In the latest milestone update for the FedNow Service, the Federal Reserve recently announced the instant payments service will begin operating in July and provided details on preparations for launch.
This month, the Federal Reserve also started formal certification of participants for launch of the service. Early adopters will complete a customer testing and certification program, informed by feedback from the FedNow Pilot Program, to prepare for sending live transactions through the system.
Certification encompasses a comprehensive testing curriculum with defined expectations for operational readiness and network experience. In June, the Federal Reserve and certified participants will conduct production validation activities to confirm readiness for the July launch.
“We couldn’t be more excited about the forthcoming FedNow Service launch, which will enable every participating financial institution, [from] the smallest to the largest and from all corners of the country, to offer a modern instant payment solution,” said Ken Montgomery, first vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and FedNow Service program executive. “With the launch drawing near, we urge financial institutions and their industry partners to move full steam ahead with preparations to join the FedNow Service.”
Many early adopters have declared their intent to begin using the service in July, including a diverse mix of financial institutions of all sizes, the largest processors and the U.S. Treasury.
In addition to preparing early adopters for the July launch, the Federal Reserve continues to engage with a range of financial institutions and service providers as they complete the testing and certification program and implement the service throughout 2023 and beyond. Montgomery noted that availability of the service is just the beginning, and growing the network of participating financial institutions will be key to increasing the availability of instant payments for consumers and businesses across the country.
The FedNow Service will launch with a robust set of core clearing and settlement functionality and value-added features. More features and enhancements will be added in future releases to continue supporting safety, resiliency and innovation in the industry as the FedNow Service network expands in the coming years.
“With the FedNow Service, the Federal Reserve is creating a leading-edge payments system that is resilient, adaptive and accessible,” said Tom Barkin, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and FedNow Service program executive sponsor. “The launch reflects an important milestone in the journey to support financial institutions as they serve customer needs for instant payments to better support nearly every aspect of our economy.”
To learn more about the FedNow Service, visit FedNow Explorer (Off-site).
