From SMB to Enterprise: How Oracle is Scaling Embedded Finance

Oracle began experimenting with embedded payments five years ago to serve SMBs but quickly uncovered a larger opportunity. “At first, it was a response to what we were seeing in the market,” Adams explains. “But as we expanded into industries like restaurants and hotels, we realized these sectors are really networks of SMBs operating under enterprise brands.”

That realization changed the strategy. What started as a solution for smaller merchants evolved into a scalable model for large, distributed organizations.

Wexler connected this shift to what Adyen is seeing in the industry,  “As platforms mature, they realize the same principles of simplicity, speed, and reliability apply at every scale. Enterprise might add complexity, but the goal—making payments effortless—stays the same.”

Oracle now serves “two customers” in every deployment: the local operator who prioritizes cash flow and reconciliation, and the corporate teams who focus  on fraud, compliance, and brand consistency.

Adams described the duality, “For the store manager, it’s all about getting money into the bank quickly. For the brand, it’s about reputation and protection,” he said. “We’ve had to build embedded finance that speaks to both.”

Wexler agreed, “At Adyen, we see the same thing.  Enterprises want the sophistication of AI-driven risk and data insight—but they also want the simplicity of one system that just works.”

She pointed to Adyen and BCG’s research, which found that 97% of SMBs using embedded financial products were more satisfied with their platforms. “Those same dynamics—ease, transparency, and integration—are now creating stickier enterprise relationships too,” she added.

Oracle’s results show the shift is paying off. “We’ve expanded from one industry to five, across three geographies—and soon seven,” Adams shared. “Our retention rates are among the highest in our business, which tells us the model resonates.”

Wexler noted the impact, “When platforms integrate financial services seamlessly into their environments, they’re not just removing friction—they’re unlocking loyalty. It’s a natural extension of the value they already provide.”

Historically, platforms referred merchants to external payment providers. 

Wexler explained, “This worked—but it created a fragmented experience. Over time, the industry realized the power of keeping payments in-platform: it’s seamless for users and creates a new revenue stream.”

Oracle considered this model for their payments play, but as Adams notes , “embedding directly made more sense. Our customers saw SaaS and payments as one relationship, so we wanted to deliver it that way.”

Adams reinforced the commercial advantage for Oracle,  “We’re not trying to fund R&D through payments. That gives us flexibility to pass benefits straight to customers.”

According to Wexler and Adams,  the next wave of embedded finance will go beyond payments.

“We’ll continue to follow our customers,” Adams said. “As we build richer transaction histories, there’s potential to offer services like working capital with partners like Adyen.”

For Wexler, that data-driven approach marks the next phase of platform maturity. “Payments are often the first touchpoint,” she said. “But when you combine that data with products like capital, accounts, and issuing, you create an ecosystem that supports the full money movement lifecycle.”

Oracle’s journey shows that embedded finance isn’t just an SMB-only strategy—it’s shaping global enterprises too. By prioritizing simplicity, customer context, and data, platforms can extend their value far beyond software.

As Wexler put it: “When platforms own the financial experience, they don’t just process payments—they deepen relationships.”