20-Point ROI Gap Jolts Real-Time Payments Adoption

A roughly 20-point ROI gap separates companies that have used instant rails from those judging them from the outside, and that gap explains the next phase of real-time payments adoption better than any speed claim.

That is the sharpest signal in the latest PYMNTS Intelligence research on B2B payments, according to PYMNTS. Businesses that actively use the RTP network rate its ROI at 71 out of 100, while nonusers rate it at 52. The FedNow Service shows nearly the same split: 73 among users versus 52 among nonusers.

The implication is blunt. Instant B2B payments are no longer fighting mainly for awareness. They are fighting for operational fit. Finance teams don’t need another abstract pitch about speed. They need proof that real-time rails can sit inside accounts payable, treasury, reconciliation and supplier workflows without making daily finance work harder.

The 71 vs. 52 ROI gap shows experience is the adoption trigger

Real-time payments adoption is being held back by a perception gap that narrows once companies actually use the rails.

PYMNTS reports that businesses using instant payment methods cite benefits well beyond faster settlement. 85% point to faster access to funds for vendors and suppliers. 82% cite quicker transaction processing. 81% cite 24/7 payment availability. Those are speed and access benefits, but the more telling numbers sit deeper in the finance function.

79% say real-time payments improve cash flow management, while 76% report more efficient reconciliation processes. 78% say instant payments strengthen supplier relationships, and the same share say they improve the ability to capture early-payment discounts. 77% say instant payments improve competitive positioning.

That mix matters because B2B payment habits don’t change just because a new rail exists. They change when the experience around the payment changes.

“Real-time payments have moved beyond speed alone. Businesses using instant payment capabilities are seeing stronger cash flow management, deeper supplier relationships and greater operational agility. The next phase of adoption depends on simplifying integration with accounting, ERP and treasury management systems while helping organizations unlock measurable value within existing financial workflows.”

Jim Colassano, Senior Vice President, RTP Business Product Management, The Clearing House

XOOMAR analysis: This is why the ROI gap is more important than the adoption headline. The companies outside the system are pricing in disruption. The companies inside the system are pricing in working-capital control, supplier flexibility and fewer operational delays.

94% supplier-payment confidence makes old habits hard to break

The incumbent B2B payment system has one major advantage: most companies think it works.

PYMNTS reports that more than nine in 10 businesses say they pay suppliers on time. The source also states that 94% of payments arrive on time, and 86% of businesses describe their accounts payable processes as efficient. Against that backdrop, real-time rails have to prove more than novelty.

Legacy B2B payments still rely heavily on credit cards, checks and ACH transfers, which PYMNTS says move money between bank accounts over one to three days. Those rails are embedded in financial workflows, which makes them hard to displace even when faster alternatives exist.

That table explains the sales problem. If a company already believes its AP process is efficient, “faster” isn’t enough. The winning case for real-time payments adoption has to be specific: better timing around supplier terms, clearer settlement visibility, stronger cash control or measurable reconciliation gains.

For adjacent context on how payments value often shows up through B2B platforms and bank-led payment services, XOOMAR readers can pair this with 44% Visa Interchange Savings Put Boost B2B Platform in Play and U.S. Bank Carves Out Healthcare Payments Power Role.

24% of nonusers still say current methods are good enough

The biggest obstacle is not disbelief in instant payments. It is comfort with what already works.

PYMNTS says 24% of businesses that do not use instant payments say their current methods already meet their needs. That is inertia, but not irrational inertia. When most companies believe suppliers are paid on time and AP runs efficiently, switching payment rails can look like unnecessary risk.

Integration is the tougher issue. PYMNTS identifies connections with ERP, treasury management and accounting systems as the leading barrier to adoption. 22% of businesses overall cite better ERP integration as the most important improvement, rising to 29% among businesses with more than $25 million in annual revenue.

That size split is important. Larger businesses often have more complex finance operations, more internal controls and more systems that must agree before money moves. If real-time payments sit outside those systems, they become another process to manage instead of a better process.

Fraud and finality add another layer. PYMNTS says real-time payments create a different risk environment because transactions settle quickly and are generally irreversible. Yet the experience data complicates that fear: 70% of businesses say instant payments have improved fraud reduction.

XOOMAR analysis: That does not mean payment finality is a solved problem. It means the market may be overestimating the risk of the rail while underestimating the value of better validation, controls and visibility around the payment.

Finance teams want control, suppliers want certainty, providers need workflow fit

The same instant payment can solve different problems for different parties.

For CFOs and treasurers, PYMNTS points to stronger cash flow management, real-time visibility into balances and settlement timing, and more strategic liquidity management. The source also says real-time settlement gives organizations flexibility to time payments around supplier terms, payroll cycles and liquidity priorities.

For suppliers, the value is more direct. Faster access to funds matters. So does payment certainty. PYMNTS reports that 78% of businesses say real-time payments strengthen supplier relationships, and 78% report improved ability to capture early-payment discounts. That ties instant rails to supplier economics, not just payment speed.

For banks, payment providers and software vendors, the message is less about selling a rail and more about reducing workflow friction. PYMNTS says businesses want real-time payments to fit naturally into existing workflows rather than require separate systems or manual processes. That points toward embedded finance workflows inside ERP, treasury and accounting tools.

Cost transparency still matters, especially lower down the revenue scale. 19% of businesses overall say lower payment costs or fees would most improve payment performance. Among companies with annual revenue between $1 million and $5 million, that figure rises to 28%.

The next wave depends on ERP integration, not faster marketing

The adoption signal is already there. PYMNTS reports that 29% of businesses plan to adopt real-time payment capabilities within the next six months. Nearly nine in 10 businesses, or 86%, plan to adopt the RTP network at some point, including 53% that expect to do so within the next two years.

Network activity supports that momentum. The RTP network set a new single-day record in May, processing more than 2.2 million transactions worth $8.62 billion, according to PYMNTS.

The practical path forward is narrower than the headline suggests:

• Integration: Real-time rails need stronger links into ERP, treasury and accounting systems.
• ROI proof: Finance teams need measurable gains in reconciliation, cash flow management and supplier outcomes.
• Controls: Businesses need fraud validation and payment processes that make fast settlement feel safe.
• Phased rollout: The strongest use cases are likely the workflows where speed, certainty and visibility already create measurable value.

XOOMAR analysis: The companies that move first should not try to convert every payment type at once. The smarter starting point is to map where delayed settlement creates actual friction, then test instant payments where the operating benefit can be measured.

Signals that would prove this adoption wave is real

The next phase of real-time payments adoption will be confirmed by execution, not surveys.

The evidence to watch is specific: more ERP-native payment flows, broader treasury integration, higher active usage among firms that already plan adoption, and continued improvement in user-rated ROI. If businesses that adopt over the next six months report the same gains in cash control, reconciliation and supplier relationships as current users, the perception gap should keep narrowing.

The thesis weakens if integration remains the main blocker, if cost concerns rise among smaller businesses, or if fraud and payment finality fears keep finance teams from sending real-time payments at scale.

For now, PYMNTS’ data points in one direction. The rail is not the product anymore. The experience around the rail is.

Disclaimer: This XOOMAR analysis is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not financial, investment, legal, tax, or professional advice. It does not provide buy, sell, hold, price-target, portfolio, or personalized recommendations. Verify information independently and consult qualified professionals before making decisions.

The Bottom Line

• Companies that have used instant payment rails rate their ROI about 20 points higher than nonusers.
• Adoption is increasingly driven by operational value in cash flow, reconciliation and supplier workflows, not speed alone.
• The data suggests real-time payments need proof of finance-team fit to move further into B2B payments.