Consumers Now See Instant Payments as Essential for Managing Household Cash Flow
Once considered a nice-to-have, instant payments are fast becoming a must-have in the disbursement economy.
According to new PYMNTS Intelligence research, nearly 38% of consumers now receive their nongovernment disbursements via instant payment. This share is up from 4.1% in 2017. The shift isn’t simply about access to faster payments. It also reflects deeper demand for financial control, peace of mind and a digital experience that meets modern expectations.
Why are more consumers gravitating toward instant disbursements? The answer lies in a trifecta of factors: choice, certainty and convenience. Of the consumers receiving funds instantly in early 2025, 27% chose instant payment over other available methods. This share has grown nearly 5% year over year. In categories like borrowing disbursements, where financial urgency is highest, 64% cited immediate need as a reason for choosing instant payouts.
Consumers are also showing a strong willingness to pay for this benefit. Nearly half of disbursement receivers said they would accept a fee to receive their money faster. These findings suggest that instant payments aren’t just about speed — they’re about dependability and the ability to manage daily expenses without delay.
Digital wallets are playing a growing role in this evolution. In January, 15% of consumers received their disbursements most often to a digital wallet, nearly double the rate from a year prior. Wallet-based delivery offers convenience and flexibility, helping users receive and spend money quickly.
No longer a niche feature, instant payments are a defining component of the new digital norm. As this trend accelerates, businesses that fail to provide instant options risk being left behind in an economy that now runs in real time.
.free-download-sec { width: 100%; font-family: "Roboto", sans-serif; } .free-download-sec .inner { background: rgb(35, 36, 150); background: linear-gradient(129deg, rgba(35, 36, 150, 1) 0%, rgba(14, 14, 49, 1) 87%); padding: 20px; border-radius: 10px; /* max-height: 210px; */ } h2.report-title { font-size: 1.6rem; font-weight: 600; color: #fff; } h2.report-title span { display: block; font-weight: 400; } .free-download-sec .form-control { line-height: 2.2; } .free-download-sec .form-control::placeholder { color: #000; } .free-download-sec .form-control::-ms-input-placeholder { color: #000; } .free-download-sec p { font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; color: #000; } .free-download-sec a { text-decoration: none; color: #0D4EB5; } .free-download-sec .btn-primary { background-color: #00A469; font-size: 21px; color: #fff; font-weight: 700; border: 2px solid #00A469; padding: 13px 32px; } .free-download-sec .btn-primary:hover { background-color: transparent; color: #00A469; border: 2px solid #00A469; } @media (max-width: 767px) { .free-download-sec .inner { /* max-height: 430px; */ } .free-download-sec { margin: 40px auto 450px auto; } } @media (max-width: 359px) { .free-download-sec { margin: 40px auto 470px auto; } } /* Additional styles */ h2.report-title { text-transform: initial; } #DownloadForm form.wpcf7-form { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; background-color: transparent !important; padding: 0px !important; box-shadow: none!important; } #DownloadForm form.wpcf7-form input { padding: 0.4rem 0.75rem !important; font-size: 0.875rem !important; font-weight: 400 !important; line-height: 1.5 !important; color: #212529 !important; background-color: #fff !important; background-clip: padding-box !important; border: 1px solid #ced4da !important; -webkit-appearance: none !important; -moz-appearance: none !important; appearance: none !important; border-radius: 0.375rem !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-in-out, box-shadow 0.15s ease-in-out; width: 100%; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form label { font-size: 0.9rem; width: 100%; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(6) { width: 100% !important; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form input[type="submit"] { background-color: #00a469 !important; font-size: 0.9rem !important; color: #fff !important; font-weight: 500 !important; border: 2px solid #00a469 !important; padding: 0.4rem 0.75rem !important; border-radius: 6px !important; width: 100% !important; margin-top: 0.5rem; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form input[type="submit"]:hover { background-color: #03b573 !important; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-spinner { display: none; } #DownloadForm .form-sec { padding: 140px 0 45px 0; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-response-output { border: none !important; color: #000 !important; margin: 0.25rem !important; font-size: .85rem; font-weight: bold; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(7) { width: 100%; } #DownloadForm div p { margin: 0.25rem; } #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(1), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(2), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(3), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(4), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(5) { width: 100%; } @media screen and (min-width: 1200px) { #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(1), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(2), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(3), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(4), #DownloadForm .wpcf7-form div:nth-child(5) { width: 50%; } } @media (max-width: 767px){ #DownloadForm .free-download-sec { margin: 0px; } } Download the Tracker Instant Shift: How Choice, Certainty and Convenience Are Driving Demand for Instant Payments [contact-form-7] About “Instant Shift: How Choice, Certainty and Convenience Are Driving Demand for Instant Payments”The “Money Mobility Tracker®,” a collaboration with Ingo Payments, explores how certainty has joined choice and convenience in the factors driving instant payments into the mainstream of consumer demand.
The post Consumers Now See Instant Payments as Essential for Managing Household Cash Flow appeared first on PYMNTS.com.