Real-time payments hold ground in Latin America, study finds

By Aarav Garg

Real-time payments are becoming a more important part of FinTech infrastructure in Latin America, with a new ACI Worldwide report suggesting that Peru, Chile and Argentina are entering a more mature phase of adoption.

The study examined 40 countries and argues that faster payment rails can support economic activity by reducing failed payments, lowering transaction costs and improving settlement speed.

The report forecasts that by 2028 real-time payments could add $19.3 billion in GDP in Argentina, $376 million in Peru and $740 million in Chile, while also expanding access to formal financial services. It estimates that 1.1 million people could enter the formal financial system in Argentina, 1.4 million in Peru and more than 83,000 in Chile.

For FinTech firms, the significance goes beyond headline growth figures. Real-time payments can support digital wallets, merchant collections, cross-border use cases and account-to-account transfers, while also improving the economics of small-value payments. The report suggests that the market opportunity is strongest where adoption moves beyond person-to-person transfers and into everyday commerce, business payments and broader financial access.

The report also points to Brazil and Colombia as regional reference points. Brazil’s Pix ecosystem is forecast to contribute $49.9 billion in additional formal GDP by 2028, while Colombia’s Bre-B rollout is projected to bring 5.1 million previously excluded people into banking. For other Latin American markets, the message is that real-time infrastructure is no longer just a payments upgrade; it is increasingly being treated as a platform for inclusion, competition and digital financial growth.

“Each market is entering this next phase from a different starting point,” said Mauricio Fernández, real-time payments lead, Latin America, ACI Worldwide. “In Peru, the central bank’s push for real-time payments and interoperability could transform the payments ecosystem and significantly expand financial inclusion. In Chile, the focus is on widening adoption, moving beyond person-to-person payments to merchant payments and everyday transactions. In Argentina, regulatory reforms and the rapid growth of fintechs are driving innovation and competition, helping to broaden access to financial services and support economic growth.”