The two leading providers of realtime bank-based peer-to-peer payments solutions have joined forces.
Last week, Fiserv, which operates the P2P solution Popmoney, and Early Wanring, the owner of clearXchange, announced a strategic alliance that connects thousands of banks and millions of bank customers in a realtime money transfer system. Together, Fiserv and Early Warning together reach more than 6,000 banks and credit unions, including the top 40 financial institutions in the country.
This union of two realtime P2P systems will go a long ways toward eliminating the inseparability problem, whereby a realtime system would connect to a slower system, slowing down the payment. ClearXchange has been quite active lately, turning on realtime capabilities for large bank after large bank. Popmoney, which includes Citibank as a customer, has been quieter, but still numbers more than 1,000 financial institutions as users.
Through the agreement, Fiserv will also market clearXchange capabilities to its customers. Underpinning this is FIserv’s realtime NOW network, introduced in 2014.
Last week it was also announced that Early Warning’s clearXchange payments network had partnered with both the Mastercard Send and the Visa Direct platforms, meaning Popmoney is now connected to users of those platforms.
Islands of realtime payments capability are joining up to form a continent.
“Our mission is to enable all banks and credit unions to offer a broad range of realtime payment solutions to their customers,” said Paul Finch, CEO of Early Warning, on the company’s website. “Our relationship with Fiserv will expand our ability to deliver Early Warning’s trusted and secure payments solutions through financial institutions of all sizes nationwide.”
The clearXchange network, which itself reaches a combined total of 170 million banking users, will additionally provide links to customers of Capital One, First Bank, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan Chase, among others.
“People want speed, ease and convenience, and when it comes to sending and receiving money, they need solutions that can move funds at the speed of life,” said Mark Ernst, Chief Operating Officer, Fiserv, in a press release. “We are collaborating to deliver technology solutions with a common user experience that will simplify and accelerate everyday money movement.”