A Credit Union's Leap to Instant Payments Signals a Tipping Point

SCRANTON, PA – July 14, 2026 – In an unassuming move that carries industry-wide implications, NET Credit Union, a community-focused institution in Scranton, has activated instant payment capabilities. By partnering with fintech firm Alacriti, the credit union now allows its members to send and receive money in seconds through both the RTP® network and the FedNow® Service. While on the surface this is a story about a single credit union upgrading its technology, it serves as a crucial case study in a much larger narrative: the democratization of financial infrastructure and the competitive imperative for community banks and credit unions to adapt to a world that no longer waits for payments to clear.

This expansion builds upon a relationship with Alacriti that began in 2024 with a successful overhaul of the credit union's loan payment system. Rather than a costly and disruptive 'rip-and-replace' project, NET Credit Union is demonstrating a model of 'progressive modernization'—a strategic, layered approach to innovation that may hold the key for thousands of similar institutions navigating the pressures of digital transformation.

The New Speed of Money

For decades, the American payment system has operated on a batch-based schedule, a relic of a pre-digital era. Transfers made via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network could take one to three business days to settle, creating frustrating delays and uncertainty for consumers and businesses alike. The advent of the RTP® network, launched by The Clearing House in 2017, and the Federal Reserve’s FedNow® Service, which followed, fundamentally changed this paradigm.

These networks are not merely faster versions of old systems; they represent a complete reimagining of money movement. Operating 24/7/365, they allow for the immediate clearing and settlement of payments, meaning funds are available in the recipient's account within seconds. This shift from 'eventually' to 'instantly' has profound consequences. For an individual, it means receiving a paycheck and having immediate access to it, even on a Sunday. For a small business, it means collecting payment for services and being able to make payroll without worrying about a cash flow gap. For a gig economy worker, it eliminates the agonizing wait for earnings to post.

NET Credit Union's decision to enable capabilities on both major networks is significant. It ensures maximum reach and interoperability, placing the member experience at the center of its strategy. As Marc Michalowski, CIO at NET Credit Union, stated, "Our goal is to make every interaction as simple and frictionless as possible for our members. Whether they're making a loan payment or moving money through instant payments, we want the experience to be fast, intuitive, and completed in seconds."

A Blueprint for Progressive Modernization

The most compelling aspect of NET Credit Union's story is not just the 'what,' but the 'how.' Many smaller financial institutions are paralyzed by the perceived cost and complexity of modernization. They face aging core systems and the daunting prospect of multi-year, multi-million dollar overhauls. NET's journey offers a more pragmatic and scalable blueprint.

By first implementing Alacriti’s Orbipay Loan Payments in 2024, the credit union addressed a specific pain point while simultaneously laying a technological foundation. This initial project streamlined a critical member interaction, reduced manual staff work, and built institutional trust in their new technology partner. With that foundation in place, expanding into instant payments became a logical next step rather than a monumental leap. The new capabilities were rolled out through a controlled implementation with no disruption to members, leveraging the same underlying infrastructure.

"NET Credit Union's continued payments evolution is a perfect example of progressive payments modernization," noted Mark Majeske, Senior Vice President of Faster Payments at Alacriti. "This approach allows institutions to deliver new payment solutions faster, simplify operations, and create a scalable framework for future innovation.”

This strategy mitigates risk and allows institutions to generate ROI from one project to help fund the next. The press release highlights a key outcome: "growing organic adoption." This isn't a feature being pushed onto a reluctant user base; it's a capability being eagerly embraced because it solves a real-world problem. As Michalowski added, "We've already seen adoption continue to grow, which reinforces that members value the speed and convenience these capabilities provide."

The Technology Hub at the Center

Facilitating this modernization is Alacriti's Orbipay Payments Hub. In today's fragmented payments landscape, connecting to each new rail—be it RTP, FedNow, Zelle, or others—can become a complex and costly task for a financial institution. A payments hub acts as a universal adapter, providing a single point of integration to a multitude of payment networks.

This architecture is critical for agility. Instead of building bespoke connections for each payment type, institutions like NET can connect once to the hub and then 'turn on' new services as they become available or strategically relevant. This dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for adopting cutting-edge payment technologies and allows smaller players to offer services that were once the exclusive domain of the nation's largest banks.

This model positions technology providers like Alacriti as essential enablers for the community banking sector. They provide the scale and specialized expertise that most credit unions and regional banks cannot afford to build in-house, effectively leveling the playing field and fostering a more competitive financial ecosystem. The ability for NET to add instant payments "without replacing existing systems or creating operational burden" is a testament to the power of this hub-and-spoke model.

The Competitive Imperative for Community Finance

Ultimately, this move is about more than just technology; it is about survival and relevance. Member expectations are no longer shaped by the bank down the street but by the seamless, instant experiences offered by global tech giants and fintech disruptors. The standard for 'good service' is now set by Amazon, Uber, and Venmo. In this environment, a three-day wait for a transfer feels archaic and unacceptable.

Credit unions, founded on a principle of member service, are uniquely positioned to benefit from this shift if they can keep pace. By offering instant payments, NET Credit Union is not just providing a convenience; it is reinforcing its core value proposition. As a not-for-profit institution that reinvests its income into better rates and services, this technology investment is a direct reinvestment in member value. It demonstrates a commitment to meeting members where they are, in a world that operates in real time.

As new payment use cases continue to emerge, from instant bill pay to real-time insurance claim payouts, the institutions that have this foundational infrastructure in place will be the ones to thrive. NET Credit Union's deliberate, strategic expansion is a quiet but powerful signal that the instant payment revolution is not just for the big banks anymore; it is becoming the new standard for all financial institutions that wish to remain central to their members' financial lives.