Latest News
Congratulations to the Inaugural AFPPs!
We are thrilled to congratulate two members who have successfully passed the inaugural Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP) exam!
-
Raven Johnson, Regional Relationship Manager
Federal Reserve Financial Services -
Shane St. John, VP, Information Technology
Corporate America Credit Union
An AFPP is an individual who possesses a comprehensive knowledge of faster payment methods in the U.S., an understanding of and experience in faster payments network rails, and a broad knowledge of concepts that relate to the payments system as a whole.
Interested in sitting for the exam in 2026? Our AFPP Exam Prep Program is coming in fourth quarter this year.
Sunsetting ACH Volume Reporting 2025
We want to make you aware that monthly ACH Volume Reports will sunset after year-end 2025. To support your financial institution prior to this change, we are offering a complimentary training on the FedPayments Reporter Service for FedACH, presented by Federal Reserve Financial Services.
Discover how the FedPayments Reporter Service for FedACH helps financial institutions automatically search ACH files for important information — including return items, DNE entries, IAT transactions, and financial EDI messages.
This data can then be turned into clear, easy-to-read reports that can be shared within your institution or with your business customers.
Date: Friday, May 2nd
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM CST
Presenter: Alan Dupree, Product Strategist, Federal Reserve Financial Services
As always, Power Hours are complimentary for SFE Members, but registration is required. If you can't attend live, go ahead and register so you get the recording directly to your inbox a few days post event.
ACH Basics: A Beginner-Friendly Intro to the Network
If you're new to electronic payments, this is the perfect place to start! The ACH (Automated Clearing House) Network is a key part of how money moves in the U.S.—from direct deposits to bill payments. In this two-part webinar, you’ll get a clear, easy-to-understand overview of how the ACH Network works, who’s involved, how transactions flow, and what to do when things go wrong.
As someone working in customer or member service, you’re often the first to hear about payment issues. That’s why it’s important to have a strong understanding of ACH basics—so you can respond confidently and help solve problems quickly.
This session is ideal for anyone new to payments or looking for a refresher. You’ll walk away with the foundational knowledge you need to support ACH-related questions and tasks.
Dates: May 7 & 8, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM CST (both days)
Presenter: Danita Moss, SVP – Payments Education, Southern Financial Exchange
Reg E Training: You Asked, We Listened
Are you confused about the different 60-day timeframes in the Nacha Operating Rules and Reg E? You’re not alone—and this session is here to help. We’ll explain what happens when a customer reports an unauthorized ACH debit after the 60-day Nacha deadline and what your financial institution still needs to do under Reg E. You'll also learn helpful tips for recovering funds and reducing losses.
In this webinar, we will break down the rules in a simple way, helping you understand how the Rules and Reg E work together. You'll leave with practical tools to handle disputes and stay compliant.
Date: Thursday, May 15th
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST
Presenter: Lisa B. Berry, CRCM, CCBCO, Member, Conformance LLC
Save the Date! Digital Directions 2026
Thank you from the SFE Team!
Save the Date for next year: April 7 - 9, 2026
Have You Scheduled Your Annual ACH Audit?
Strengthen your ACH operations in compliance, risk controls, and efficiency. Allow your trusted SFE advisors to conduct your annual ACH Audit and recommended Risk Assessment.
SFE also offers professional audit and risk assessment services for wire, remote deposit capture, and RTP® operations. When you bundle services or schedule your compliance services to be completed before July 1st, you are eligible for rate discounts. Schedules are filling up fast, so contact us today!
AAP Prep Starting Soon!
SFE Training Program for AAP Candidates has deep discounts
Training Package for AAP’s includes:
- Kickoff Webinar
- 9 Bi-Weekly Training Webinars (Recordings will be provided following the events)
- Electronic Publication Package:
- ACH Rules Book – Online Resource Code, or eBook via App
- ACH Compliance Manual – eBook via App
- Revised UCC Article 4A and the ACH System – eBook via App
- AAP Flashcards – Electronic Version
- ACHPro™ (Online) – Electronic Version
- ACH Quick Reference Cards for Financial Institutions - Electronic Version
- AAP Exam Review Webinar
This program is excellent for those aspiring to be an AAP, but you do not have to be registered for the current AAP exam to enroll in the AAP Exam Prep Program.
