Instant transfers - when do we want to use them? Findings from a KIR and ZBP survey

Statistics from clearing systems, published periodically by KIR, show that bank customers are increasingly using instant transfers. Poles turn to them primarily when they want to be sure that the money will reach the recipient’s account immediately. In the latest survey conducted by KIR and the Polish Bank Association (Związek Banków Polskich, ZBP)*, 64% of respondents indicated this as a reason for using instant transfers – 19 percentage points more than a year earlier.

The second most common use was the ability to pay electricity, water, gas or other utility bills “at the last minute”. This response was given by 46% of respondents, 8 p% more than in the previous edition of the survey. One in three respondents (36%) believes that instant transfers should be the standard and available in every situation.

Convenience and the ability to avoid using cash remain key motivations for using real-time payments. This is particularly appreciated for higher-value transactions, such as buying a car (35% of respondents). There was also a slight, 2%increase in the number of people (22%) who reported using instant transfers to repay financial obligations such as loan instalments, credit repayments or credit card balances.

Instant payments matter to every generation

This year’s survey results confirm a trend already visible in the previous edition: the need to transfer money quickly applies to all groups of modern banking users, regardless of age. The certainty that money will appear immediately in the recipient’s account is valued by 59% of Generation X respondents (people born up to 1981), 58% of Generation Y respondents (born between 1982 and 1996), 58% of baby boomers (born up to 1965) and 50% of Generation Z representatives, the youngest respondents.

“Instant transfers are no longer associated solely with exceptional situations. They are a practical tool that makes managing finances easier and whose availability is valued by users of all ages. This is particularly important when we want a transfer to reach the recipient in real time. That is why we are increasingly using the benefits of instant transfers in everyday payments,” says Grzegorz Leńkowski, Director of the Instant Payments Business Line at KIR.

What do the statistics show?

The steadily growing number of instant transfers processed through the Express Elixir system demonstrates their increasing popularity. In June this year, the system processed 62.23 million transactions with a total value of PLN 31.94 billion. Compared with June 2025 (year on year), the number of instant transfers increased by 14%, while their value increased by 21.6%. The growth reflected in the statistics confirms the findings of the survey: when we want to control when a transaction is completed – whether it is an urgent payment, extra pocket money for a child at summer camp or settling up with friends – the ability to transfer money in real time is a key benefit.

*Survey conducted by Minds&Roses, April 2026, N=1,000.