An Eventful 2025 is Underway at Nacha

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Jane Larimer

President and CEO

Nacha

It always seems to happen this way: A couple of (relatively) quiet weeks at the end of December and then the new year is off and running like a Kentucky Derby favorite. 2025 is no different, as it promises to be a busy, and exciting, year here at Nacha. I'd like to take a minute to let you know about some of the things in store.

One long-awaited development is just weeks away from becoming a reality: Our first class of Accredited Faster Payments Professionals. On Feb. 17, the inaugural AFPP exam test window opens. A joint effort of Nacha, the U.S. Faster Payments Council and the Payments Associations, this new credential is geared toward payments professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in all faster payment types, including Same Day ACH, RTP and FedNow.

Smarter Faster Payments 2025 will be in New Orleans April 27-30, and I hope you are planning to join us for the best in not only payments education but also networking. We have a dynamic lineup of more than 140 sessions across 10 tracks including our newest track, "AI-Driven Innovations and Strategies." And our fabulous lineup of keynoters includes former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino. If you can't make it in person, Remote Connect will be available June 9-11 from the convenience of your laptop, tablet or phone.

"Pay By Bank" is a term we're hearing a lot lately, but what exactly does it mean? Nacha's Payments Innovation Alliance has a new project team working to not only answer that question, but also identify use cases associated with Pay By Bank, and in true Nacha fashion, identify potential risks.

New Nacha Operating Rules amendments regarding transaction monitoring take effect in 2026, but now is the right time to ensure your organization will be compliant. The rules are part of a larger risk management package intended to reduce the incidence of successful fraud attempts and improve the recovery of funds after frauds have occurred.

As you can tell, risk continues to be a major Nacha focus, so this year our Risk Retreat will be a stand-alone, separate from the Payments Institute. Payments risk and compliance professionals: Circle your calendar for this event Aug. 5-6, at Nacha headquarters in Reston, Virginia. It will feature collaborative workshops and sessions and great opportunities to network.

As volume and value continue to grow across the ACH Network, Nacha's corporate outreach team is expanding its efforts to increase knowledge and awareness of ACH for businesses. Along with our ongoing outreach to nonprofits, healthcare professionals and subscription-based organizations, Nacha will be diving deeper to engage corporate-focused organizations and associations on the benefits of ACH payments.

All in all, it's going to be a busy year across Nacha, and no matter what your role in the payments community, we're glad that you're a part of it.