The Federal Reserve is finally stepping into the real-time payments arena.

By Todd Beauchamp, Loyal T. Horsley, and Deric Behar

On August 5, 2019, the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve System (the Fed) announced that it plans to roll out a real-time payment and settlement service by 2023 or 2024. The service, named FedNow, is being developed with the stated goal of modernizing the national payment system. Facing political and societal pressure to upgrade the national payment system, the Fed sought comment on the development of a faster payment service in late 2018. After receiving more than 350 comments, the Fed is now moving forward and seeking additional comment on the best way to design the system so that it maximizes inclusivity and utility for all stakeholders. The Fed envisions that FedNow will capitalize on its nationwide infrastructure to provide consumers, businesses, and banks the ability to safely make and receive immediate and fully settled payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week.