Cost per single registrant: $1,295 Member/ $2,590 Non-Member
Nominate a Payments Professional Today
SFE wants to fund a member's professional development!
The William A. McLarty Payments Institute Scholarship was established to assist one member in his/her journey for professional development. This year's scholarship will support one recipient in attending the 2025 Nacha Payments Institute®, an on-campus event scheduled for July 13 - 16, 2025, in Atlanta, GA.
Who is Eligible?
- Employment: The nominee must be employed by an SFE member company.
- Experience: The nominee must have worked a minimum of three years in the financial industry.
- Industry Focus: Primary consideration will be given to nominees in the payments industry.
What is Required?
- Submit the online Nomination Form for each nomination. (You may nominate yourself or someone else.)
- Submit Nominee's current professional resume’ via email to education@sfe.org.
- Nominations and documents must be received no later than Friday, May 30, 2025.
Nacha Seeks Comments on Proposals on IAT & Related Topics
Nacha recently issued a Request for Comment (RFC) on seven proposals to amend the Nacha Rules.
- The first five pertain solely to International ACH Transactions (IATs), while two other proposals directly relate to IATs but also cover other types of ACH transactions.
- Nacha is also requesting comment on 10 specific “IAT/not IAT” scenarios to be added to the Nacha Operating Guidelines related to e-commerce marketplace processing.
- Finally, the package also includes a request for industry feedback on other topics related to IATs that could serve as the basis of future rules proposals.
These topics generally concern the quality and formatting of data contained in IATs. Responses are due May 30, 2025.
We've posted the information and links to the complete details in the Member Resources section (2025 dropdown) of our website. Must be logged in to view.
Reg CC Thresholds Adjusted for Inflation
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have announced adjustments to dollar amounts to account for inflation. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2025.
Key Threshold Changes
- Minimum Amount (12 CFR 229.10(c)(1)(vii)): $225 → $275
- Cash Withdrawal Amount (12 CFR 229.12(d)): $450 → $550
- New-Account Amount (12 CFR 229.13(a)(1)(ii)): $5,525 → $6,725
- Large-Deposit Threshold (12 CFR 229.13(b)): $5,525 → $6,725
- Repeatedly Overdrawn Threshold (12 CFR 229.13(d)(2)): $5,525 → $6,725
- Civil Liability Amounts (12 CFR 229.21(a)(2)):
Individual Action: $100-$1,100 → $125-$1,350
Class Action: $552,500 → $672,950 (maximum)
What This Means for You
Financial institutions should:
- Review their policies and procedures to ensure compliance with these new thresholds by the effective date of July 1, 2025. These adjustments aim to maintain the real value of these thresholds over time, accounting for inflation.
- Notify their customers about the changes in their funds availability policies at least 30 days before the effective date, or no later than 30 days after the effective date for changes that expedite funds availability.
For more information or if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
2025 Faster Payments Barometer: Power Hour
The U.S. Faster Payments Council (FPC), in collaboration with Volante Technologies, released results from the 2025 Faster Payments Barometer, the latest in its series of comprehensive studies analyzing the adoption, trends, and perceptions surrounding faster payments in the United States.
The 2025 Faster Payments Barometer, conducted in the fall of 2024, captured insights from over 400 organizations, including financial institutions, businesses, associations, and technology providers. The findings underscore the critical role faster payments play in the U.S. payment system and highlight both the remarkable strides made and the barriers that remain.
Tomorrow's Members-Only Power Hour will feature FPC Executive Director Reed Luhtanen and Volante's Chief Marketing Officer Vinay Prabhakar for an insightful session that will feature highlights from the 2025 Faster Payments Barometer.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable perspectives on optimizing the power of faster payments today and tomorrow.
Top 50 Nacha Producers Announced
Special Congratulations to SFE Members on the List!
SFE Members were named to Nacha's Top 50 ACH Originating and Receiving Financial Institutions List for 2024.
Join us in congratulating:
- Cadence Bank, Tupelo, MS
- Evolve Bancorp Inc., West Memphis, AR
- First Horizon National Corporation, Memphis, TN
- Regions Financial Corporation, Birmingham, AL
Congratulations, all!
