Business Payments Coalition and the US e-invoice exchange
What the BPC is, how its e-invoice exchange pilot led to the DBNAlliance, and what that means for your accounts-receivable and accounts-payable teams.
The Business Payments Coalition (BPC) is an industry group of corporates, banks, software providers, and payments organizations that works to modernize business-to-business payments in the United States. It is supported by the Federal Reserve, and it is not a regulator. One of its best-known projects was an e-invoice exchange pilot based on the Peppol four-corner model. The participants of that pilot later formed the Digital Business Networks Alliance (DBNAlliance), which oversees an interoperable US e-invoice network. None of this creates a legal duty for a supplier. As a supplier you do not deal with the BPC directly. If a large customer asks for structured e-invoices, you deal with that customer and with an access-point provider.
- The BPC is a voluntary industry coalition supported by the Federal Reserve.
- It has no rule-making or enforcement power.
- Its e-invoice pilot led to the DBNAlliance, which oversees the US network.
- No federal law requires private businesses to use it.
How it works
Industry members work on shared practices. Working groups cover topics such as e-invoicing and payment remittance, and they publish recommendations rather than rules.
A pilot tests the model. The e-invoice exchange pilot used a Peppol-style four-corner design so that invoices could move between different providers.
A non-profit takes over governance. The DBNAlliance was created to oversee the resulting network and its participant rules.
Providers connect and buyers opt in. Access-point providers join the network, and buyers decide whether to ask suppliers for structured invoices.
Suppliers follow the buyer's request. If a customer asks for structured e-invoices, ask them for their written requirements and pick a provider that supports them.
Legal references
- Business Payments Coalition (BPC) — industry coalition supported by the Federal Reserve.
- DBNAlliance — non-profit overseeing the US interoperable e-invoice exchange network.
- EN 16931 — European semantic standard behind Peppol BIS Billing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BPC a government agency?
No. It is a voluntary industry coalition supported by the Federal Reserve. It publishes recommendations and has no authority to make binding rules.
Do I need to register with the BPC?
No. Individual businesses do not register with the BPC. Participation in the network, if a customer asks for it, goes through an access-point provider.
Will e-invoicing become a US federal mandate?
We are not aware of a federal law that requires private B2B e-invoicing. Check the current position with the Treasury Department, the IRS, or your tax adviser if a mandate matters to your business.
Does 4invoices connect to the BPC or the DBNAlliance?
No. 4invoices creates invoices with a tax rate per line, supports any currency with an exchange rate, and produces PDF invoices. It does not connect to the BPC, the DBNAlliance, or any government system, and it does not issue e-invoices.