The payments landscape for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is undergoing a transformation thanks to the growing adoption of instant methods. Such businesses rely on receiving nonrecurring, or ad hoc, disbursements for an increasing share of their monthly income. Thus, the speed and efficiency of receiving immediate payments are critical factors influencing an SMB’s operational stability and competitive advantage.
Currently, more than 6 in 10, or 61%, of all SMBs surveyed received at least one ad hoc payment via instant methods within the past 12 months. This shows a steady increase from 59% a year ago. Meanwhile, the proportion of micro SMBs, those with less than $100,000 in annual revenue, that rely most on instant payments, has tripled year over year. These increases signify a fundamental shift toward payment methods that better meet a business’s challenges in managing its cash flow.
These are some of the findings detailed in “Fast Funds, Steady Cash Flow: How Instant Disbursements Empower SMBs,” a PYMNTS Intelligence and Ingo Payments collaboration. This report is based on a survey of 628 SMBs that are instant payment receivers generating less than $25 million in annual revenue in the United States. It was conducted between Jan. 14, 2025, and Feb. 3, 2025. The report examines SMBs’ reliance on instant ad hoc payments, exploring the drivers behind the increasing need for instant disbursements and the implications for SMBs across various industries.
The report explores SMBs’ growing adoption of instant methods for receiving ad hoc payments. Featuring 10 charts of insightful data detailing how businesses benefit from receiving one-off payments immediately, this report explores how some SMBs rely so much on instant payments to manage their cash flow and meet payroll that they are willing to pay for it. Download the report to learn more.
