Payment Hubs Stand at a Crossroads

Payment hubs were once pitched as the solution to payments sprawl. They delivered improvements but rarely the full promise. Most ended up siloed by line of business or payment rail. Today, that model is under pressure. Real-time payments and open banking are redefining how payments are processed, and the batch-era design of the payment hub may no longer fit the demands of speed, transparency, and configurability. 

This report examines why the hub model is under pressure and what comes after. It also looks at how banks should approach payments modernization. Further, it outlines how vendors are repositioning hubs to meet evolving expectations and how a better understanding of the hub’s role today can help FIs prepare for infrastructure that handles open, real-time payments.

Key questions discussed in this Tech & Infrastructure research report: 

• How has the shift toward real-time payments and open banking put pressure on the hub model?
• Can hubs still serve a useful role, or do they become obstacles to modernization?
• How are vendors repositioning their hub offerings to align with banks’ evolving needs and maturity levels? 

Companies Mentioned: 

ACI Worldwide, FIS, Fiserv, Volante