Instant Payments
Instant Payments are real-time payments through which the amount is credited to the recipient's account within a few seconds — 24/7, 365 days a year.
Instant Payments
Instant Payments (real-time payments or immediate payments) are bank transfers where the amount is credited to the recipient's account within a maximum of 10 seconds. In contrast to traditional transfers, Instant Payments work around the clock — including at night, on weekends and on public holidays.
In the EU, Instant Payments are processed via the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst) scheme. The EU has decided that all banks in the Eurozone must offer Instant Payments on a mandatory basis by 2025/2026. In Switzerland, a comparable system for EUR-payments has been in place since 2024 with SIC Instant Payments (SIC IP).
For e-commerce, Instant Payments are particularly interesting for payment methods such as Pay by Bank: customers transfer the amount directly, and the Comerciante receives the credit immediately — without a waiting time of 1–2 banking business days.
Instant Payments Examples
A customer pays via Pay by Bank. Thanks to Instant Payment, the amount is credited to the Comerciante account within 5 seconds.
A freelancer receives a payment from a customer on Sunday night — Instant Payments also work outside of banking business hours.
A Swiss company uses SIC Instant Payments to pay supplier invoices in EUR in real time.
Instant Payments FAQ
What are Instant Payments?
Instant Payments are real-time payments where the amount is credited within a few seconds — around the clock, 365 days a year. In the EU, the system is called SCT Inst, in Switzerland SIC IP.
Are there Instant Payments in Switzerland?
Yes, since 2024 the Swiss SIC system supports instant payments in EUR (SIC IP). This allows transactions in EUR within Switzerland to be processed in real time.
Do instant payments cost more than normal transfers?
In the EU, the EU regulation has stipulated that instant payments may no longer cost more than normal transfers. In Switzerland, the conditions may vary depending on the bank.
Are Instant Payments secure?
Yes, Instant Payments undergo the same security checks as regular transfers — including sanction screening and fraud detection. The rapid execution does not mean less security.
