Sure. One example is when you have inferior force. You cant force someone to do something with threats, but you can pay them to do something.

Another example is when the cost of violence is high. If have two people with guns, or MAD scenarios, violence isnt an effective way to get what you want, so payment can be better.

The last example and simplest is if you need a service and the other party simply chooses destruction over acquiescence to violence. If a doctor would rather die than be forced to treat you, your violence is useless, and payment would be much better.

I tried to give simple human level examples, but they can also be scaled up to groups and states.