editorial
The release of FedNow, a new payment rail by the Federal Reserve Banks, has attracted the attention of companies involved in the payments industry, according to a recent blog post by Plaid. Although the market for instant payments is not yet fully developed, there are several reasons why industry players should be excited about FedNow.
One key advantage of FedNow is its potential to expand real-time payment coverage to all eligible financial institutions, bringing us closer to ubiquitous availability. This new network represents a significant milestone, as it is the first major payment rail launched since The Clearing House’s Real-Time Payments in 2017, and the first from the Federal Reserve Banks since FedACH in the 1970s. The promise of instant bank payments offered by this new rail is a rarity in the industry.
The most notable aspect of FedNow is its ability to facilitate instant liquidity on a scale never seen before. This means individuals and businesses can send and receive instant payments effortlessly, effectively turning bank accounts into electronic cash with no settlement delays. However, despite its potential, FedNow will take time to become widely accepted. In the meantime, companies will need to adopt it alongside other payment rails such as ACH and RTP.
To address this, Plaid offers a solution called Plaid Transfer, which allows businesses to connect to all three rails through a single integration. This provides the best possible coverage for ACH, RTP, and FedNow, without the need for multiple service providers. Additionally, Plaid Transfer offers a streamlined user experience, with users connecting their bank accounts through Plaid Link, a familiar and efficient process for many.
Once connected, Plaid Transfer routes payments through the most accessible instant payout rail between RTP and FedNow, or users can choose to send payments via ACH. This consolidated approach offers convenience and efficiency for both businesses and their customers.
In conclusion, the future of modern bank payments is being shaped by collaborative efforts between companies like Plaid, their customers, and payment rails such as RTP and FedNow. While the industry is still in a transition phase, the introduction of FedNow provides exciting prospects for instant and seamless transactions.
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