The ACI Speedpay 2026 Biller Impact Study by ACI Worldwide indicates that the bill payments industry is nearing a significant transformation, with 80% of organizations recognizing bill pay solutions as essential for business priorities, yet only 26% believing their current systems are future-ready.
The study reveals that 76% of billers plan to evaluate new bill pay solutions within the next 12 to 24 months, signaling a wave of modernization to future-proof their payment infrastructures. Improved payment resiliency was identified as the primary motivator for billers considering a switch in bill pay solutions over this period. The Biller Impact Study surveyed 712 executives and senior bill pay leaders across consumer finance, utilities, telecommunications, insurance, higher education, and the government sector in North America.
Ron Shultz, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the ACI Speedpay business, stated that the study demonstrates bill pay’s evolution from a back-office function into a strategic growth engine influencing trust, revenue, and customer loyalty. Shultz emphasized that resiliency has become fundamental to trust in digital payments, requiring systems that continuously manage complexity and process payments even amidst outages, fraud attempts, or network disruptions.
The findings also highlight a growing demand for urgent or immediate pay options, with only 42% of billers currently offering such a service, and 82% of those who do not planning to add it soon. This trend is partly driven by younger, digitally native consumers who prioritize speed, convenience, and security in urgent, same-day payments and mobile-first experiences.
Security emerged as one of the top three defining attributes for an ideal bill payment technology provider. Increasing fraud threats necessitate that billers reconsider transaction protection without introducing friction. The study underscores the importance of advanced fraud-prevention solutions, such as biometric authentication and real-time transaction verification, to maintain trust within the complex payments ecosystem.
David Albertazzi, Executive Advisor, Retail Banking & Payments Practice of Datos Insights, commented on the complex environment billers operate in, where payment flexibility, resiliency, and customer trust are interconnected. He noted that to remain competitive, billers must shift from reactive collections to proactive risk strategies and insight-led engagement to reduce missed payments and enhance long-term revenue stability.
Key findings from the study include: 80% of bill pay organizations view bill pay solutions as critical to achieving business priorities; 26% are confident their current systems can meet future needs; 76% plan to evaluate new solutions within the next 12 to 24 months; and improved payment resiliency is the top motivator for switching solutions. Top bill pay priorities are introducing self-service options, offering alternative payment methods, and implementing interchange fee optimization. The most common current bill pay channels are online through the biller website, mail, and phone via customer service. Reliability, technical security, and experience are cited as the top three attributes of an ideal bill payment technology provider.
ACI Worldwide, a global payments technology innovator, provides software solutions designed to orchestrate intelligent payments in real-time. The company aims to help banks, billers, and merchants drive growth by modernizing their payment infrastructures securely. With nearly 50 years of expertise, ACI Worldwide combines global reach with local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences.
