In a constantly changing payments landscape, staying ahead is essential. In Q1 2026, NEACH collaborated with four leading third-party providers to explore the latest trends and developments in payments. Because of their significant role, many NEACH members see core providers as a key part of their strategies. We met with these providers to gain their insights on the evolving payments landscape and what to expect in the coming year.
Contributors include:
The insights shared by our panelists reflect broader industry trends: the push for faster, more efficient payments in the business sector, including in the SMB sector; stablecoins and what they mean for FIs, and AI-powered fraud mitigation tools. By aligning with these trends, financial institutions can better position themselves for success in the evolving payments landscape.
Let’s take a closer look at some of these key trends.
Faster Payments
Faster Payments Driving Significant Changes in Business Payments
“Instant payments are driving significant changes in business payments, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses,” states Tede Forman, President of Payment Solutions at Jack Henry. “This transformation is part of a larger shift, which includes consumers' demand for instant money movement.”
Research supports this assertion. According to FedPaymentsImprovement.org, 92% percent of businesses use some form of faster payments, including instant payments, Same Day ACH, and digital wallets. Though legacy payment methods aren’t disappearing entirely, faster methods are critical to meet customer demands for efficiency, settlement speeds, and safety, with 34% of respondents citing payment choice as key to business success. The key benefits driving faster, instant payment adoption in the business payment space are outlined in the Fed’s full business survey (PDF).
“Financial institutions must support these businesses by enabling faster settlements, integrating digital tools, and using AI-powered fraud detection,” concludes Forman.
Building on this point, Mihail Duta, Head of the Global Solution Consulting Team for Payments in the Americas at Finastra, adds:
“It is essential for financial institutions to adopt modern solutions. They need to be able to offer their customers and members options regarding what we call rails…Because if you’re not providing a solution, most likely your competitor down the street is. For financial institutions (FIs) to stay competitive in today’s banking landscape, the ability to adapt and respond to rapid change will be essential to success.”
Faster Payments and The Small Business Space
Drilling down deeper, Alex Campbell, First Vice President, Chief Payments Officer at COCC emphasizes that “The most critical shift for 2026 is the need for financial institutions (FIs) to compete aggressively in the small business (SMB) money movement space. Small businesses increasingly expect faster, lower-cost, and integrated payment solutions.”
PYMNTS Intelligence research bears this out: “Research shows that 79% of small businesses desire more payment options from their primary financial institution, and at least one-third would consider switching to a new institution to access real-time payment options.”
But as PYMNTS points out, small FIs often worry about the complexity and costs of updating their payment systems. One solution is to partner with a third-party payment provider that can address these concerns by managing the technical implementation. A well-crafted business plan that includes such a partnership can help small banks overcome their initial hesitancy and take the first steps toward real-time payments transformation.
To further illustrate this point, consider the following areas as a good place to start, says Campbell:
- Develop pricing strategies or alternative rails to mitigate card fee pressure.
- Expand instant payment capabilities for SMB disbursements and collections to improve liquidity.
- Offer automated invoicing and reconciliation tools to reduce administrative burden.
- Integrate value-added services like payroll, payables, and cashflow analytics into digital banking platforms.
Stablecoins—What It Means for FIs
In addition to these strategies, it's important to consider the impact of stablecoins on financial institutions. Stablecoins are heating up for all FIs, in part because they are a focus of this administration. However, Zelle’s recent announcement of a global solution supported by stablecoins is also a big consideration.
Dudley White, Head of Core Account Processing Solutions at Fiserv, agrees, “Stablecoins are gaining momentum as regulatory clarity improves, and major payment networks explore their use for faster, lower-cost transactions. Financial institutions need to understand how stablecoins fit into their payment strategy, including compliance, liquidity management, and integration with existing systems, he further emphasizes. “Zelle’s shift toward stablecoin-based global payments underscores the importance of interoperability and preparedness for new settlement rails.”
New research by FIS underscores the importance of exploring this opportunity with this compelling research:
- 75% of surveyed consumers would try stablecoins if offered by their bank, while only 3.6% feel comfortable with unregulated providers.
- More than two-thirds of respondents experienced payment problems in the past six months, and 70.8% are willing to switch payment methods to address their concerns.
"The path to consumer stablecoin adoption runs directly through traditional banking," said Himal Makwana, Global Head of Corporate Strategy at FIS, in a company news release. "Banks have a unique opportunity to capture a market where 75% of consumers say they'd try digital currency if offered by their bank. Consumers are demanding the speed and efficiency of instant settlement, but only when wrapped in the trust and safeguards that traditional institutions provide."
Rounding out the picture, Forman adds:
“The regulation surrounding stablecoins is still evolving. Until there is complete clarity, financial institutions should focus on preparation. This includes staying informed about regulatory updates, understanding the potential impact on liquidity and compliance, and familiarizing themselves with the settlement process. Additionally, FIs should assess how stablecoins fit into their long-term payment strategy. Institutions that stay engaged and informed will be better positioned to respond quickly once guidance is issued.”
AI-Powered Fraud Detection
Another key trend in 2026 is the use of innovative AI-powered fraud detection tools.
According to research by Mastercard,
- Ninety percent of payment leaders expect higher financial losses in the next three years if they don’t increase their use of AI in fraud prevention.
- Fortunately, there are various ways to apply AI for fraud prevention, from analyzing transaction patterns to reducing manual reviews. Many institutions are already generating high return on investment (ROI) as a result:
- 85% of respondents report seeing returns from using AI for fraud case triage and investigation, transaction pattern recognition and real-time detection of suspicious transactions.
- 83% say AI has significantly sped up their fraud investigation and case resolution processes.
Forman calls AI-powered fraud detection tools a “game-changer” and shares how Jack Henry harnesses its power:
“AI is a game-changer for fraud prevention because it converts data into a proactive defense and enables the recognition of patterns that humans cannot detect at scale. We analyze behavioral signals such as unusual account openings and clusters of low-dollar transactions using advanced models and algorithms trained on both historical and real-time data. In this way, patterns can activate risk-based controls that help identify suspicious activity, while human oversight ensures accurate decision-making.”
White believes fraud mitigation requires a layered approach:
“Fraud mitigation in 2026 requires a layered approach that combines advanced analytics, real-time monitoring, and collaborative intelligence. We advise clients to adopt AI-powered fraud detection tools that use machine learning to identify anomalies across ACH, wire, and instant payment channels.
In addition to these tools, solutions are available that integrate with core systems to offer proactive risk scoring and behavioral analysis. What’s new in 2026 is the increasing use of consortium data and shared intelligence models, along with tighter integration with real-time payment networks like FedNow and RTP to prevent fraud before funds leave the institution.”
Based on the research and our panelists’ comments, FIs should consider these key trends, how they fit with their strategic plans, and ways to stay competitive while meeting their customers' evolving needs. Now could be an ideal time to invest in faster payment solutions for businesses of any size, explore the potential of stablecoins, and implement advanced AI-powered fraud prevention measures. Doing so can help improve operational efficiency and build secure, lasting relationships with clients.
To read these interviews in their entirety, click on the names of our panelists above.