B2B travel technology marketplace, HBX Group and Mastercard have announced the launch of a new virtual payment programme, designed to bring “greater efficiency, flexibility and security” to travel payments worldwide.
The initiative leverages the Mastercard Wholesale Programme, a 10-year old purpose-built virtual card solution.
It’s hoped that by combining Mastercard’s global payment “innovation and technology expertise” with HBX Group’s “deep understanding of travel operations”, the two companies have created a smarter way for travel intermediaries to pay and get paid.
It utilises virtual cards built for high transaction-volume, multiple currencies and distributed operations, to allow HBX Group’s partners across the EU, UK and US to process supplier payouts, track and reconcile transactions, as well as enhanced cash-flow visibility and fraud protection benefits.
It’s hoped that because of the new partnership, partners will improve liquidity and reduce operational complexity.
“Managing payments in travel remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges,” said Daniel Nordholm, chief information officer at HBX Group, who was previously the managing director of fintech and insurance for the group.
“Intermediaries often deal with multiple currencies, fragmented supplier networks and manual reconciliation processes that create inefficiencies and risk.
“By combining Mastercard’s global payment expertise with our deep understanding of the travel industry, we are creating payment solutions that are not only efficient and secure, but truly designed around the operational needs of our partners. This new programme replaces traditional methods with automated, secure virtual card payments that provide a unique, traceable link between bookings and associated transactions.”
“At Mastercard, we’re committed to making payments smarter, businesses stronger – keeping customers at the core of all we do,” added Chiara Quaia, senior vice president, B2B Travel at Mastercard.
“The launch of this new virtual card programme with HBX Group is a major step towards digitising the B2B travel industry and providing travel intermediaries with the speed, simplicity and security they have come to enjoy throughout much of their consumer lives.”
The virtual payment programme is a key part of HBX Group’s ecosystem strategy, extending its offering beyond accommodation and mobility by bringing world-class fintech solutions to the travel industry.
The firm have said expansion to APAC is planned for the first half of 2026, followed by LATAM at a “later stage”.
