Zelle

Zelle is a United States–based digital payments network owned by Early Warning Services, LLC. It enables person-to-person transfers between bank accounts using an email address or mobile phone number as the recipient identifier. The service is integrated into the mobile apps of participating banks and credit unions, and a standalone Zelle app is offered for users whose financial institution participates in the network.

Introduced in 2017, Zelle was developed to provide a faster alternative to traditional ACH transfers and to compete with other peer-to-peer apps. Transactions are initiated within a bank's mobile app or the Zelle app by entering a recipient's email or phone number and the amount. Transfers typically move within minutes between participating banks, though some bank-to-bank transfers may take longer or use the ACH network.

Zelle is available to customers of hundreds of U.S. banks and credit unions. It supports person-to-person payments as well as business use cases through Zelle for Businesses, allowing customers to pay merchants directly from their bank app. The program emphasizes secure, account-to-account transfers without handling card data.

Security and limitations: Payments are generally instant and, once sent, can be difficult to reverse. Users should verify recipient contact details before sending money. Zelle has faced criticism and warnings about fraud and scams, including attempts to trick users into sending funds to impostors. To mitigate risk, users should only send money to people they know and rely on official channels for customer support.