A major regional bank just locked in a partnership that's reshaping how businesses handle corporate spending. Fifth Third has inked an agreement with fintech startup Brex, handing over its commercial card operations to the Silicon Valley player.

This move signals a shift in traditional banking—instead of building in-house, legacy institutions are now tapping specialized fintech platforms to power their corporate payment infrastructure. Brex brings its tech-forward approach to expense management, and Fifth Third gets to offer clients a more modern card program without the heavy lifting.

For context, these types of deals are becoming the norm as banks realize fintech firms can iterate faster on product features, compliance, and user experience. The collaboration could also open doors for deeper integration between traditional finance rails and emerging payment technologies down the line.