Sharp Growth in Business Use of Wire
Fed Take on Payments
Business payments are concentrated in wires, ACH credit transactions, and (still) checks, according to 2021 data released by the Federal Reserve Payments Study last month. Of these payment types, wires grew most by both number and value from 2018.
Spotlight! Payments Video Challenge
Winners Announced
The Payments Innovation Alliance established the Spotlight! Payments Video Challenge to empower others to create educational materials, resources and tools to help fight financial scams. The Alliance is a membership program that shapes the future of the payments industry and develops thought leadership relevant to financial services organizations.
And now the votes are in! Watch the top videos that take a stand against scammers. These creators nailed it—see how you can stay one step ahead of fraud.
FedNow® Service Announces New Risk Mitigation Features
Plus $1 Million Transaction Limit Increase
Starting in summer 2025, FedNow Service participants will have access to new account activity threshold functionality, which will allow participants to define value and velocity thresholds by customer segment to fit their unique business needs and risk tolerance. The new risk mitigation features will take effect alongside a FedNow Service transaction limit increase from $500,000 to $1 million.
“We're opening up opportunities for our customers to meet market needs, while also maintaining strong risk mitigation controls,” said Mark Gould, chief payments executive for Federal Reserve Financial Services. “The combination of account activity threshold functionality with the increased transaction limit gives participants powerful tools to customize risk parameters across customer segments, from established businesses to retail clients.”
ISO® 20022 Implementation Rescheduled to July 14
Federal Reserve Financial Services (FRFS) has decided to reschedule the Fedwire Funds Service ISO 20022 implementation from March 10 to July 14, 2025. This will provide customers and vendors who are not ready additional time to better prepare for the transition to the new ISO 20022 format.
The Fedwire Funds Service will remain on the current message format (i.e., Fedwire Application Interface Manual (FAIM) 3.0.7 format) until July 14. FRFS will announce its final “go” or “no go” decision for July 14 no later than June 27.
Should an ODFI Ask a TPS for Proof of a Rules Compliance Audit?
Here's Why RMAG Thinks You Should
On February 7th, Jordan Bennett (Senior Director, Network Risk Management for Nacha) highlighted an important question for ODFIs: Should you be asking your TPS for proof of their rules compliance audits?
According to members of Nacha’s Risk Management Advisory Group,(RMAG): Yes, you should. The risk management professionals from RMAG emphasized that it’s not enough to trust your customer when performing the due diligence process at onboarding or during the lifespan of the relationship. Click to read more on this important discussion.
2025 Supervisory Priorities: Be Prepared
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) have announced their 2025 supervisory priorities. Key focus areas for regulators include:
Payment systems and products:
- Checks
- Peer-to-peer transfers
- Wire transfers
- Bank-fintech partnerships
Specific risk areas:
- Fraud risk management
- Real-time/instant payments
- Third-party risk management
- Electronic Fund Transfer Act (Regulation E) compliance
- Payment and error resolution policies/procedures
To help your financial institution be prepared for an upcoming OCC or NCUA exam, contact SFE.
SFE can provide deep expertise in all payments systems, including auditors' perspectives with a team made up of payments industry veterans, including AAPs, APRPs, NCPs, and certified auditors. We can answer all of your regulatory and compliance questions and take it a step further, evaluating your policies and procedures from an auditor's perspective and identifying ways to lessen your risk.
Payments Hot Tip: Addressing Elder Financial Exploitation
A financial institution (FI) is required to file a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) if it knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect a transaction conducted or attempted by, at, or through the financial institution involves funds derived from illegal activity, or attempts to disguise funds derived from illegal activity; is designed to evade regulations promulgated under the BSA; lacks a business or apparent lawful purpose; or involves the use of the financial institution to facilitate criminal activity, including Elder Financial Exploitation. All statutorily defined financial institutions may voluntarily report suspicious transactions under the existing suspicious activity reporting safe harbor.
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Training on FedNow & Faster Payments
Do you have a faster payments strategy? Take advantage of SFE's VIP training series to ensure you are prepared for the future of payments.
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