Instant transfers are gaining popularity across all age groups

Instant transfers are increasingly becoming a part of everyday life and a standard service for bank customers in Poland. A service that was perceived as a technological novelty just a few years ago is now gaining users across all age groups. While the highest activity in using digital solutions is usually attributed to younger generations, this year's study by KIR and the Polish Bank Association (ZBP)* shows that expectations for instant fund transfers are also high among older customers.

Among the youngest adult demographic, namely Generation Z, 22% of respondents say that instant transfers should be available at all times, regardless of circumstances. A slightly lower percentage – 21% – was reported among Generation Y, those born between 1982 and 1996. Among representatives of Generation X (born up to 1981), this percentage rises to 32%, while among the so-called "baby boomers" (born up to 1965), it reaches as much as 49%.

Surprisingly high expectations for instant transfers are also declared by the eldest individuals. As many as 65% of respondents from the "radio babies" group (born before 1950) believe that this form of money transfer should be a banking standard. What is more, in this eldest group not a single "I don’t know / hard to say" response was recorded regarding the usefulness of instant transfers – unlike the youngest group, where as many as 23% could not identify a situation in which such a service would be useful.

The data above shatters the common stereotype that it is mainly younger generations who demand immediacy in digital services. In the context of remote payments, the reality is surprising – it is older adults, not Generation Z, who more often expect instant transfers to be the standard, notes Grzegorz Leńkowski, Director of the Instant Payments Business at KIR. On one hand, this may stem from the pragmatic needs of mature customers, who more often use traditional online banking; on the other, younger users typically make such transfers via mobile. In that case, transfers to a phone number are the standard, which by principle are settled instantaneously.

Statistics confirm expectations

The systematic growth in the popularity of instant transfers is confirmed by data from KIR's settlement systems. In 2024, Express Elixir – which handles real-time transfers between accounts at different banks as well as transfers to a phone number initiated via the BLIK system – processed 526.91 million transactions totalling 264.13 billion PLN. A year earlier, Express Elixir processed 369.27 million transfers totalling 202.93 billion PLN. On a year-over-year basis, this represents an increase of 43% and 30%, respectively. Compared to 2022, the year 2023 was also characterised by significant growth – 62% in terms of the number of transactions and 38% in their value.

Certainty above all

The latest study by KIR and ZBP shows that in instant transfers, Poles consistently most value the guarantee of immediate fund delivery (45% of responses). In second place was paying bills "at the last minute" (38% of responses), which confirms Poles' practical approach to this technology. Interestingly, this result has increased significantly compared to last year's study – by as much as 12%.

The number of people (20% of responses) who use instant transfers to repay obligations such as loan instalments, credits, or credit cards also increased slightly, by 2%. Over a quarter of respondents (26%) believe – just as they did last year – that such transfers are useful for large transactions, eliminating the need for cash.

The relatively low percentage of people who did not indicate a specific use for instant transfers is a positive sign. Only 14% of respondents overall answered "I don't know / hard to say" (down by 1 percentage point from a year ago). This demonstrates a growing awareness of the benefits derived from this type of payment.

Data from this year’s study confirms that instant transfers are an important solution for a wide range of customers – including elder ones, who increasingly view them as an essential element of everyday banking. The consistent growth in the number of transactions processed in the Express Elixir system demonstrates that "real-time" banking is becoming the new standard. For financial institutions, this is a clear signal that the development of instant services should respond to the specific, practical expectations of customers – regardless of their age or level of digital competence.

*Study by the Minds&Roses centre, April 2025, N=1000