The RTP® Network:
Instant Payments from The Clearing House
Customers and businesses demand real-time, seamless, and transparent payment experiences. Financial institutions (FIs) of all sizes can be ready to support their customers’ needs with instant payments to improve their customers’ cash flow while realizing other efficiency gains.
The RTP® network provides a real-time payments platform to insured U.S. depository institutions. In operation for over seven years, the system offers proven benefits for financial institutions, businesses, consumers, and others in the payments ecosystem.
With mobile technology and commerce driving payment innovation, financial institutions of all sizes are using the RTP network's capabilities to create new or enhance existing digital services for their corporate and retail customers. The RTP network, which is growing in value and volume each quarter, continues to reach milestones. Specifically, the RTP network:
Has over 1,000 participants
Enables 71% of all U.S. checking and savings accounts with instant payments
Continuously achieves records such as 107+ million transactions, valued at $481+ billion*
Provides immediate availability of funds, improved cash flow, and instant payment clearing and settlement 24/7/365
Contact us to learn more about the network
Why Use the RTP Network for your Real-Time Payments?
RTP Network for Businesses and Corporates
Across industry segments, small, medium, and large businesses and corporates see increased value when using instant payments. By partnering with an FI that is on the network, businesses can benefit from:
Instant liquidity/cash flow
Instant payroll/Earned Wage Access
Advanced financial management
Improved customer experience
Bill pay and request for payment
Reduced back-office processing
Streamlined operations and end-to-end visibility
Precision payments – decide when to pay
RTP Network for Community Banks and Credit Unions
Customers and members who rely on their community banks and credit unions for their banking needs want access to the same fast service in payments that they experience in other areas of their lives. By joining the RTP network, these institutions can offer customers and members modernized services and benefit from:
A network that features credit unions and community banks as more than 90% of its participants
The opportunity to optimize clients’ cash flow
A platform for innovation
Delivering new products and services to their clients
Account holders receive funds immediately
A higher control over payments and reduced risk of overdrafts
Connection to the RTP network through third-party service providers and other partners
FAQs
Q:
What is an instant payment on the RTP network?
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Q:
How much instant payment activity is on the RTP network?
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Q:
What types of payments (use cases) are most common on the RTP network?
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×A:
The main characteristics of an instant payment on the RTP network are:
24/7 Network Availability – The RTP network operates 24/7, which allows financial institutions’ customers to send or receive payments at any time.
Immediate Availability of Funds – Recipients receive the payment within seconds of the sending financial institution initiating the transaction; RTP network receiving financial institutions are required to make funds available immediately, subject to limited exceptions in the RTP Rules.
Payment Certainty – Sending financial institutions are not able to revoke or recall a payment once it has been submitted to the RTP network. Settlement is final and irrevocable. However, the network provides a message for financial institutions to request the return of funds.
Broad eligibility – All insured depository institutions can become RTP network participants, regardless of size.
Extensibility – Rich, flexible messaging functionality is included to support value-added products. For example, the RTP network provides messaging that enables a request for payment of a bill or invoice.
Convenience – Customers of RTP network financial institution participants can send or receive payments from their existing accounts.
Cash Flow Control – The ability to send and receive immediate payments gives customers more control over cash flow, which is particularly important for cash-constrained small businesses and consumers.
Adaptability – The RTP network has a flexible architecture to adapt to changing market needs.
×A:
The average daily volume on the RTP network is 1.17 million transactions, with an average daily value of $5.03 billion (March 2025). In Q2 2025, over 1,000 financial institution participants sent and received more than 107 million transactions valued at $481 billion.
×A:
Consumers, businesses, and the government are using the RTP network for a variety of payments needs. The most common types of payments on the RTP network include:
- account-to account transfers (A2A)
- brokerage account funding
- digital wallet defunding to DDAs
- earned wage access and emergency payroll
- instant wage access (for gig economy workers)
- merchant disbursements
- real estate closing payments/title insurance payments
- consumer loan funding
The RTP network is designed to address unmet customer needs across all customer segments (B2B, B2C, C2B, P2P, A2A, G2C, etc.).
RTP Network Resources
The RTP network is built to support the way people live and work today. The system is always on and delivers faster, smarter, and more efficient instant payments for bill payment, account-to-account transfers, cash management, P2P transactions, and more. Stay up to date on the network news by checking out the below resources.
Real-time payments provide customers the latest in modern payment infrastructure. Learn about the many third-party service providers in the payments ecosystem who provide support and connectivity to the RTP network here ⟶