# Instant Payments

Real-time payment processing across Europe. Money moves in seconds, not days.

## Overview

Instant payments revolutionize how money moves. With instant SEPA, payments are processed and settled in real-time—24/7/365. No more waiting 2-3 business days for funds to clear.

## What Are Instant Payments?

Instant payments are electronic transactions that are:

- **Immediate**: Processed in under 10 seconds
- **Always On**: Available 24/7/365
- **Final**: Irrevocable once processed
- **Secure**: Bank-level authentication

### How They Work

```
Payer initiates payment
    ↓
Payer's bank verifies funds
    ↓
Payment instruction sent (instant)
    ↓
Payee's bank receives funds
    ↓
Payee notified (seconds total)
```

## Benefits

### For Businesses

| Benefit | Impact |
|---------|--------|
| **Improved Cash Flow** | Access funds immediately |
| **Reduced Risk** | No payment reversals |
| **Lower Costs** | Cheaper than cards |
| **Better UX** | Instant confirmation |
| **24/7 Operations** | Process payments anytime |

### For Consumers

- **Instant Confirmation**: Know immediately if payment succeeded
- **Always Available**: Works nights, weekends, holidays
- **Secure**: Bank authentication
- **Convenient**: No card needed
- **Free**: Typically no consumer fees

## Use Cases

### E-commerce

**Challenge**: Cart abandonment due to payment friction  
**Solution**: Instant, frictionless checkout  
**Results**:
- 30% higher conversion
- Instant order confirmation
- Reduced fraud

### Bill Payments

**Challenge**: Waiting days for payments to clear  
**Solution**: Instant settlement  
**Results**:
- Avoid late fees
- Immediate service restoration
- Peace of mind

### P2P Transfers

**Challenge**: Splitting bills, paying friends  
**Solution**: Instant person-to-person  
**Results**:
- Settle up immediately
- No cash needed
- Track payments

### B2B Payments

**Challenge**: Slow supplier payments  
**Solution**: Instant business transfers  
**Results**:
- Better supplier relationships
- Early payment discounts
- Improved working capital

### Emergency Payments

**Challenge**: Urgent payment needs  
**Solution**: 24/7 instant processing  
**Results**:
- Crisis resolution
- No waiting for banking hours
- Immediate relief

## SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst)

### Scheme Overview

- **Coverage**: 36 SEPA countries
- **Participation**: 90%+ of European banks
- **Speed**: < 10 seconds processing
- **Availability**: 24/7/365
- **Limit**: €100,000 per transaction (standard)

### Participating Countries

All SEPA zone members:
- 27 EU countries
- United Kingdom
- Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein
- Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, Vatican City

### Transaction Limits

| Type | Standard Limit | Can Be Higher |
|------|----------------|---------------|
| **Consumer** | €10,000 | Bank-dependent |
| **Business** | €100,000 | Upon request |
| **Enterprise** | Custom | Negotiated |

## How to Accept Instant Payments

### Option 1: Payment Links

Create shareable URLs:
1. Generate link in dashboard
2. Share with customer
3. Customer clicks and pays
4. Funds received instantly

[Learn more](/payment-links)

### Option 2: API Integration

Integrate into your application:
```bash
POST /api/payments
{
  "amount": 99.99,
  "currency": "EUR",
  "creditor_iban": "AT61..."
}
```

[API Documentation](/developers/docs)

### Option 3: Tap!

Contactless NFC payments:
- Use your smartphone
- Customer taps card/phone
- Instant settlement

[Learn more](/tap)

### Option 4: Invoice Agent

AI-powered invoice processing:
- Automatic invoice generation
- Embedded payment links
- Instant collection

[Learn more](/invoice-agent)

## Security

### Authentication

- **SCA**: Strong Customer Authentication
- **PSD2**: Regulatory compliance
- **Bank Login**: Customer authenticates with their bank
- **No Credential Storage**: BANKpay+ never sees banking credentials

### Fraud Prevention

- **Real-time Monitoring**: AI-powered detection
- **Velocity Checks**: Unusual pattern detection
- **Amount Limits**: Configurable thresholds
- **Geographic Controls**: Location-based rules

### Compliance

- ✅ **PSD2 Compliant**
- ✅ **SCA Ready**
- ✅ **GDPR Compliant**
- ✅ **SEPA Certified**
- ✅ **ISO 27001**

