When Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU) began exploring real-time payments, leadership knew the conversation had to go beyond speed. For an $18 billion credit union serving a large and growing membership base, any new payment rail would need to deliver operational value and not just gather accolades about innovation.

What RBFCU ultimately found was that the RTP® network could do both.

Building the Business Case: A Phased, Data-Driven Approach

From the outset, RBFCU approached real-time payments methodically. Rather than launching full send-and-receive capabilities immediately, the credit union split its strategy into two phases.

“We made the decision early on that we were going to break it into two parts ... and we broke it into receive only capability and then send capability,” said Deana Bartel, Vice President of Payment Services at RBFCU.

This phased approach helped better manage risk associated with sending instant payments, ease internal concerns, and create a clearer business case. The first phase, receive-only, offered what Bartel described as a quick operational win: enabling real-time deposits into member accounts without introducing the complexity of managing outbound payments.

The time is now because your peers and competitors are either offering real-time payments or they will be soon. Now is the perfect opportunity to get in the game.

To build the business case and quantify the opportunity, RBFCU analyzed its 2024 one-time ACH originations. By estimating how much of that traffic might transition to instant payments over the RTP network, the team was able to model transaction-related costs and potential volume impact. The analysis gave executives confidence that the investment would meet financial projections.

Equally important during the early stages of building the business case, RBFCU engaged with the fraud, risk, compliance, and operational teams. That cross-functional collaboration allowed leadership to evaluate potential exposure from different angles and confirm that existing processes, technology resources, established compliance controls, and the credit union’s fraud mitigation tools could be leveraged for real-time payments.

The result was a business case built on data, risk management, and operational readiness that would meet not only financial expectations, but also meet the needs of members.

Immediate Results After Joining RTP Network

RBFCU joined the RTP network in January 2025 with the ability to receive instant payments. What was surprising, noted Bartel, was that the payments flow was almost instantaneous.

Within seconds of going live, the credit union received its first real-time transaction. On its first day alone, RBFCU received 359 transactions totaling more than $180,000. From January through the end of June 2025, the credit union processed more than 273,000 RTP transactions, representing over $120 million in deposit volume.

Much of that activity came from digital wallet platforms such as Venmo, PayPal, Square, or MoneyLion. Members were already moving money in these ecosystems and the RTP network allowed those funds to flow directly and instantly into RBFCU accounts.

The timing of transactions also reinforced member demand for 24/7 access. A significant portion of activity occurred outside traditional business hours — on evenings and weekends — without requiring additional staffing.

Operational Efficiencies Without Additional Headcount

One of the most significant outcomes of RTP network adoption was operational efficiency. Despite processing hundreds of thousands of transactions, RBFCU did not need to add staff.

“The biggest thing that we've seen is we really didn't have to add any additional staffing, and we really don't anticipate adding staffing for send as well,” Bartel said.

That result is particularly noteworthy given the common perception that real-time rails require round-the-clock monitoring. Instead, RTP’s network design, where transactions either settle immediately or do not process at all, reduced the need for day-two corrections, returns, and manual follow-up.

And by integrating RTP network within established account systems, RBFCU avoided duplicative workflows. Implementation for receive-only proved seamless, and operational teams quickly returned to their normal routines after launch.

Melissa Ashley, President and CEO of Corporate One Federal Credit Union, RBFCU’s RTP network service provider, has seen similar results across other institutions. She explained that unlike some legacy payment rails that generate back-end adjustments and reconciliation work, immediate payments simplify processing. Payments either succeed or fail in real time, minimizing exception management that occurs a day or two later.

For RBFCU, adding instant payments translated into scalable deposit growth without scaling headcount.

The Next Phase: RTP Send

With receive-only firmly established, RBFCU turned to building the business case for send capability. This second phase required deeper analysis of transaction-related costs, liquidity management, and outbound fraud exposure. Executives carefully reviewed projections and revisited committee discussions multiple times before approving the next step. The thoughtful approach reflected both excitement and prudence.

Bartel acknowledged the strategic importance of moving forward. “The time is now because your peers and competitors are either offering real-time payments or they will be soon. Now is the perfect opportunity to get in the game,” she said.

RBFCU expects to kick off its send implementation in mid-2026. The new capability will be integrated into its existing “Move Money” experience within online and mobile banking. Members will choose how quickly funds need to arrive, and RBFCU will route the transaction accordingly without requiring members to understand the differences between payment rails.

The credit union also plans a comprehensive employee and member education campaign to support the rollout. Front-line staff will be trained to explain and promote real-time send functionality.

A Model for Modern Payments

Randolph-Brooks’ RTP journey demonstrates that real-time payments are not just about faster funds. When implemented strategically, they can reduce manual processes, streamline operations, recapture transaction volume, and scale efficiently.

By building a deliberate business case, phasing implementation, and focusing on operational readiness, RBFCU has transformed real-time payments into a competitive and operational advantage. As the credit union prepares to expand with the send capability, it does so from a position of strength, supported by measurable results, proven efficiencies, and a payments infrastructure ready for the future.