Payment Accounts
To provide the right solution for your use case, we offer a variety of payment accounts. Please refer to this section for more information on our payment solutions and specifics for each payment type. These are the payment accounts we currently support:
ACH (ACH-US)
ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments are an electronic form of payment between US bank accounts. They are a common and cost-effective way to transmit funds. Unlike other payment types, ACH transfers are not guaranteed funds and face the risk of returns up to 60 days after the transaction is settled (although most returns occur within 2-3 days). Read more about ACH Risk under Intro to Risk.
We offer Same-Day and Standard (Next-Day) ACH transfers for both ACH pushes (credits) and ACH pulls (debits).
Cutoff Times
ACH transfers are batch-processed by the Federal Reserve, which requires institutions to adhere to cutoff times for the transaction batches.
We will require a short additional time to process ACH transactions on our end before transmitting the transaction data to the Federal Reserve. Our cutoff times are:
ACH Type | Cutoff Time | Settlement Time |
Same Day | 11:00 AM PT | Same Business Day Transactions sent after the cutoff time will be included in the Next Day ACH batch at 3:00 PM PT. Same-Day pricing will still apply. |
Next Day | 3:00 PM PT | Next Business Day Transactions sent after the 3:00 PM PT cutoff time will be included in the following business day's ACH batch. |
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
ACH Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate ACH:
Link Account
There are two ways to link an ACH account. Either by supplying the login credentials to the user's bank account or by supplying the account and routing numbers. Both are highlighted under Create ACH Account section.
Create Transaction
The next step is to create a transaction. Either from an ACH node or to an ACH node.
Interchange (INTERCHANGE-US)
Don't Store or Transmit Card Numbers
Storing or transmitting card numbers requires platforms to be PCI compliant. So please do not store card numbers in your system unless you are PCI compliant.
Interchange Processing pushes/pulls funds for external debit or credit cards. Interchange Transactions are near-instant, and thus much faster than alternative transaction methods. However, they expose the platform to chargeback risk and are generally more expensive than ACH transactions, especially for larger amounts, as their cost (with the exception of Push-to-Debit) is in part based on a percentage of the transferred amount. Read more about Interchange Risk under Intro to Risk.
We currently support Pulls and Pushes for Credit, Debit and Prepaid cards issued by Visa, Mastercard, and some smaller networks such as STAR, Pulse, Accel, and NYCE. Please note, that not all issuers enable push to card on their side. So pushing funds to those cards will fail.
Cutoff Times
Interchange transfers do not have cutoff times because they are processed near real-time and can sometimes take up to 30 minutes to settle.
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
Interchange Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate Interchange Transactions:
Link Account
The first step is to Create an Interchange Account instance in our system. Once that is done, the node will either have DEBIT, CREDIT or CREDIT-AND-DEBIT permissions which would guide you in what types of transfers are enabled on this card by the issuer. Go to Possible Allowed Values to learn more.
Create Transaction
The next step is to create a transaction. Either from an Interchange node or to an Interchange node.
Fedwire (WIRE-US)
Wires offer the benefit of being guaranteed funds that settle relatively quickly. While wires are more expensive than ACH transactions, they face no return risk, making them ideal for large sum transactions or situations where return risks need to be eliminated. Because they can't be returned, wires do pose some risks for the originator. Go to Intro to Risk to learn more.
We currently use Fedwire® Funds Service for this feature.
Cutoff Times
Wire transfers have cutoff times because the bank's have account reconciliation obligations with the Fed. Our cutoff times are:
Cutoff Time | Settlement Time |
12:00 PM PT | Same Business Day Domestic Wire transactions sent after the cutoff time will be processed the following business day. |
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
Fedwire Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more about that, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate a Fedwire:
Link Account
The first step is to Create a Fedwire Account instance in our system. Once that is done, the node will have CREDIT permissions. Go to Possible Allowed Values to learn more.
Create Transaction
The next step is to create a transaction. You will be sending funds from the deposit or credit account, to the Wire node.
SWIFT (WIRE-INT)
SWIFT offers a way to send funds to family, friends, and businesses outside of the US. Additionally, while wires are more expensive than domestic transactions, they face no return risk, making them ideal for situations where return risks need to be eliminated. Due to the non-return nature of SWIFT, they do pose some risks for the originator. Go to Intro to Risk to learn more.
Cutoff Times
Wire transfers have cutoff times because the bank's have account reconciliation obligations with SWIFT. Our cutoff times are:
Cutoff Time | Settlement Time |
9:00 AM PT | Same Business Day International Wire transactions sent after the cutoff time will be processed the following business day. |
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
SWIFT Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate a SWIFT transfer:
Link Account
The first step is to Create a SWIFT Account instance in our system. Once that is done, the node will have CREDIT permissions. Go to Possible Allowed Values to learn more.
