Roughly 30,000 global fintech companies have created a global user base of 75% of customers that now rely on payment and money transfer fintech services, with over 2/3 of payments being online.
From cash to card to Apple Pay, possibility quickly became a reality. We’ve gone from waiting 3-5 business days for transactions to clear to instant online banking and an undeniable expectation and consumer demand for instant payments. Fintech companies have completely revolutionized payment speeds and accessibility to create the new norm of operational efficiency.
And now we’re onto a new era of AI and blockchain technology that’s expected to secure networks and further increase payment speeds that could, again, redefine consumer expectations and transaction behavior.
Below, we’ll explore how fintech companies have already shown the potential of payment speeds.
Real-Time Payment Processing
Real-time payment processing is the leading way fintech companies have shown us the potential of payment speeds. And real-time means real-time. There was once a time when payments would take days to process.
Some generations couldn’t comprehend that. Then, it was hours, and now we’re at minutes and seconds. Standard methods such as ACH transfers often take 1-3 business days, and customers simply aren’t prepared to wait that long. The only exception is large business-to-business transactions. There are more parties involved and extra layers of protection. But even then, the actual transfer of the payment isn’t the problem; it’s the business authorization.
For average everyday payouts, fintech companies gave us real-time payment processing through advanced APIs, cloud infrastructures, and user-friendly applications and platforms such as PayPal and Stripe.
All companies in every industry want to have fast transaction speeds. This is especially important for the iGaming industry. Players want fast deposits and fast withdrawals, let alone no fees on either transaction. While there are preferred payment methods across the industry, which many of the fastest payout online casino platforms do have, platforms themselves have processing times that vary from instant to 24 hours or longer. Gamers want to be aware of this before signing up to the platform, which is why they also refer to reviews.
Instant Online Banking
Instant online banking through mobile apps is something most of us couldn’t live without. According to the American Bankers Association, over 50% of Americans now do their banking on their mobile app. The research shows that younger generations, such as Gen Z (64%) and Millennials (68%), use mobile apps the most. That compares to 55% of Generation X (people born between 1965 and 1980) using mobile banking apps.
It’s so accessible, especially now with facial or fingerprint recognition, which means we don’t even have to put in our password. It’s minimal hassle, they’re easy to use, and customers are more satisfied than ever.
The same American Banker Association report found 96% of consumers rate their banks’ online and mobile app experience as “excellent,” “very good,” or “good.” 83% of respondents also said innovation and improvements in fintech by banks mean it’s easier than ever for Americans to access financial services.
Fintech companies took us from the nuisance of needing to go to the bank to make a payment or to cash a check to letting our face open our intuitive mobile banking app to take out a loan, take a picture of a check and cash it in, apply for a mortgage, make a credit card payment, or pay a friend—the list could go on.
Fintech companies have given us:
- Automated onboarding
- AI-powered personalization
- Secure digital payments
- 24/7 access and convenience
AI Payment Processing and Monitoring
AI in fintech is a relatively new concept, but it’s a subsection of fintech that’s poised for growth. According to Future Market Insights, the industry should grow from $15.7 billion in 2025 to $68.5 billion by 2035, representing a CAGR of 15.9%.
Since 2022, the growth of fintech AI has exploded, with 75% of financial firms now using AI, an increase from 58% since 2022.
Fintechs are using AI to shave milliseconds off every decision and turning those wins into visible speed and security. Real-time models score each transaction instantly for security using device signals, IP reputation, velocity patterns, and past behavior, creating more straight-through approvals and fewer manual reviews. If risk is borderline, systems trigger adaptive authentication, such as:
- Dynamic 3DS
- Step-up biometrics
- One-time passkeys
All without slowing everyone else down. Behavioral biometrics also identify bots and account takeovers by how a user taps, types, and moves. There’s also smart-retry orchestration that reroutes soft declines to the best acquirer instantly. The result is boosted acceptance and low latency.
All that translates to faster approvals, tighter filters for bad actors, and fewer false positives that used to cost time and revenue.
Blockchain Payments for Cross-Border Payments
Cross-border payments have always caused big delays for businesses and consumers.
Stablecoin rails and tokenized deposits move value 24/7, settle near-instantly, and skip a chain of correspondent banks that add days and fees. For a payer, it’s a transparent FX, finality in minutes, and a receipt verifiable on-chain. For a business, it’s cleaner reconciliation and fewer “where is my wire?” tickets.
Remittance corridors benefit first. They’re fast and low-value flows with historically high friction. Larger B2B payments adopt permissioned networks that use KYC/AML and Travel Rule messaging at the protocol level. Treasury teams hedge volatility with fully reserved stablecoins, enforce geofences via smart contracts, and use regulated on/off-ramps for compliance. There are fewer intermediaries, lower total costs, clearer audit trails, and cross-border payments that finally move at internet speed.
Fintechs have shown the potential of payment speeds, and now there’s no stopping. Customers demand rapid payments and payouts, and it seems the emerging technology is only going to make them quicker. Traditional banking could never match the new expectations fintechs have created.
