Is Zelle a fintech?
Who Owns Zelle? Zelle is a product of Early Warning Services, LLC, a fintech company owned by seven of America's largest banks: Bank of America, Truist, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Bank, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.
Zelle is a peer-to-peer money transfer app that allows users to move funds from one bank account to another. It's among a growing number of mobile payments apps that allow you to pay another person with the click of a button, even if they have an account at a different bank.
Zelle® is a great way to send money to friends and family, even if they bank somewhere different than you do1. That means it's super easy to get paid back, or split the costs of things like dinner. With Zelle®, the money goes directly into your bank account.
Fintech has made global money transfers more accessible
Consumers didn't have to visit a bank to arrange money transfers. They could send money to friends and family members anywhere in the world using their computer at home. The invention and evolution of smartphones and apps has boosted accessibility even further.
Venmo is one of the most successful and popular FinTech apps in the United States, and even though its most popular service is free, Venmo makes money and a lot of it.
Zelle® is a payment platform. Zelle® does not impose taxes on transactions made on its network.
The Zelle® app is only available to users whose banks and credit unions do not offer Zelle® directly to their customers. Because your financial institution offers Zelle®, you can use it directly through your banking app (and online banking, if available) to send and receive money.
Limited Social Interaction. Unlike some of its competitors, Zelle lacks social elements, making it less suitable for users who prefer a more interactive and socially connected payment experience.
Zelle app doesn't charge any money from the users for sending or receiving money to other users. The app's revenue model is charging commissions from banks to facilitate transactions. Further, merchants have to pay a 1% fee to Visa or Mastercard who can then share the resultant revenue with the issuing bank.
Both of the payment services are decently safe, have user-friendly interfaces, and allow you to conveniently send money when you need it. Zelle stands out from Venmo with its absence of instant transfer fees, but it also cannot be used as a wallet. So, if you need a wallet function, you should go for Venmo .
What qualifies as fintech?
FinTech (financial technology) is a catch-all term referring to software, mobile applications, and other technologies created to improve and automate traditional forms of finance for businesses and consumers alike.
For this reason, financial practices that were ground-breaking when they first emerged (like ATMs, credit cards, centralized banking, and even double-entry bookkeeping) are not considered FinTech because they have become settled technology.
Financial technology (better known as fintech) is used to describe new technology that seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services. At its core, fintech is utilized to help companies, business owners, and consumers better manage their financial operations, processes, and lives.
Almost a decade after its foundation, the tech firm made a global push into the fintech sector. It introduced Uber Money in 2019 in the U.S. and has since replicated it in new countries.
As a leading global digital payment leader for 20 years, PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) stands out among the rest. PYPL stock has gained international recognition as a top fintech stock to own for the long term.
Unlike its competitors, Zelle does not hold any funds; it merely facilitates transactions directly between bank accounts. For this reason, it's not legally subject to the same reporting requirements.
Zelle® does not report transactions made on the Zelle Network® to the IRS, including payments made for the sale of goods and services. The law requiring certain payment networks to provide forms 1099K for information reporting on the sale of goods and services does not apply to the Zelle Network®.
The new ”$600 rule”
Under the new rules set forth by the IRS, if you got paid more than $600 for the transaction of goods and services through third-party payment platforms, you will receive a 1099-K for reporting the income.
Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle are all peer-to-peer mobile payment apps that allow users to transfer funds from a linked bank or credit union account to another recipient.
Does Zelle report to IRS 2024?
If you have more than 200 transactions or $20,000 in taxable income on another service in 2023, the IRS will be able to find out about it through a Form 1099-K sent by that platform. For tax year 2024, the threshold falls to $5,000 in goods and service payments. On Zelle, there's no such reporting requirement.
Zelle and PayPal security and privacy standards are fairly similar in that both platforms make use of encryption, strict access controls, and two-factor authentication. In addition, both platforms allow customers to make payments using their email address, which protects their account and personal information.
Regulators say hundreds of millions of dollars are stolen through scams and fraud each year involving one of the most popular electronic options for making payments: Zelle. Now, the banks may be negotiating new ways to protect customers.
Zelle and Venmo offer fast and safe ways to send and receive funds electronically. If you're looking for a place to hold funds, Venmo is the better option. If you're looking for the quickest and cheapest option, Zelle might be the app for you.
How to Get Your Money Back. Zelle is processing each scam claim they receive on a case-by-case basis. If you haven't already done so, file a claim directly with Zelle through their app or by phone (844-428-8542). You'll also need to file a claim with the bank or credit union your funds were taken.
