Finance departments across Europe are rapidly increasing their adoption of automation technologies in response to mounting regulatory and compliance challenges, according to new research commissioned by Equals Money. Surveying 1,000 senior finance leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the report found that 81% of respondents have boosted automation within the past year, with roughly a third describing the growth as significant. The trend reflects a growing move for finance professionals to step beyond traditional number-based roles and play a more strategic function within their organizations.
The findings underscore deep concerns over compliance burdens, as 31% of survey participants cited regulatory complexity as their leading operational inefficiency. Manual processes, the data suggests, are increasingly viewed as inadequate amidst evolving compliance landscapes. To counter these inefficiencies and related risks, finance teams are deploying a growing suite of automated safeguards. Key tools now widely regarded as essential include real-time detection of duplicate payments (37%), systems for reducing manual data entry (36%), and automated monitoring designed to flag suspicious financial activity (35%).
Beyond combating fraud and error—areas where 72% believe automation is effective, and 37% say it delivers substantial improvements—finance leaders are embracing automation to liberate staff for higher-value tasks. Half of businesses have automated core processes like billing and payroll, 45% have introduced automation to manage subscriptions, and 40% now use digital wallets as part of their payment and treasury strategies. Nearly all (99%) teams with automation in place report spending more time on strategic initiatives. Looking ahead, investment priorities include advanced solutions such as APIs for embedded finance, Artificial Intelligence-powered credit decisioning, real-time cash flow forecasting, spend management platforms, and cross-border payment automation. Equals Money has introduced an Efficiency Calculator to quantify potential savings for companies still reliant on manual workflows. The Censuswide study was conducted in mid-2025, drawing on the insights of senior financial decision-makers at businesses spanning four major European economies.
