Instant payments are no longer a trend but a basic expectation of the financial ecosystem in Latin America. Today, consumers and businesses demand immediate transfers, available 24/7, integrated into their applications, and with real-time confirmation.

Systems such as Pix in Brazil, SPEI and DiMo in Mexico, Transferencias 3.0 in Argentina, TEF in Chile, and Bre-B in Colombia are redefining the way money flows in the region, driving financial inclusion, operational efficiency, and new business models.

But this speed also brings new challenges that financial leaders cannot ignore.

Why are instant payments strategic for financial institutions?

From an executive perspective, real-time payments have a direct impact on three key fronts:

• Liquidity and operational efficiency
  The immediate availability of funds improves cash flow, reduces reconciliation times, and lowers costs associated with manual or intermediary processes.
• Customer experience and loyalty
  Instant confirmation builds trust. In an increasingly digital market, speed translates into satisfaction and loyalty.
• Financial inclusion and competitiveness
  Instant payments make it possible to reach underbanked populations and compete with new digital players that prioritize simplicity and accessibility.

It is no coincidence that, according to regional data, more than 60% of consumer spending in the Americas

The other side of immediacy: risk and security

The same feature that makes instant payments attractive—speed—is what increases operational and fraud risk.

When a transaction is settled in seconds, there is no room for reversals. Prevention is no longer a complement but becomes the central axis of the model.

Among the most significant risks are:

• Account takeover
• Synthetic identities for fraudulent account opening
• Social engineering and real-time deception

In this context, security can no longer be treated as an isolated technical requirement. It is a strategic business decision.

From reactive security to demonstrable trust

One of the major changes in the ecosystem is that it is no longer enough to promise trust:
it must be demonstrable to regulators, auditors, partners, and customers.

Today, entities are expected to have:

• Robust identity verification from onboarding
• Continuous authentication for every critical transaction
• Monitoring of behavior patterns and devices
• The ability to comply with regulations without excessive friction for the user

The challenge is not only technological, but also one of governance, design, and architecture. Legacy platforms, with manual processes and fragmented controls, were not created to operate at the speed demanded by the new instant payment ecosystem.

Bre-B and the future of instant payment in Colombia

In Colombia, the arrival of Bre-B marks a turning point. As an interoperable, free, nationwide system, it opens up enormous opportunities for financial institutions and cooperatives that want to expand their digital offerings.

However, its success will depend on two critical factors:

• Seamless technological integration capabilities
• Strong security and digital identity models

As has happened in markets such as Brazil with Pix, instant payment systems not only transform the way we pay, but also redefine competition and accelerate innovation in financial products.

What financial leaders should be asking themselves today

Before adopting or scaling instant payments, management teams should reflect on key questions:

• Does our technology architecture support real-time operations without losing control?
• Do we have complete visibility into transactional risk?
• Are our identity and authentication processes designed for today’s speed?
• Does the user experience balance security and simplicity?

Answering these questions clearly is what separates successful adoption from risky implementation.

Recommended resource for financial leaders:

The Guide to Instant Payments in Latin America (Jumio) offers detailed analysis of the drivers, applications, and security considerations that accompany these systems in key markets.
📘 Acces the official guide here

Conclusion: speed with control

Instant payments are undoubtedly the present and future of the financial system in Latin America. But speed without control does not generate sustainable value.

Entities that manage to combine immediacy, security, and governance will not only protect their operations but also strengthen trust—that invisible asset that sustains the entire financial ecosystem.

In an environment where money moves in seconds, strategic preparation makes all the difference.

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