Bank Rails
zerohash provides regulated fiat payment infrastructure for moving USD into and out of crypto and stablecoins. This guide introduces the available funding models, the payment rails we support, and the balances a platform funds to operate them.
NoteExact requirements for transaction limits, reserve balances, and float balances, are set by zerohash based on your use case and expected volumes.
Key Features
Buy, sell, and convert crypto and stablecoins using traditional fiat rails.
Lower per-transaction costs for funding and payouts when compared to card processing.
Choose On-demand, Pre-funded, or Instant USD based on your desired customer experience and settlement needs.
Offer payouts to US bank accounts in seconds using RTP and FedNow, available 24/7/365.
Funding Models
zerohash supports three funding models. The model you choose determines funds availability for your customers and balance requirements you may have to begin processing.
Trades execute instantly once the ACH debit is approved (buy) or sale is initiated (sell), rather than waiting for settlement. A platform-funded float enables this, with your float balance determining how much your customers can trade.
See On-demand integration guide →Customers must fund their account before trading. Fund availability occurs after ACH settlement plus a brief holding period to account for ACH return risk. Withdrawals work the opposite way: customers sell crypto, then they can withdraw from their USD balance. No float required.
See Pre-funded integration guide →Customers USD balances are credited immediately upon ACH debit approval. They can trade with those USD balances before the ACH settles. Platform float funds the balances and determines how much your customers can trade.
See Instant USD integration guide →Depending on which model is selected, there are different requirements surrounding the necessary account types that a platform must maintain.
- Loss Reserve: If you have ACH enabled, a Loss Reserve is required to absorb any losses tied to ACH returns. See more info here →
- Float Balance: Required if you want to make funds available to customers before an ACH transfer has settled. Must have one for On-demand and Instant USD. See more info here →
Bank Account Linking via Plaid
ACH and RTP payments require linking and verifying a customer's bank account before any money moves. zerohash uses Plaid for this and supports two integration models.
The right one primarily depends on whether your platform already has a Plaid relationship.
zerohash-powered Plaid Link
(Plaid Reseller)
For platforms without an existing Plaid relationship.
There is no separate Plaid contract to sign. A zerohash relationship manager handles the Plaid onboarding, and your customers link accounts through a zerohash SDK. This is the simpler integration.
See zerohash-powered Plaid Link →self-service Plaid Link
(Plaid Processor Token)
For platforms that hold their own Plaid relationship.
You contract with Plaid directly for the required products (Auth, Balance, Identity, and Identity Match), own the account linking flow, and pass zerohash a Plaid processor token that lets us connect to the account for necessary Plaid calls.
See self-service Plaid Link →Payment Rails Supported
zerohash supports three US fiat rails:
ACH (Automated Clearing House)
ACH is the primary US fiat rail for funding (debits) and payouts (credits). It's low cost and widely accepted, but settles in 1-3 business days (and on business days only). Same-day ACH is also available for faster processing. ACH carries settlement and return risk, so loss reserve and float requirements apply.
RTP (Real-Time Payments) and FedNow
RTP and FedNow enable instant payouts to end customer bank accounts. Funds arrive within seconds, 24/7/365. Both operate under the rtp network type in the zerohash API, with FedNow automatically invoked when RTP isn't available. These rails are available at most major US financial institutions, though some smaller regional banks and credit unions don't yet participate.
FedWire
FedWire supports both funding and payouts and is suited to higher-value transfers where speed and finality outweigh cost. Wires settle during banking hours and are typically reserved for larger transactions. Availability depends on your configuration.
| Rail | Direction | Speed | Availability | Reversible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACH | Debit & Credit | 1-3 business days | Business Days | Yes |
| RTP/FedNow | Credit (payouts only) | Instant (seconds) | 24/7/365 | No |
| FedWire | Credit (In & Out) | Same day (hours) | Business Days | Limited |
Virtual AccountsWe also offer a product that allows you to provision named accounts for your customers. This unlocks the ability for your customers to push payments (such as Direct Deposits, Wires, RTP, and FedNow) to fund their accounts. Learn more here →
Additional Resources
Updated 3 days ago