Create Transaction
The next step is to create a transaction. You will be sending funds from the deposit or credit account, to the SWIFT node.
Note on Currency Conversions
We send and receive wires in USD. Any currency conversions will be performed either by the sending financial institution (for incoming wires) or the receiving financial institution (for outgoing wires) rather than by Synapse directly. Exchange rates can differ by the currency being converted, the entity performing the currency conversion, and even by the associated correspondent bank. Please note that the exchange rates provided to you by the entity performing the conversion will likely differ from rates you may see online (e.g. from Google search results). The entity should provide proper disclosures with both the amount in USD and the amount in the foreign currency.
RPPS
RPPS (Remote Payment and Present Service) is an electronic payment network that enables Platforms to provide bill payment services to consumers. RPPS provides electronic routing, settlement services, billing, and online research tools to facilitate electronic bill payments (including online bill payment request processing). While financial institutions currently cannot process bill payments to foreign merchants via RPPS, it is possible that such functionality may be available at a future date. While RPPS has reduced fraud risk, RPPS transactions can still return. Go to Intro to Risk to learn more.
Cutoff Times
Wire transfers have cutoff times because the bank's have account reconciliation obligations with RPPS. Our cutoff times are:
Cutoff Time | Settlement Time |
1:00 PM PT | Same Business Day Transactions sent after the cutoff time will be included in the following business day's RPPS batch. |
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
RPPS Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate a RPPS transfer:
Locate Biller ID
The first step is to Locate ID of the Biller that you wish to connect.
Link Account
The next step is to Create a RPPS Account instance in our system. Once that is done, the node will have CREDIT permissions. Go to Possible Allowed Values to learn more.
Create Transaction
The next step is to create a transaction. You will be sending funds from the deposit or credit account, to the RPPS node to pay the bill.
Checks (CHECK-US)
Our checks allows you to issue and mail checks on demand from any Deposit or Credit account. You may use checks for bill pay because they are accepted by all services and utility providers. While check issuance has reduced fraud risk, transactions can still return. Go to Intro to Risk to learn more.
Cutoff Times
Check transfers have cutoff times because all check payments are printed and batched together once a day. Our cutoff times are:
Cutoff Time | Settlement Time |
3:00 PM PT | Will vary by the external bank the check is being deposited to. Once the check has been deposited, the bank will hold the funds for a period of time before clearing the check. |
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
Check Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate a Check transfer:
Link Account
The next step is to Create a Check Account instance in our system. Once that is done, the node will have CREDIT permissions. Go to Possible Allowed Values to learn more.
Create Transaction
The next step is to create a transaction. You will be sending funds from the deposit or credit account, to the Check node.
RDC
Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) is a form of payment in which users can deposit a check by taking a picture of it. RDC is more convenient than depositing a check at an ATM or at a bank branch because it allows users to make the check deposit from the comfort of their home. However, it exposes the platform to standard RDC fraud and return risks. Similar to ACH, RDC transfers are not guaranteed funds and face the risk of returns up to 60 days after the transaction is settled (although most returns occur within 2-3 days). Read more about RDC Risk under Intro to Risk.
Cutoff Times
RDC transfers are batch-processed by the Federal Reserve, which requires institutions to adhere to cutoff times for the transaction batches.
We will require a short additional time to process RDC transactions on our end before transmitting the transaction data to the Federal Reserve. Our cutoff times are:
Cutoff Time | Settlement Time |
3:00 PM PT | Credits for RDC transactions are issued and settled in 6 business days by default. This timeline can be slightly reduced, but doing so will significantly increase your exposure to NSF returns which occur within the first 3 business days following deposits. |
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
RDC Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate a RDC transfer:
Create Transaction
An RDC transfer does not require creating a node, so all you need to do is to Create an RDC Transfer.
Note on Image Quality
Checks are verified by our computer vision modules and for that reason it's very important to ensure that a clean image of the check is submitted to our system. The image should have all 4 corners of the check visible, without additional background and everything should be well lit and clearly visible.
The RDC image processing system does use advanced processing techniques such as image orientation, cropping and noise reduction to help eliminate manual reviews of check images and allow faster processing overall.
Internal Transactions
With Internal Transactions you can transfer funds between Synapse managed nodes (eg. Deposit, Credit, etc.) in near real-time.
Cutoff Times
Internal transfers do not have cutoff times because they are near real-time and can sometimes take up to 30 minutes to settle.
Initiating Transactions
We are assuming that:
Internal Transactions are enabled in your Spec Sheet. To learn more, go to Intro to Spec Sheets.
The user you wish to enable transfers for is already in our system and has
SEND-AND-RECEIVEpermissions. Go to Users API Refs to learn more.They are trying to move money between two Synapse managed nodes.
If that is true, then here is how you can initiate Internal Transactions:
Create Transaction
The first step is to Create Transaction, and there are no second steps 🙂.
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