- Sila launched Instant Settlement this week.
- The new tool offers customers real-time access to ACH debits made on the Sila platform.
- Instant Settlement works with all ACH transactions on the Sila platform and doesn’t require banks to adopt a particular payment rail.
Banking and payment infrastructure-as-a-service company Sila is launching a new product called Instant Settlement this week. The solution offers customers real-time access to ACH debits made with the Sila platform.
As its name suggests, Sila’s new tool offers companies access to funds instantly, without needing to wait the traditional two-to-five day time period of the ACH settlement to clear. Without the need to wait for funds to clear, companies no longer need to pre-fund transactions or rely on their own capital.
With Instant Settlement, Sila pre-funds the consumer’s digital wallet within a matter of seconds. The company’s approach works with all ACH transactions on the Sila platform because it doesn’t rely on any particular payment rail.
“With Instant Settlement, we are revolutionizing the way businesses and individuals access and manage their funds,” said Sila Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer Shamir Karkal. “We understand the importance of transaction speed in today’s fast-paced business landscape, and by offering Instant Settlement, we are providing our customers with a competitive advantage that sets them apart in their respective industries.”
Sila notes that Instant Settlement works best in situations such as payroll processing, back-office money movements, B2B transactions, and physical cash transactions where ACH is preferred, but return risks are low. That’s because it requires customers to maintain sufficient funds in a reserve wallet to cover potential return risks.
The timing of today’s release is notable as it comes shortly after the launch of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s launch of FedNow real-time payments system. Sila differentiates itself from FedNow and other real-time payments companies such as RTP because it doesn’t require banks to adopt a specific rail. “While everyone is rushing to RTP (65% coverage) and FedNow both of those instant payment systems are limited by the number of banks that adopt a particular instant payment rail while Sila’s Instant Settlement doesn’t rely on banks to adopt anything and instead, it is applicable to 100% of ACH transactions on its platform,” the company explained.
Sila was founded in 2018 by Karkal, who was one of the entrepreneurs who co-founded challenger bank Simple in 2009. The Oregon-based company has gone on to raise $20.7 million.