FICO Survey Reveals UK Lag in Real-Time Payments Adoption Compared to European Peers

LONDON – June 19, 2025 – A recent international survey conducted by global analytics software leader FICO (NYSE: FICO) highlights a notable disparity in the adoption of real-time payments (RTP) among UK consumers when compared to their counterparts in other major European markets. The survey, which delved into the uptake, trust levels, and future expectations surrounding RTP, suggests that the United Kingdom is trailing behind in this increasingly critical area of digital finance.

FICO's research, which included five key countries across the EMEA region, found that the UK recorded the lowest percentage of consumers who have actively sent a real-time payment. This finding points to potential differences in consumer behavior, infrastructure readiness, or awareness campaigns compared to other surveyed nations.

Key Survey Findings:

• Adoption Rates: Only 79% of UK consumers surveyed reported having sent an RTP. This contrasts sharply with Sweden, where a remarkable 94% of consumers have utilized real-time payments, and Germany, which saw 83% adoption. Other surveyed countries also showed higher engagement than the UK.
• Trust and Security Perception: The survey also explored consumer perceptions of RTP security. In the UK, 35% of consumers considered RTP to be more secure than traditional credit card transactions. While this indicates a significant portion of the population sees the benefits, it is crucial to compare this figure with other markets to understand relative trust levels.
• Future Expectations: The survey also likely touched upon consumer intentions for future RTP use and the perceived benefits or barriers to wider adoption, although specific details on these aspects were not provided in the initial release.

Market Context and Implications

The findings of FICO's survey are significant for the financial services industry and the broader digital economy. Real-time payments are becoming a cornerstone of modern payment systems, enabling instant fund transfers between accounts, which can facilitate faster commerce, improve cash flow for businesses, and offer greater convenience for consumers.

The lower adoption rate in the UK, as indicated by the FICO survey, could be attributed to several factors. These might include the maturity and prevalence of existing payment methods (like Faster Payments in the UK, which offers near real-time settlement but may not be perceived identically to newer RTP schemes), consumer awareness levels, the availability and user-friendliness of RTP services offered by banks and payment providers, or even cultural preferences regarding financial transactions.

For financial institutions operating in the UK, the survey results underscore the need for increased education and promotion of real-time payment capabilities. Building consumer trust and highlighting the security features and convenience of RTP will be crucial for driving wider adoption.

Investment Insights for FICO (NYSE: FICO)

As a global leader in analytics software, particularly known for its credit scoring systems, FICO's involvement in surveying payment trends is relevant to its business strategy. While FICO is not directly a payment processor, its software and analytics are integral to the operations of banks and financial institutions that facilitate these transactions, including fraud detection, risk management, and customer onboarding.

The growth of real-time payments globally presents both opportunities and challenges for FICO. Increased transaction volumes across RTP networks could drive demand for FICO's fraud prevention and security solutions. As more transactions move to real-time, the need for sophisticated, instant risk assessment becomes paramount, an area where FICO's analytics expertise is highly valuable.

Investors in FICO should monitor the global adoption trends of RTP, paying close attention to how financial institutions are investing in the underlying infrastructure and security layers. While the UK's slower adoption might seem like a regional headwind, the overall global shift towards real-time payments represents a significant long-term growth driver for companies providing the essential analytics and security tools that underpin these systems. FICO's ability to provide robust, real-time fraud and risk management solutions for these high-speed payment networks will be a key factor in its continued success.

Furthermore, the survey itself demonstrates FICO's engagement with key trends in the financial industry, positioning the company as a thought leader and data provider, which can strengthen its relationships with financial institution clients.