Real-time payments are expanding globally, with both emerging and established markets advancing their adoption. Real-time payments are increasingly embedded in daily transactions. In some markets, they are even turning into a verb – much like in the US, where Zelle has become so ingrained in consumer behaviour that people say, ‘Let me Zelle you USD 20 for lunch’ or ‘I’ll Zelle my electric bill’.
The Asia-Pacific region is leading in cross-border real-time payments, exemplified by initiatives like the Asian Payment Network. Additionally, we’re seeing common use cases emerge worldwide as countries advance in their real-time payments journey. These include merchant payments via QR codes, government disbursements, and Request-to-Pay solutions for bill payments, including scheduling future transactions.
Real-time payments significantly improve financial inclusion, especially for women, younger individuals, and low-income populations.
Our research revealed that by 2028, millions of previously unbanked individuals across various countries will gain access to bank accounts. This accessibility not only connects people to financial services but also reduces friction in liquidity management. With real-time transactions, individuals have a clearer view of their financial situation – what they see in their bank account is an accurate, up-to-the-moment reflection of their available funds.
Affordability is another key factor. As real-time payments continue to expand globally, they bring lower transaction fees, making financial services more accessible. Reduced costs benefit not only consumers but also businesses, enabling greater participation in the formal financial system. Governments are also playing a vital role in advancing financial inclusion by supporting real-time payment schemes, which in turn drive economic growth.
With over 20 years of experience in real-time payments, ACI supports 26 real-time payment schemes globally.
At ACI, we work with central banks, scheme providers and financial institutions (FI) to deliver real-time payment solutions that power the unique needs of each payment ecosystem. Bringing together key stakeholders to identify localisation needs and prioritise high-impact use cases is essential in driving growth and ensuring long-term success.
From a central bank perspective, our role extends beyond enabling real-time switching – we enable settlement and addressing services that help scheme participants seamlessly connect to the real-time payments ecosystem. With fintechs playing an increasingly active role, ensuring efficient connectivity and access to real-time payments is vital in delivering benefits to businesses and consumers alike.
Payments are evolving rapidly, driven by innovation and adoption. While we will continue to see strong growth in domestic real-time payments, there is also increasing pressure to expand cross-border real-time payment capabilities.
As domestic real-time payments become more established, there is a growing opportunity for the US to engage in cross-border real-time payments, with other countries also looking to strengthen their payment connections with the US.
LATAM is progressing rapidly in real-time payments, with countries like Brazil and Colombia leading the charge. Colombia’s Banco de la República is leading efforts to introduce centralised settlement and addressing services in 2025.
ACI enables connectivity across multiple real-time payment schemes in domestic markets, a model that could scale globally. While the US has two non-interoperable schemes, Colombia’s approach offers a blueprint for seamless integration within countries and across regions.
Beyond domestic connectivity, the next major step is enabling real-time payment interoperability across multiple countries, as seen with the Asian Payment Network.
Ultimately, cross-border real-time payments expansion represents a major opportunity to upgrade global financial connectivity while leveraging the benefits of existing domestic payment infrastructures.
A key driver of payments modernisation is the adoption of ISO 20022, which improves interoperability across regions and payment systems, enabling seamless transaction processing.
As an original fintech innovator in the payments space, ACI has long supported banks in their technological modernisation efforts. Our focus is on delivering intelligently orchestrated payment services that not only provide core functionality but also introduce value-added services and strategic advantages. Payments are one of the most critical customer touchpoints, offering businesses an opportunity to improve customer engagement and satisfaction.
While payments can be complex, the best experiences make them feel simple. Consumers don’t necessarily get excited about making a payment – they care about the experience they’re trying to complete. Modern, cloud-enabled payment solutions can help banks streamline operations while delivering a superior customer experience.
Cloud technology enables long-term modernisation, helping banks scale and improve security. Looking ahead, modern payment hubs will play a crucial role in helping FIs evolve, improve customer experiences, and unlock new revenue opportunities – all while ensuring a stable and reliable payment ecosystem.
This editorial piece was originally published in The Paypers` Global Payments and Fintech Trends Report 2025. The report compiles insights and expertise from leaders representing companies across the financial services spectrum and it delves into the latest innovations and trends in payments and fintech across key markets worldwide.
Bridget Hall is the Leader of Real-Time Payments for the Americas at ACI Worldwide, responsible for delivering innovative solutions to execute ACI's real-time payments strategy in the region. She has extensive experience in product management, commercial analysis, solution packaging, operations, and finance.
ACI Worldwide, an original innovator in global payments technology, delivers transformative software solutions that power intelligent payments orchestration in real-time so banks, billers, and merchants can drive growth, while continuously modernising their payment infrastructures, simply and securely. With nearly 50 years of trusted payments expertise, we combine our global footprint with a local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences to stay ahead of constantly changing payment challenges and opportunities.
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