Real-Time Payments and How to Implement

Key takeaways:

• Real-time payments are now a business imperative. RTP^® enables instant, final payments 24/7/365, enabling dramatically improved cash flow.
• Global adoption is accelerating. RTP is projected to reach 575 billion transactions by 2028, with U.S. networks processing billions in value each quarter.
• Speed and security are driving the shift away from paper-based methods. And it’s fueled by consumer demand for convenience and the business need for efficiency.
• Implementation requires planning. Align IT and AP teams, address legacy system gaps and invest in AI-powered fraud prevention for secure, seamless integration.

Real-Time Payments: From innovation to business imperative

When Real-Time Payments (RTP^®) launched in 2017, businesses and consumers were curious, but not everyone jumped in for early adoption. Then came the pandemic, and businesses scrambled to keep supply chains moving. Consumers wanted touchless, instant ways to pay. And suddenly, the speed of RTP was necessary for business survival.

Fast-forward to today. Real-time payments aren’t just nice to have. They’re table stakes for companies that want to stay competitive.

What are Real-Time Payments and why do they matter?

Real-time payments deliver immediate transfer of funds from the payor to the payee. Transactions are completed in only seconds, rather than minutes or even days that have been the standard in the recent past. And not just during business hours Monday through Friday. Instead, RTP delivers immediate funds 24/7/365.

Beyond speed, RTP provides unrestricted access by the payee to the full amount of the transaction and excludes reserves, holds or any limitations placed on how the funds can be used. And, once completed, transfers cannot be revoked, called back or canceled by the payor.

As Matthew Purnell, senior research analyst at Juniper Research notes in an interview with Global Finance Magazine: “Businesses are beginning to realize the strategic benefits of real-time payments: not just speed, but enhanced control over working capital and reduced counterparty risk.”

As a result, the advantages range from freeing up working capital sooner for strategic investment to accelerating supply-chain operations. Because many businesses use real-time payments alongside rails like ACH, it’s helpful to understand how the two systems both function differently and complement each other.

Real-Time Payments vs. ACH

Real-time payments and ACH both move money electronically, but serve different needs.

RTP networks deliver funds instantly, 24/7/365, with immediate availability and finality, making it ideal for urgent or time-sensitive payments. ACH processes transactions in batches and typically settles in one to three business days, with same-day options available but still subject to cutoff times and potential returns.

Taken together, these capabilities illustrate why real-time payments have become a foundational part of modern financial infrastructure, not just domestically, but in markets across the globe.

Global impact of Real-Time Payments implementation

While the adoption of RTP is relatively new in the U.S., companies across the globe have been leveraging these benefits for decades—beginning as early as 1973 in Japan, for example. But the real multinational ignition point came just after 2000 with high-speed data and the ubiquitous cell phone. Today, enterprises in around 80 countries offer RTP to suppliers, customers and consumers.

In recent years, adoption is exploding and shows no signs of slowing. In fact, by 2028, industry forecasts expect RTP to hit 575 billion transactions, according to ACI Worldwide.

In the U.S. specifically, real-time services have also seen meteoric growth:

• The RTP^® network (The Clearing House) surpassed 1 billion transactions in January 2025 and doubled its volume in just 18 months.
• By Q2 2025, it processed $481 billion in value, which was a 195% increase from the prior quarter.

These figures underscore the global transformation toward instant, always-on payment systems. The scale reflects RTP’s expanding role in fueling financial inclusion, cash flow efficiency and cross-border innovation.

Getting started with Real-Time Payments

The Faster Payments Council reports that 67% of business end-users view instant payments as a “must-have.” But implementation takes planning.

It’s critical to ensure your Accounts Payable and IT teams have a strong and integrated working relationship. This will be key to implementing application program interfaces necessary to enable RTP across systems.

Perhaps equally important, gauge your suppliers’ and customers’ appetite for RTP, as well as which of your competitors are already offering its advantages. This is where your marketing and sales departments have a role in positioning RTP as a competitive advantage.

Successful RTP implementation starts with partnering with the right experts to guide the journey. Contact your Treasury Management Officer, Relationship Manager or find a banker to learn more.