## Pricing

Competitive pricing for instant payments.

| Plan | Transaction Fee | Monthly Fee |
|------|----------------|-------------|
| **Starter** | €0.25 | Free |
| **Professional** | €0.15 | €29 |
| **Enterprise** | Custom | Custom |

**Example Costs**:
- €50 payment: €0.25 (Starter)
- €500 payment: €0.25 (Starter)
- €5,000 payment: €0.25 (Starter)

[View full pricing](/pricing)

## Comparison: Instant vs Traditional

| Feature | Instant SEPA | Card Payment | Bank Transfer |
|---------|--------------|--------------|---------------|
| **Speed** | < 10 seconds | Instant auth, 2-3 day settlement | 1-3 business days |
| **Cost** | ~€0.15-0.25 | ~2.9% + €0.30 | €0-5 |
| **Availability** | 24/7/365 | 24/7/365 | Business hours |
| **Reversibility** | Irrevocable | Chargebacks possible | Reversible |
| **Fraud Risk** | Very low | Moderate | Low |
| **Settlement** | Instant | 2-3 days | 1-3 days |

## Integration

### REST API

```python
from bankpay import Client

client = Client(api_key='your_key')

payment = client.payments.create(
    amount=9999,
    currency='EUR',
    creditor_iban='AT611904300234573201',
    creditor_name='Your Company',
    reference='Invoice #123'
)

print(f"Payment status: {payment.status}")
```

### Webhooks

Real-time notifications:
- `payment.initiated`
- `payment.completed`
- `payment.failed`
- `payment.refunded`

### SDKs

- **Python**: `pip install bankpay`
- **JavaScript**: `npm install @bankpay/client`
- **PHP**: `composer require bankpay/client`
- **Java**: Available on Maven Central

## Performance

### Speed Metrics

| Metric | Time |
|--------|------|
| **Payment Initiation** | < 1 second |
| **Bank Authentication** | 5-15 seconds |
| **Payment Processing** | < 10 seconds |
| **Settlement** | Instant |
| **Total Flow** | < 30 seconds |

### Reliability

- **Uptime**: 99.99% SLA
- **Success Rate**: 95%+ authorization
- **Processing**: Millions daily
- **Coverage**: 95%+ European banks

## Getting Started

### 1. Create Account

Sign up at [bankpay.plus](/get-started)

### 2. Complete Verification

Business verification (24-48 hours)

### 3. Get API Keys

Access dashboard for credentials

### 4. Integrate

Follow documentation or use plugins

### 5. Go Live

Start accepting instant payments

## FAQ

### Which banks support instant payments?

95%+ of European banks. Check our [bank list](/banks) for specifics.

### What are the transaction limits?

Standard limit is €100,000. Higher limits available for enterprise.

### Can instant payments be reversed?

No, instant payments are irrevocable once processed. Refunds require new transaction.

### What happens if payment fails?

Customer notified immediately. No funds transferred. You can retry or request alternative payment.

### Are instant payments secure?

Yes, more secure than cards. Customer authenticates directly with their bank using SCA.

### Do instant payments work on weekends?

Yes, 24/7/365 availability including all holidays.

### What currencies are supported?

Primarily EUR. GBP, CHF, and other SEPA currencies supported where available.

### How do I handle refunds?

Process refunds via dashboard or API. Refunds are also instant.

## Resources

### Documentation

- [Getting Started](/developers/docs)
- [API Reference](/developers/api)
- [Integration Guides](/developers/integrations)
- [Security Best Practices](/developers/security)

### Tools

- **Sandbox**: Test environment
- **Webhook Tester**: Debug notifications
- **Status Page**: Real-time system status
- **Bank Checker**: Verify bank support

### Support

- **Email**: support@bankpay.plus
- **Documentation**: Comprehensive guides
- **Status**: status.bankpay.plus
- **Community**: Developer forum

## The Future of Payments

Instant payments represent the future:

- **Faster**: Real-time economy
- **Cheaper**: Lower costs for everyone
- **Better**: Improved user experience
- **Global**: Expanding worldwide

Join the instant payment revolution today.

## Ready to Accept Instant Payments?

[**Get Started**](/get-started) - Free account

Or [**Contact Sales**](/contact) for enterprise solutions.

---

**Last updated**: February 28, 2026

**Questions?** Contact us at instant@bankpay.plus