10 FinTech Innovations Disrupting Traditional Banking in 2025

2. Real-Time Payments and FedNow Change How Money Moves

Waiting days for checks to clear or money to land in your account? That’s looking old-fashioned fast. FedNow, a brand-new payment system from the Federal Reserve, kicked off 24/7 instant money transfers in the U.S. Now, banks, apps like Zelle, and fintech payment rails are serving up “real-time” wage payouts, bill payments, and peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers at any hour—even on weekends and holidays. Companies are already paying workers instantly after each shift; freelancers and gig workers love this new speed. Regular folks benefit too, especially when surprise bills pop up. Of course, faster payments mean faster fraud if you’re not careful—once money moves, it’s often gone for good. Still, real-time payments are smashing the old “business day” limits, letting your cash move at the speed of a tap instead of the pace of a postage stamp. Just check twice before you send, because there’s no easy “undo” on instant money.