Checkout.com vs Cleverbridge

Checkout.com annualised net revenue hits $750M

Payments provider Checkout.com announced that its annualised net revenue jumped 28% year-on-year to $750 million, attributing growth to increased payment volume and geographical expansion. The company, valued at $12 billion, expects to achieve $150 million in adjusted EBITDA profit for 2026, having turned profitable in 2024. Checkout.com operates across 56 countries with 10 acquiring licences and projected payment volume of $480 billion for full-year 2026. The company also plans to expand its money management offering and accelerate its AI strategy in agentic commerce and payments. Additionally, it disclosed an internal $40 million dividend from subsidiary Checkout Limited to the parent, which it clarifies is a treasury transaction, not shareholder distribution. Chief Revenue Officer Antoine Nougué emphasized that sustained profitability enables investment in AI to help merchants generate revenue. The company employs 1,700 people.

• Checkout.com reported annualised net revenue of $750 million, up 28% year-on-year.
• The company expects to achieve $150 million in adjusted EBITDA profit for 2026.
• Checkout.com is valued at $12 billion and operates in 56 countries with 10 acquiring licences.

Awin Hires Former Amazon Exec as Chief Product & Technology Officer

Awin, a global affiliate marketing network, has appointed Varun Aggarwal as its new Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO). Previously holding leadership roles at Amazon and Checkout.com, Aggarwal will lead a unified product and technology strategy aimed at accelerating the platform's growth, with a focus on leveraging artificial intelligence. The company plans to launch new features like AI Visibility and Smart Search to help advertisers better understand and measure the impact of their affiliate partnerships across the increasingly complex customer journey. CEO Adam Ross highlighted Aggarwal's experience in scaling global commerce platforms and his expertise in product development, commerce, and AI as key assets. The move signals Awin's commitment to leading technological innovation in the partner marketing space.

• Awin appointed Varun Aggarwal as Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO).
• Aggarwal previously held leadership positions at Amazon and Checkout.com.
• Awin plans to introduce new AI-driven features, including AI Visibility and Smart Search.

Agentic Commerce Users Could Reach 1.3 Billion by 2031

Juniper Research forecasts that agentic commerce users could grow from under 300 million in 2026 to about 1.3 billion by 2031, a near 350% rise. The report also projects agentic commerce transaction value will increase from roughly $8 billion in 2026 to $3.5 trillion by 2031. Juniper attributes the growth to retailer support, expanding agentic payment infrastructure and rising consumer comfort with AI, while noting current user familiarity and trust remain low. Separate research from Checkout.com found 24% of consumers say they will never delegate purchases to AI and 27% trust no organisation to operate an AI shopping agent. The article highlights payments as a structural concern — cards lead today but tokenisation and local-payment support will be important — and notes recent industry moves including OpenAI’s pullback from in‑app purchasing and Google’s new Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) features.

• Juniper Research projects agentic commerce users could reach 1.3 billion globally by 2031, up from less than 300 million in 2026.
• Juniper Research forecasts agentic commerce transaction value will grow to $3.5 trillion by 2031, from about $8 billion in 2026.
• Checkout.com research (June) found 24% of consumers say they will never delegate purchases to AI, and 27% said they trust 'no organisation' to operate an AI shopping agent.

Cleverbridge Completes First Live AI Agent-Initiated Payment in France with Visa and Revolut

Cleverbridge announces completion of first live AI agent-initiated payment in France with Visa and Revolut, along with new research on B2B software buying and a partnership with DigitalRoute for usage-based monetization.

New Cleverbridge Research Reveals Execution Gap as B2B Software Buying Moves Digital

New research: What does it really cost to sell software? Read the benchmark report. Cleverbridge research reveals execution gap as B2B software buying moves digital.

AI Speeds Software Discovery but Self-Service Checkout Lags

B2B software buyers are leveraging AI chatbots to accelerate discovery and shortlisting, yet the post-decision purchase process remains bogged down by slow sales-led journeys, internal approvals, and lengthy vendor negotiations. According to G2's 2026 Buyer Behavior Report, over 80% of buyers used AI for software recommendations, with 80% of AI users purchasing from their initial shortlist. However, Cleverbridge's research reveals that nearly 75% of purchases face significant delays or abandonment due to internal approvals and vendor back-and-forth. While 84% of buyers prefer a self-service digital path, only 17% of sellers have implemented one. Delays stem from waiting for quotes, security reviews, and budget approvals. Buyers express willingness to handle routine transactions, including those over $25,000, through self-service, indicating a clear gap between buyer expectations and seller capabilities.

• Over 80% of B2B software buyers used AI chatbots for software recommendations in the past two years (G2).
• 80% of AI users bought from their initial shortlist in at least three of five purchases, versus 65% of non-AI users (G2).
• Nearly three-quarters of software purchases are delayed or abandoned due to internal approvals or vendor back-and-forth (Cleverbridge).