Payment Rails 101: What Every Business Leader Should Know - The Briefing | On The Wire

Until recently, merchants chose between "cheap and slow" or "fast and expensive." Instant payment rails changed that equation - offering cheap and fast simultaneously.Payment rails are the infrastructure that moves money between accounts. The rail you choose determines your payment costs, settlement timing, and customer experience. Most businesses default to cards without realising cheaper, faster alternatives exist.This 6-minute briefing covers the four major rails - card networks, ACH/SEPA, wire transfers, and instant payment rails - and what each costs on a real €10,000 transaction.Full source material and the complete guide: payware.eu/en/articles/payment-rails-101Produced by payware - the transaction resolution network for instant A2A payments.AI-generated from payware's published research and documentation.