AUSTIN, Texas, April 4, 2011 – Total ACH payment volume grew to 19,406,103,109[1] in 2010, up 3.44 percent over 2009, according new statistics released today by NACHA — The Electronic Payments Association at its PAYMENTS 2011 conference. Coinciding with the release of Network volume information, NACHA also unveiled the top 50 largest financial institution Originators and Receivers of ACH payments in 2010.

Growing at a faster pace than a year ago, ACH payments moved a total of $31.74 trillion dollars over the Network in 2010. Steady Network growth is attributable to several key areas: expansion of the use of native electronic payments, increasing consumer adoption of consumer Internet-initiated Direct Payments, and the escalating use of the ACH Network for vendor payments and business-to-business transactions.

Native Electronic Payments Native electronic payments – those payments which start as an electronic payment (i.e., non-check conversion applications) – outpaced overall Network growth and increased 4.21 percent over 2009. According to NACHA, the statistics reflect an ongoing trend of increasing preferences for fully electronic payments.