Scaling Real-Time Payments With Embedded Tech

Expectations around instant payments are rising rapidly. Businesses and consumers want money to move instantly within the tools they already use, without delays and synchronously with the rest of their digital experience. 

This demand for 24/7 access to money movement is becoming increasingly visible across the financial ecosystem. In Treasury Prime’s 2025 Banking Innovation Index survey of community bank leaders, nearly 30% said instant payments are a top priority for their business customers. Whether it’s funding a user’s wallet or enabling same-day trading, speed is now a baseline expectation for many. 

Take rideshares, for example. After hours behind the wheel, a driver wants to see their earnings land instantly. They’ve completed the work — why should they have to wait two business days to get paid? But without the right payment infrastructure, businesses can’t deliver the immediacy their users expect. 

To keep pace, institutions must respond, and embedded payments offer the most scalable, efficient way to meet these market demands.

How embedded payments can help banks accelerate adoption

More banks are moving beyond enablement and looking for ways to operationalize real-time payments in the markets they serve. In fact, the 2025 Banking Innovation Index found that 40% of community bank decision-makers agree real-time payments infrastructure is critical to their growth strategy.

That’s because supporting embedded instant payments — both inbound and outbound — creates a pathway to deeper fintech partnership. Many modern platforms now treat instant funding as nonnegotiable. 

Instead of relying on external bank portals or triggering separate manual transfers, customers can send and receive funds from within the systems they're already using. This integration reduces friction and accelerates adoption of instant rails. Banks that can't deliver that may be left out of new opportunities, regardless of their balance sheet or regulatory positioning.

For banks, embedded payments also address a key vulnerability in traditional payment systems: the delay between intent and settlement. Same-day ACH might sound fast, but it still clears in scheduled batches, and that timing gap creates risk. Fraudsters can exploit the window between initiation and settlement to divert funds, leaving institutions with little recourse. 

With instant payments, transactions settle in real-time, limiting risk and giving businesses and users greater confidence their money is moving securely. 

Three reasons why embedded infrastructure is a strategic advantage

Embedded infrastructure for instant payments gives banks new ways to deliver value to business customers. With the right foundation in place, banks can accelerate partnerships, unlock new revenue streams, and meet growing demands for accessibility and responsiveness. 

Each of these advantages becomes more critical as the pace of innovation accelerates.

1. Faster onboarding for partners
   
   Embedded infrastructure significantly reduces the time and resources needed to integrate with new fintech and enterprise clients. With pre-built APIs, standard compliance frameworks and real-time connectivity, banks can quickly onboard instant payments programs without having to build everything from scratch.
   
   API connections also support faster regulatory alignment. Embedded models provide clear visibility into partner activity, helping banks document controls and streamline internal reviews during the onboarding process.
   
   This is especially valuable in high-growth or time-sensitive use cases, such as earned wage access and marketplace settlements. The faster a bank can stand up a new program, the more competitive and attractive they become to potential partners.
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2. New revenue streams
   
   ‍When embedded payments are paired with instant rails, each transaction becomes a revenue-generating opportunity. Banks can monetize these flows through cost-plus pricing, transaction fees or service-based tiers.
   These models become especially lucrative in high-frequency environments. A single business might process thousands of small transactions daily — funding user accounts, issuing payouts or moving funds between wallets — resulting in a steady stream of monetizable volume.
   
   Many of these use cases also involve prefunding or reserve accounts. For example, a trading platform may require users to preload funds before initiating a trade. That funding behavior creates opportunities for banks to hold more deposits, which strengthens balance sheets and contributes to long-term revenue.
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3. Fulfill customer expectations for speed and convenience
   
   ‍Businesses want the same immediacy in money movement that they’ve come to expect from other parts of their digital stack.
   
   Embedded payments meet this expectation by providing always-on access directly within the tools businesses already use. Whether it’s a weekend wallet top-up or an after-hours payout, embedded rails make the experience seamless and reliable.
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   This strengthens partner relationships and increases retention. Platforms are more likely to stick with a bank that enables them to deliver excellent customer experiences, especially when it comes to something as sensitive and visible as payments.

‍Scaling instant payments starts with the right infrastructure 

The move to instant payments is underway, and banks’ ability to adapt will impact their relevance in the modern financial landscape. 

Embedded infrastructure gives institutions the tools to deliver real-time capabilities at the speed and scale today’s platforms demand. For banks aiming to stay competitive, meeting that demand is essential.

Ready to explore how embedded payments can help your bank scale real-time capabilities? Connect with our team to explore what’s possible.