• What employees want next isn’t remote work—it’s pay flexibility
• 60% of leaders see rising demand for both how and when people want to get paid
• 40% of leaders believe global compensation will combine multiple currencies, equity, and alternative pay models by 2030
  

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pebl, the AI-first leader in global employment and a trusted EOR platform, announced today that as companies expand globally, compensation is entering a new phase. Flexibility is no longer just about where people work—it’s increasingly about how, when, and in what form they’re paid.

New findings from Pebl’s Beyond Salary: How the World Wants to Get Paid Report, based on a survey of more than 400 HR and finance leaders across the U.S., U.K., and Germany, reveal a growing shift away from one-size-fits-all pay models toward mixed compensation strategies that combine timing, currency, and ownership.

The data shows payroll flexibility is no longer a fringe benefit—it’s becoming a competitive lever in global hiring. Yet many employers are discovering their payroll systems weren’t built for this level of choice. Traditional infrastructure assumes fixed salaries, single currencies, and local bank accounts, leaving HR and finance teams struggling to meet employee expectations without introducing compliance risk. Pebl built its platform for this next phase of global payroll.

Payroll Flexibility Is Becoming a Talent Expectation

According to the survey, 60% of leaders say employees now want more flexibility in how they get paid, and 60% say employees want more flexibility in when they get paid. That demand spans earned-wage access, currency choice, and alternative forms of compensation.

More specifically:

• 29% of employees want the option to choose the currency they’re paid in
• 44% want access to earned wages
• 15% express interest in being paid in crypto
  

At the same time, one in five employers is actively exploring alternative payroll models, such as flexible pay timing or currency choice, signaling that pay flexibility is moving away from experimentation toward a more strategic approach.

However, the data also reveals a growing disconnect between employee expectations and employer readiness. While demand for pay flexibility is rising globally, 34% of U.S. companies say they plan to keep a U.S.-centric pay model regardless of employee location—creating a widening mismatch between how global talent expects to be paid and how companies are structured to pay them.

“The leading edge in global hiring is shifting from ‘hire anywhere’ to ‘pay any way,’” said Francoise Brougher, CEO of Pebl. “Employees want choice. Employers need compliance. The organizations that win will be the ones that can deliver both—globally and at scale.”

What “Crypto-Ready Wallet-Based Payroll” Actually Means

As interest in alternative pay grows, so does confusion. Pebl today introduced crypto-ready payroll to give employers a compliant on-ramp to flexible pay, without requiring them to pay wages in crypto or hold digital assets on their balance sheet.

Pebl’s crypto-ready payroll processes all wages in local fiat currency, with payroll tax, FX, and reporting handled compliantly in each country. Funds are deposited into employees’ licensed bank or digital wallet accounts, giving individuals the freedom (where permitted) to independently convert their earnings after payroll is complete.

Unlike limited pilots or narrow capabilities offered by other providers, Pebl delivers crypto-ready payroll at global scale. This approach enables employee choice while protecting employers from crypto custody, regulatory, or treasury risk.

Token Equity: Where Most Companies Get Stuck

Beyond payroll delivery, the survey highlights growing interest in ownership-based compensation, particularly among AI and Web3 talent. But offering a restricted token plan globally quickly becomes complex, with different rules, tax treatments, and compliance requirements in each jurisdiction.

Pebl’s new token equity support enables companies to extend digital ownership to global employees without establishing local entities. Employers determine grants and withholdings, while Pebl acts as the local administrative filer for required country-specific reporting.

“Token equity is compelling, but the operational and compliance lift is where companies stumble,” Brougher added. “That’s where Pebl removes risk.”

Preparing for a Mixed Pay Future

Looking ahead, 40% of leaders believe global compensation will combine multiple currencies, equity, and alternative pay models by 2030, rather than relying solely on traditional salaries. Preferences vary by region, but the direction is clear: payroll is becoming more flexible, more localized, and more strategic.

Pebl is the first major employer of record to offer crypto-ready payroll at global scale, backed by more than a decade of compliance experience across 185+ countries. As payroll models grow more complex, Pebl’s approach keeps the foundation simple: compliant fiat payroll at the core, with modern flexibility layered on top.

For companies preparing for the next decade of global hiring, mixed pay is no longer theoretical—and with Pebl, it’s operational.

To explore the full findings from the Beyond Salary: How the World Wants to Get Paid report, including regional insights and future outlooks, download the report here.

About Pebl
Pebl is the AI-first leader in global employment, with the leading platform built on a decade of local knowledge and compliance expertise. Pebl helps companies quickly hire and easily pay and manage talent in 185+ countries with real-time AI guidance. Alfie, Pebl’s AI assistant, delivers instant, vetted answers in 50+ languages, backed by a global network of legal and hiring experts. Holding more employment licenses than any other employer of record (EOR) and trusted by thousands of businesses—from Fortune 500s to high-growth startups—Pebl is consistently recognized as a leading EOR provider by analysts and has been rated #1 for compliance on G2. With Pebl, companies everywhere can hire great talent anywhere. To learn more, please visit: hellopebl.com or connect with us on social media LinkedIn | Instagram

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