Payments

There is hardly any other banking product where the digitalisation of the financial sector is as noticeable as in payment transactions: the bank customer of the future expects nothing less than to be able to make payments worldwide at any time in real time without media discontinuity.

Our expertise covers the entire payment transactions portfolio based on conventional and disruptive technologies: SEPA and cross-border, instant and high value.

If you are interested in the working environment and the variety of projects in the payments area at DPS, you can find an insight on our landing page for payment professionals. We also actively share our specialist knowledge externally – for example, via our information page on ISO 20022.

Instant Payments

The Payments Revolution: Instant Payments and the Future of the Financial Industry

One of the most pressing issues for financial institutions is the implementation of mandatory EU regulations for real-time payments. DPS views instant payments not only as a legal requirement, but also with a holistic, neutral advisory approach.

Instant payments open up new opportunities for financial institutions to improve services, increase efficiency, and boost customer satisfaction.

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Digital Euro

The European Central Bank (ECB) has completed the preparatory phase for the digital euro. Building on this, the political and legal framework is currently being further specified. A possible legal basis at EU level is expected from 2026, with the digital euro likely to be introduced in 2029 at the earliest.

DPS is closely monitoring these developments and supporting banks in the strategic, technical and technological classification of the digital euro. As a partner in the ECB’s innovation programme, we were able to contribute our expertise to the practical design at an early stage.

The focus is on the impact on business models, payment transaction architectures and regulatory requirements. In this way, we help financial institutions to realistically evaluate options for action and position themselves at an early stage.

Our series of articles on the digital euro

ISO 20022: Leveraging added value

Many banks have implemented the new ISO 20022 payment transaction format from a technical and regulatory perspective. DPS supports them in going beyond mere compliance and leveraging the added value of the format in a targeted manner – for example, for automation, data quality and more efficient processes.

In doing so, we consistently take into account the challenges posed by established legacy IT landscapes. ISO 20022 does not realise its full potential if it is only converted: as outlined in our guest article in IT Finanzmagazin, institutions that rely on short-term converter solutions lose valuable advantages in the long term – because such approaches only transfer the form, but not the structured content, thereby blocking automation and transparency.

ISO 20022: Those who only convert now will lose out

Exceptions & Investigations (E&I)

ISO 20022 also fundamentally changes processes relating to exceptions and investigations (E&I): previous free-form MT messages are being replaced by structured formats (e.g. camt.110/camt.111) and controlled via centralised case management, which has an impact on routing, monitoring and automation.

DPS supports banks, IT service providers and vendors in mastering this transformation from a technical and functional perspective – including analysis of existing workflows, integration into operational systems and transition strategies for legacy environments.

ISO 20022 for E&I: What banks need to consider

Stablecoins: Relevance for payments

Stablecoins are increasingly converging with traditional payment and settlement structures. Their strong growth and ongoing regulatory classification show that stablecoins are evolving from a niche topic to a relevant component of payment transactions.

New applications are emerging, particularly in cross-border payments, settlement and liquidity management. Many major banks are already actively participating in relevant initiatives and testing specific use cases. DPS is supporting this development with a focus on integrating stablecoins into existing payment and core banking systems in a meaningful and regulatory-compliant manner.