The Treasury isn’t the back office anymore.
CFOs now expect treasurers to drive growth, manage enterprise risk, and optimize liquidity in real time. By the time we reach 2030, treasury teams that still rely on batch processing and manual forecasts will not only be inefficient but also irrelevant.
The shift is already happening. Real-time payments, AI workflow automation, global currencies, ESG governance, and more.
So, this definitely isn’t about buying new software and calling it a transformation. It requires a fundamental reassessment of how the treasury management system operates in a round-the-clock, data-driven environment, along with a redesign of the operating model to support it.
Top Emerging Trends for Treasury Management Systems
Data becomes the foundation
As per EY’s 2025 Treasurer Survey, hardly 29% treasurers claim to take accountability for their organisation’s liquidity and cash flow position. The reason? Poor quality and fragmented data. Most of them don’t even have accurate 12-month cash flow forecasts.
In today’s world, it’s an established truth that data is everything. Enterprises are shifting toward API-driven data strategies that connect directly with banks and financial partners.
Which is where, in the coming years (and even in 2026), you can expect:
- High-frequency cash data feeds powered by APIs.
- Unified liquidity data models across global entities.
- Machine learning will predict cash positions, working as predictive data models.
- Standardisation with ISO 20022 on all banks by default.
In short, large enterprises will treat treasury data architecture the same way they treat cybersecurity or tax compliance as non-negotiable infrastructure.
Digital Currencies Enter Mainstream Operations
Stablecoins, central bank digital currencies, and tokenization are moving from experiment to operational reality for large enterprises. In fact, Citi now positions blockchain as complementary to traditional banking, offering borderless, programmable, and immutable solutions.
By 2030, treasury departments can see positive growth in these areas:
- Cross-border settlements are executed in minutes.
- Automated intercompany lending via smart contracts.
- Tokenised liquidity that can move between global subsidiaries.
- Hybrid cash models: fiat + tokenised deposits + CBDCs.
Now, the current adoption may seem slow (as standardization and regulations are unclear). But according to the Bank for International Settlements, over 130 countries are exploring CBDCs. Early adopters will have an upper hand, with faster settlement, lower costs, and better liquidity optimization.
Real-Time Treasury Replaces Batch Processing
Banking hours and cut-off times are dying concepts. By 2030, enterprises will run treasury operations 24/7 with continuous visibility into cash positions.
EACT’s survey found that real-time reporting ranks as the #1 technology priority for treasurers in 2025-2026. Not third or fifth. Number one.
Why the urgency? Because batch processing creates blind spots. You’re making decisions based on yesterday’s data while your cash position changes by the hour across global operations.
Now, many enterprises have already piloted Regulated Liability Networks, blockchain-based systems that enable continuous cash movement outside of traditional banking hours. By 2028, this won’t be experimental. It’ll be how major enterprises manage liquidity.
Ai Automates Grunt Work (So Humans Can Think)
74% of treasury teams are expanding their use of AI, according to PwC’s Survey. But here’s the interesting part: only 26% of CFOs rate their AI maturity as high, while 96% call it a strategic priority.
That gap tells you everything. Everyone knows AI matters. Most haven’t figured out how to use it effectively yet.
From 2026 onward, the treasury management system will have modules like:
- AI-native forecasting models – AI won’t just predict cash flow. It’ll learn from forecast errors and automatically adjust its models.
- Predictive liquidity signals – will be a standard feature. Getting alerts like “cash shortfall in APAC in 3 days.”
- AI-led anomaly detection – suspicious and fraud transaction patterns will be flagged before money leaves the account.
- Natural-language treasury assistants – They will answer CFO-level questions instantly.
Global compliance & ESG will reshape system priorities
Large enterprises are under stronger pressure to show transparency in cash, liquidity, and sustainability-linked financing. The next wave of treasury systems will embed:
- ESG-linked funding and reporting
- Automated compliance checks for global jurisdictions
- AI-based sanctions screening
- Real-time monitoring for fraud, cyber threats, and anomaly spikes
As money moves faster, fraud does too, especially AI-generated fraud. Therefore, cyber compliance will become a crucial aspect of treasury management systems.
How To Prepare For The Future
The enterprises that succeed through 2030 will execute on these priorities:
- Build real-time data infrastructure now: API connectivity with banks should already be in progress. If you’re still downloading statements manually in 2026, you’re two years behind.
- Start AI pilots on specific problems: Pick one high-value use case – forecasting or fraud detection – and prove the ROI. Don’t wait for perfect solutions.
- Explore digital currency options: You don’t need to deploy stablecoins in 2025. But the treasury should understand the technology and watch for regulatory clarity.
- Integrate ESG into treasury workflows: Start tracking ESG metrics now so you’re ready when it becomes mandatory reporting.
- Make cybersecurity a treasury responsibility: Work with IT but own the security strategy for treasury operations.
CFOs and CEOs who invest in these shifts will outperform those who treat treasury as a transactional function.
