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Welcome to Learn, where we break down the complicated pieces of the payment industry into straightforward, easy-to-understand definitions so you can make the best possible decisions about your business’ payment operations.

Payment Rails

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RTP

RTP (Real-Time Payments) is a payment processing network used to send money electronically between banks in the United States.

  1. 1What is RTP?
  2. 2What are QR Code Payments?
  3. 3What is an Open Loop Payment System?

Wire Transfers

A wire transfer is an electronic payment made through a global network, allowing for fast, irreversible, foreign or domestic electronic money transfers.

  1. 1What is a Wire Transfer?

SWIFT

SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is a network that enables a standardized, secure method (known as SWIFT codes) for sending and receiving international wire transfer instructions.

  1. 1What are SWIFT Payments?
  2. 2SWIFT Codes
  3. 3SWIFT vs. Global ACH

FedNow

FedNow is a payment service, designed by the Federal Reserve, that will enable real-time payments (RTP) for financial institutions of any size, in any community—365 days of the year.

  1. 1What is FedNow?

Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS)

The Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) is a streamlined electronic payment method used to process low-value, bulk transactions in Australia and New Zealand.

  1. 1What is the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS)?

Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)

The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) is a system of payment schemas that standardizes cashless transactions in euros.

  1. 1What is the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)?

Bankers' Automated Clearing System

Originally known as Bankers’ Automated Clearing System (BACS), BACS Payment Schemes Limited clears and settles direct debit, BACS direct credit, and current account switch service in the United Kingdom.

  1. 1What is the Bankers’ Automated Clearing System (BACS)?

Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a real-time payments system for mobile applications designed and launched by the National Payments Corporation of India.

  1. 1What is the Unified Payments Interface (UPI)?

Faster Payments Service (FPS)

The Faster Payments Service (FPS) is a banking service in the United Kingdom. The FPS was instituted in order to reduce payment times between accounts held by different customers from 3+ days to just a few seconds.

  1. 1What is the Faster Payments Service (FPS)?

TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS)

TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) was launched by the Eurosystem in November 2018 as a market infrastructure service that settles instant payments.

  1. 1What is TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS)?

Pix Payments

Pix is Brazil’s instant payment platform that launched on November 16, 2020. Created and managed by the Central Bank of Brazil, Pix enables fast payments and transfers at any time, year-round.

  1. 1What are Pix Payments?

Organizations and Standards

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Payment Industry Bodies

Payment Industry Bodies are the organizations and institutions that own, operate, or govern certain core payment infrastructures.

  1. 1Fedwire
  2. 2TCH
  3. 3NACHA
  4. 4CHIPS
  5. 5What is the European Payments Council (EPC)?

File Standards

File Standards are the payment reporting formats used by banks and payment industry bodies.

  1. 1BAI2
  2. 2NACHA files
  3. 3ISO 20022
  4. 4MT940 File

Core Banking Systems

Core Banking Systems are codes that ensure accuracy of transactions.

  1. 1Sort Codes
  2. 2What is Core Banking?

Operations

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Economics

Economics is the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

  1. 1Fiat Money