Bernardo Martinez

Last week, we released our predictions for what payments leaders can expect in 2026. What’s clear from our recent research is that disruption is approaching faster than many organizations are prepared for. Modernization, resilience, and leadership alignment are becoming baseline requirements. Institutions that continue to view payments as back-office infrastructure risk falling behind as new rails, regulations, and customer expectations converge. I encourage you to check out our predictions here: https://aciw.co/4oXgeZb

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Real-time payments are fundamentally reshaping treasury operations. For decades, treasury teams relied on predictable payment timing. ACH cleared overnight. Wires processed during business hours. Float was manageable because cash flows followed predictable patterns. FedNow and RTP changed everything. According to U.S. Bank's latest research, 42% of RTP transactions now happen overnight, on weekends, or during holidays. When your customers can move money instantly 24/7/365, traditional cash positioning strategies break down completely. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's risk guidance highlights the challenge: "Instant payment network participants must maintain adequate balances to settle transactions at any time. Federal Reserve discount window operating hours remain unchanged, so participating financial institutions will be unable to access funds after hours." Jack Henry's FinTalk analysis shows RTP payment volume jumped 94% in 2024 to $246 billion, while FedNow reached $20 billion in Q4 2024, up from $13 million just a year earlier. This isn't gradual adoption - it's exponential growth in unpredictable cash movements. The operational reality I've witnessed: Treasury teams scramble when $2M+ instant payments hit accounts at 11 PM Friday, requiring immediate liquidity decisions with markets closed and traditional funding sources unavailable. Traditional treasury management assumptions that no longer work: - Cash forecasting models built for batch processing - Investment strategies assuming predictable business-hour timing - Credit facilities designed for 9-5 operations  - Risk frameworks built around deferred settlement windows Smart corporate treasurers are completely rethinking liquidity management: - Moving from daily to hourly cash positioning monitoring - Building instant payment reserves separate from operating cash - Negotiating 24/7 credit facilities with correspondent banks - Implementing real-time cash analytics and alerting systems For banks, this creates massive relationship opportunities. The institutions that help corporate clients navigate instant payment liquidity challenges will capture deeper, stickier treasury relationships. The treasury teams that adapt to 24/7 cash management win. Those clinging to batch-processing assumptions face cash crunches at the worst possible moments. Real-time payments aren't just faster transactions. They're a fundamental shift requiring entirely new operational frameworks. Sources: - U.S. Bank: "Instant Payments: Driving Treasury Disruption" (May 2025) - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta: "Key Risk Considerations for Implementing Instant Payments" (2023) - Jack Henry FinTalk: "FedNow and RTP: How Do They Differ?" (March 2025) - Federal Reserve: "Additional Questions and Answers - FedNow Service" (2024) #TreasuryManagement #RealTimePayments #FedNow #CashManagement #CorporateBanking #Liquidity

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In 2025, ACH Network payment volume increased by roughly 1.6 billion, reaching a total of 35.2 billion, or an average of 141 million payments per day. In the same period, $93 trillion moved across ACH rails, up nearly $7 trillion from the prior year. While transaction volume grew by 4.9%, the total value of those payments increased by 7.9%. - PaymentsJournal IDK... seems pretty stable to me. #gotcoin? This is THE entry point for any bank, any size, anywhere. 🤝 #CommunityBank #FinTech #Payments #ACH #Stable

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Traditional B2C channels like email, phone and SMS are tired and tapped out. The actions and outcomes that the Relay channel delivers in key consumer banking journeys is unprecedented. If you’re a Banking Executive looking to drive Deposits and Primacy results let us help you!

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