Account-to-account payments (A2A)

What are account-to-account payments?

Account-to-account payments, or A2A payments, are payments that move money directly from one bank account to another.

Unlike card payments, A2A payments do not rely on card networks to move funds between the payer and the recipient. Instead, the payment is processed through bank transfer rails, instant payment systems, open banking connections, or local account-based payment schemes.

In simple terms, A2A payments let customers pay directly from their bank account.

How account-to-account payments work

An A2A payment starts when the payer authorizes a transfer from their bank account to the recipient's account. The exact flow depends on the country, payment method, bank, and payment provider. In many online payment flows, the customer selects a bank payment option, chooses their bank, confirms the payment through their banking app or online banking, and the funds are sent to the merchant or recipient.

A2A payments can be used for one-time purchases, bill payments, wallet top-ups, payouts, subscriptions, peer-to-peer transfers, and business payments.

Common types of A2A payments

Account-to-account payments can include several payment models and local schemes, such as:

• bank transfers;
• instant bank payments;
• open banking payments;
• direct debit payments;
• real-time payment schemes;
• local account-based methods;
• peer-to-peer bank transfers;
• business-to-business account transfers.

Some A2A payments are instant or near-instant. Others may take longer, depending on the bank rails and local payment infrastructure.