Finance teams in European businesses step up automation to battle fraud and red tape

With one in three European businesses overwhelmed by compliance complexity, new research shows finance leaders are turning to automation as a strategic necessity

A third of European finance teams are bogged down by regulatory red tape, but they’re fighting back with automation.

A new survey of 1,000 senior finance leaders by Equals Money reveals how automation is reshaping finance, transforming it from a back-office function into a strategic force.

31 per cent of European finance teams cite compliance and regulatory complexity as their top operational inefficiency – underscoring the urgent need for smarter, tech-enabled finance solutions.

This pressure is fuelling rapid automation adoption across Europe. The survey, conducted in the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, found that:

• 81 per cent of European finance teams increased their use of automation over the past year, with 34 per cent reporting significant growth
• 72 per cent say automation reduces fraud and errors, and 37 per cent say it significantly improves accuracy and fraud prevention
• Automated tools that detect duplicate payments (37 per cent), eliminate manual input (36 per cent), and flag unusual activities in real time (35 per cent) are becoming essential safeguards

“Finance teams aren’t just crunching numbers anymore – they’re defending the business,” said Matthijs Boon, Chief Operations Officer at Equals Money. “Automation gives them the clarity and control to do that faster and smarter. It’s gone from being a cost-saving tool to a critical line of defence and a catalyst for growth.”

The impact goes beyond compliance. Automation is freeing finance teams to become strategic advisors within their businesses. While time savings remain a key driver - 49 per cent cite it as the top benefit - nearly all adopters (99 per cent) say automation frees their teams to focus on high-value, strategic work.

In the past 12 months, half (50 per cent) of businesses have automated billing and payroll, 45 per cent have adopted subscription automation and 40 per cent are using digital wallets.

Looking ahead, finance leaders are shifting toward more intelligent, connected systems. Top areas of future investment include:

• APIs for embedded finance (36 per cent)
• AI-powered credit decisioning tools (35 per cent)
• Cash flow forecasting (35 per cent)
• Spend management platforms (34 per cent)
• Cross-border payment automation (33 per cent)

To help businesses identify where manual financial processes are holding them back, Equals Money has launched the Efficiency Calculator: a free online tool that estimates how much time and money businesses stand to gain by optimising manual tasks. Try the tool here: efficiencycalculator.equalsmoney.com/

Research conducted by Equals Money and Censuswide in May 2025, surveying 1,000 senior financial decision-makers across the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

About Equals Money

Equals Money offers a spend management platform and multi-currency accounts, backed by our extensive FX expertise, to power business growth.