The Money Mobility Strategy That’s Changing How Banks Think

Speed is becoming the defining feature of lending, and borrowers are setting the pace. With inflation pinching household budgets and emergencies around every corner, consumers no longer consider instant disbursements a perk or convenience. They expect them. In fact, borrowing payouts now lead all categories in instant disbursement usage, with 45% of consumers saying they most frequently receive their loan funds in real time. The top reason? Urgency. According to the latest PYMNTS Intelligence data, 64% of consumers want instant lending payouts due to financial need. More than one in four say they require the funds in 30 minutes or less. Whether paying for rent, groceries or a car repair, many borrowers can’t afford to wait. Borrowers are also putting their money where their need is. Nearly three-quarters of consumer loan recipients are willing to pay a fee for immediate access to funds. Seven in 10 of these borrowers who want instant lending payouts cite convenience as a key reason for this demand. However, that willingness has limits. Transparency matters. When fees are hidden or show up after approval, satisfaction nosedives. Financial institutions are responding. Eighty-six percent now see lending disbursements as a top use case for instant rails. The problem? Legacy systems and fragmented platforms are slowing delivery. While 57% of borrowers report being offered instant lending payouts, delays and friction remain widespread. What’s clear is that real-time payments are no longer optional. For lenders, implementing instant loan disbursements means more than meeting demand—it means staying relevant. Those who deliver on speed and transparency can build trust, streamline operations and improve borrower retention in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Instant disbursements have quietly become a cornerstone of how consumers manage their money. What began as a convenient perk for occasional refunds or rewards has evolved into a vital income stream for millions. For younger generations and gig workers, instant payouts are no longer optional. They are essential for financial stability. The data shows just how quickly behavior has shifted. In 2020, just 16% of income and borrowing payments were instant. By 2025, that share nearly tripled to 45%. Generation Z leads the charge. Seventy-eight percent received at least one instant disbursement last year, and nearly half used instant more than any other method. For these consumers, waiting days for their money feels outdated. Gig and tipped workers are pushing this shift even further. One-third of millennials reported that transactional payroll from gig platforms and tip payouts served as a primary source of cash flow last year. For many, the paycheck has become a rolling series of real-time transfers rather than a biweekly event. Speed matters most when the money does too. Consumers who rely on disbursements as their primary income are 58% more likely to opt for instant payments than those who receive funds only occasionally. They value speed so highly that 60% say they would pay to receive their money instantly, a rate four times higher than that of incidental recipients. As instant becomes the new normal, the competitive bar for payments providers is rising. Consumers now expect real-time access to their money and will reward companies that deliver it. The winners in this new landscape will be those who can combine reliability, speed and convenience. In today’s economy, receiving pay instantly is no longer an added feature — it is the future of getting paid.

Property managers are embracing real-time payment rails — and not just for speed. Tenants now expect digital convenience at every touch point, from rent payments to security deposit refunds. Vendors, too, demand faster payouts, often before work even begins. In response, more property managers are turning to instant payments to meet rising expectations and reduce friction in day-to-day operations. However, the shift isn’t universal — at least not yet. Just 36% of property managers use instant payments, and only 11% consider them essential. Still, the tide is turning. Fifty-nine percent of firms expect to send most non-payroll disbursements via instant rails by 2028. Moreover, among the industries surveyed, property management leads the charge toward near-universal adoption. Beyond speed, instant payments provide firms with control and visibility, enhance vendor trust, and drive tenant satisfaction. Renters who receive fast, seamless financial services are more likely to renew leases and recommend their properties, two key metrics in a competitive market. Meanwhile, tenant portals and mobile tools help automate communication and streamline collections, reducing late rent and support costs. Investments in property technology, or PropTech, go hand in hand with instant disbursements. Property management software is increasingly integrating real-time payouts, artificial intelligence and automation. From maintenance coordination to refund tracking, these tools enable firms to scale without adding headcount, an advantage as inflation drives labor costs higher. Digital-first firms are setting the bar higher. They’re combining instant payments, automation and mobile convenience into unified platforms that manage key financial operations. The result is smoother disbursements, better retention and lower operating costs. The question isn’t if firms will embrace instant payments — it’s how fast they’ll make the leap.