With the beginning of a new calendar year, businesses face changes not only in legislation but also in their operational models. As we move further into the second quarter of the 21st century, new standards are emerging for the banking and electronic payments industry. Failure to adapt to these standards may result in a loss of competitive positioning and market relevance. The payments sector is evolving rapidly, and providers must respond to increasingly demanding customer expectations.
Real-Time Transfers: No Longer an Option, but a Standard
Real-time payment systems have become an established regulatory standard in major jurisdictions.
In the European Union, the Instant Payments Regulation (IPR) has entered into force, requiring banks and payment service providers to support SEPA Instant Credit Transfers — payments credited within 10 seconds and available 24/7/365 without additional fees. The regulation also introduces mandatory verification of payee and requires equal pricing for instant and regular transfers, enhancing security and reducing fraud risks.
These developments mean that not only traditional banks but also fintech platforms operating in the EU must fully adapt their systems to real-time payment infrastructure. Instant capability is no longer a competitive advantage — it is becoming a baseline requirement in both retail and corporate transactions.
New Architectures for Cross-Border Payments
One of the major global initiatives shaping 2026 is Project Agorá, led by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). The project explores the use of a unified ledger combined with payment tokenization, with the potential to significantly accelerate and reduce the cost of cross-border settlements among major financial institutions and central banks.
The objective is to enable “atomic settlement” — synchronized and simultaneous payment execution — within a more transparent and cost-efficient infrastructure than traditional correspondent banking networks such as SWIFT. Although Project Agorá is not a commercial product, it represents an important research platform that may lay the groundwork for future digital financial architecture in international settlements.
Expansion of NFC and Real-Time Solutions by Global Providers
Major payment providers are also actively expanding their technological capabilities. In Germany, PayPal launched tap-to-pay functionality for iPhone using NFC technology, made possible by EU regulatory requirements ensuring open access to device NFC hardware for third-party applications. Similar solutions are being rolled out across other EU countries.
Tap-to-pay enables merchants to accept contactless payments via smartphone without the need for a traditional POS terminal. This simplifies payment acceptance for small and medium-sized businesses and intensifies competition among mobile wallets, banks, and fintech providers.
Banking Sector Transformations
SEPA Instant Payments as Mandatory Infrastructure
Within the reform of the European payments landscape, instant euro credit transfers are transitioning from a voluntary service to mandatory infrastructure. Under the IPR, payment institutions and banks offering euro credit transfers must ensure both sending and receiving of SEPA Instant Payments on a 24/7/365 basis.
The defining feature of instant payments is near-instant fund settlement — typically within 10 seconds — regardless of banking hours, weekends, or public holidays. For customers, this fundamentally reshapes expectations. For financial institutions, it requires a significant restructuring of operational frameworks.
Implementation requires banks to modernize core banking systems for real-time operation, replace traditional batch processing with continuous transaction handling, integrate instant clearing and settlement mechanisms, and strengthen fraud prevention systems capable of responding without delay.
Because instant payments are largely irreversible, regulators place particular emphasis on risk management. Banks must implement real-time transaction monitoring, automated anomaly detection, and preventive blocking mechanisms for suspicious operations before completion.
In practice, this increases pressure on compliance functions, as institutions must simultaneously ensure speed, operational continuity, AML/CFT compliance, and consumer protection standards.
By 2026, SEPA Instant Payments represent not merely a payment tool but a structural transformation of European banking infrastructure.
Anti-Fraud Measures and Fee Transparency
The widespread adoption of instant payments significantly alters risk management dynamics and increases potential exposure in cases of fraud.
In response, banks and payment providers are investing heavily in next-generation anti-fraud infrastructure. This includes AI and machine learning models that analyze transactions in real time, assessing behavioral patterns, transaction history, geolocation, device data, and other indicators. These systems enable immediate blocking or suspension of suspicious payments while minimizing false positives and maintaining a smooth user experience.
At the same time, regulators are strengthening transparency requirements. Under the IPR framework, institutions must disclose the full cost of a transaction prior to confirmation, clearly communicate fees and currency conversion details, and are prohibited from charging higher fees for instant transfers compared to equivalent standard transfers.
These measures enhance consumer protection but also place operational and pricing pressure on financial institutions, requiring optimization of internal processes and IT architecture.
Key Trends for 2026
By 2026, instant payments are no longer viewed as an additional feature or competitive differentiator. In many jurisdictions, they are becoming a baseline expectation for both individuals and businesses.
Europe provides the clearest example, where mandatory SEPA Instant participation is creating a unified 24/7 payment environment. Similar trends are evident in Asia and the Middle East, where national instant payment systems such as UPI, PayNow, and PromptPay are increasingly interoperable with international networks.
As speed becomes a baseline expectation, competition shifts toward service quality, security, and value-added functionality.
The Growing Importance of B2B Real-Time Payments
For the corporate segment, real-time payments are strategically significant. Beyond convenience, they reshape financial management processes.
Instant B2B transfers enable companies to manage liquidity in real time without maintaining excessive balances, reduce credit and operational risk, and integrate payment flows directly into ERP, accounting, and treasury systems.
Analysts anticipate that the corporate segment will be a major driver of fintech infrastructure investment between 2026 and 2028, particularly in payment automation, supply chain finance, and embedded financial solutions.
Integration of QR Payments, Biometrics, and Digital Currencies
The payments ecosystem continues to evolve toward multi-channel access and simplified user experiences. QR payments remain a cost-effective and scalable solution, especially in markets with high mobile penetration. Biometric authentication increasingly replaces password-based security, enhancing both convenience and protection. Meanwhile, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are progressing through pilot stages and are being evaluated as potential components of future interbank and cross-border settlement infrastructure.
Together, these technologies form the foundation of a new payment reality in which speed, transparency, and security are mandatory standards rather than optional features.
By 2026, the global payments ecosystem is undergoing structural transformation that extends far beyond incremental innovation. The transition to regulated real-time infrastructure, technological modernization of cross-border settlements, expansion of mobile contactless solutions, and the growing role of B2B real-time transactions are redefining the financial landscape.
These developments create significant opportunities for banks, fintech companies, and businesses that adapt quickly. At the same time, they require heightened attention to risk management, regulatory compliance, and technological modernization.
Finance Business Service is ready to support you in navigating these changes and addressing any challenges related to payment systems, banking operations, or company registration