Connexus Alacriti real-time payments rollout adds RTP and FedNow

Connexus Alacriti real-time payments capabilities have gone live through the RTP network and the FedNow Service, extending the credit union’s use of Alacriti’s Orbipay platform. The companies said the rollout gives Connexus members faster access to incoming funds, more digital funding options and account-to-account transfers with outside financial institutions.

The launch expands a relationship that began in 2023, when Connexus Credit Union implemented Orbipay Loan Payments. That earlier deployment gave the credit union digital loan payment tools intended to improve member convenience and reduce operational friction, including self-service functions, flexible payment options and clearer visibility into payment activity, according to the companies.

Connexus is now using Orbipay Payments Hub to support instant payment send and receive functions across both US real-time payment systems named in the announcement: the RTP network and the FedNow Service.

What does Connexus get from Alacriti real-time payments?

In this rollout, Send and Receive means Connexus can originate and accept instant payments through both supported rails from within its existing digital banking environment. For members, the companies said that can mean quicker availability of money arriving from external sources and easier movement of funds between Connexus and accounts at other financial institutions.

The implementation also adds broader account funding options. Connexus said the new capabilities can support digital money movement into share certificates and other account types, widening the range of transactions members can handle without relying on slower or more manual processes.

For the credit union’s back office, Alacriti’s platform automates real-time payment posting. The companies said that automation is expected to reduce manual work for Connexus’s payments operations team while keeping the instant payment features embedded in the credit union’s existing digital banking platform.

Cindi Jaeger, vice president of deposit operations at Connexus Credit Union, said the credit union’s prior work with Alacriti on loan payments helped establish the trust and working relationship behind the move into instant payments. She said Connexus is focused on financial experiences that are convenient and innovative for members.

Mark Majeske, senior vice president of faster payments at Alacriti, said the Connexus relationship shows how continued collaboration can help financial institutions add payment capabilities over time. He said Alacriti expects real-time payments to become a larger part of the member experience.

How RTP and FedNow fit into the rollout

The companies described the project as a single payments infrastructure supporting both loan payments and instant payments through Orbipay. In practice, that lets Connexus use one vendor platform for multiple payment use cases rather than treating real-time payment access as a separate digital channel.

Alacriti positioned the expansion as part of its work helping financial institutions modernize payment operations and meet consumer demand for faster access to money. The companies did not disclose implementation costs, transaction volumes or member adoption targets.

This story draws on original reporting from Finextra Research.