Instant Payments Queueing

Overview

Instant Payments are processed in near real time through the RTP® network.

Under standard behavior, if a payment cannot be processed (for example, due to network unavailability), the transaction fails immediately and returns an error.

Instant Payments Queueing modifies this behavior by allowing payments to be temporarily held and retried when the RTP network is unavailable.

Queueing Behavior

When queueing is enabled and the RTP network is unavailable at submission:

• The payment is queued instead of failed
• The system retries the payment automatically while it remains in the queue
• The payment is processed once the RTP network becomes available
• If the queue duration is exceeded, the payment fails

Queueing applies only to RTP network availability issues.

Payments may still fail immediately due to other validation or processing errors, including:

• Insufficient funds
• Invalid recipient details
• Payment validation failures
• Other RTP network rejection conditions

Configuration

Clients can configure how long a payment remains in the queue.

Queue Duration

Defines the maximum amount of time a payment will remain queued and eligible for automatic retry.

Example:

• 24 hours

If no queue duration is configured, Instant Payments follow the default behavior and may fail immediately when the RTP network is unavailable.

Processing Flow

With queueing enabled, the payment lifecycle is extended.

With queueing enabled, the payment lifecycle is extended:

• Submitted → Payment request is received
• Queued → RTP network unavailable; payment held for retry
• Processing → RTP network available; payment resubmitted
• Completed → Payment successfully processed
• Failed → Queue duration exceeded or payment rejected

Lifecycle states:

Benefits

Reduced Failures

Minimizes failed transactions caused by temporary RTP network outages or availability disruptions.

No Forced Failover

Avoids requiring payment resubmission through alternative payment rails (for example, ACH).

Faster Settlement Than Alternatives

Maintains the ability to complete through the RTP network, preserving faster processing compared to non-instant payment methods.

Improved Resiliency

Provides automatic recovery from temporary RTP network interruptions without requiring client intervention.

Example

RTP Network Unavailable at Submission

1. Payment is submitted.
2. RTP network is unavailable.
3. Payment is placed into the queue.
   • You can identify that the instant payment has been queued when the queued_until field is populated in the response.
   • queued_until is only returned for queued instant payments and indicates how long the payment will remain in the queue based on your configured queuing settings.
4. RTP network connectivity is restored.
5. The system automatically retries the payment.
6. Payment is processed successfully.
7. Payment is completed.

Operational Considerations

Funds Availability

Funds must still be available when the payment is ultimately processed.

A payment that enters the queue is not guaranteed to complete if account conditions change before processing occurs.

Queue Expiration

When the configured queue duration is exceeded:

• Automatic retry stops
• The payment transitions to a failed state
• Normal failure handling applies

Validation Rules

Queueing does not bypass:

• Account validation
• Payment validation
• RTP network rules
• Compliance or screening requirements

Payments that fail these checks may still be rejected immediately.

Notes

• Queueing applies only to RTP network availability interruptions.
• Queueing does not replace standard payment validation.
• Queueing does not guarantee payment completion.
• Automatic retry continues only for the configured queue duration.
• This feature is designed to improve resiliency during RTP outages while preserving instant payment behavior whenever the network is available.

FAQs

What causes a payment to enter the queue?

A payment enters the queue when queueing is enabled and the RTP network is unavailable at the time the payment is submitted.

How long will a payment remain queued?

A payment remains queued for the configured queue duration. Once that duration is exceeded, the payment fails.

Can queued payments still fail?

Yes. A queued payment may fail if:

• The queue duration expires
• Funds are unavailable at processing time
• Validation checks fail
• The RTP network rejects the payment

Does queueing automatically switch the payment to ACH?

No. Queueing keeps the payment on the RTP rail and retries RTP processing. It does not automatically fail over to another payment rail.

Does queueing guarantee payment completion?

No. Queueing improves resiliency during temporary RTP outages but does not guarantee a successful payment outcome.