryl.estrada@fortune.com
