CHICAGO, DALLAS & PHILADELPHIA, June 30, 2026 /Businesswire/ -- Onbe, a leading corporate payouts platform, and  NRG, a global insights and strategy firm, today released their third Payouts Landscape Report—Onbe’s fifth annual payments study overall—revealing that B2C payouts have not kept pace with consumers’ digital lives. Carrying nearly every aspect of their lives on their phones, consumers expect fast, seamless financial experiences, with 98% using digital payments monthly. Yet Onbe’s research revealed that payouts often lag behind the digital journey, with checks still the third most common payout method consumers receive, even though they rank only sixth in preference. This growing disconnect presents an opportunity for businesses to turn a clear consumer pain point into a meaningful driver of loyalty.  

Digital payments, including mobile wallets and payment apps such as PayPal and Venmo, have gone mainstream and are now woven into everyday spending.  Onbe’s survey of 1,500 US consumers found that Gen Z (88%) and Millennials (87%) plan to maintain or increase their use of payment apps this year, and nearly all in those cohorts say they are confident using mobile wallets for routine purchases like groceries. Their preference does not stop at spending; it extends to how they want to receive money, with half of Gen Z and Millennial respondents preferring payments apps over ACH for payouts. As these generations increase their economic influence, businesses that cling to legacy payout processes like checks and ACH risk more than inefficiency—they risk eroding consumer trust and loyalty, giving future growth to more modern competitors.  

“Consumers are no longer experimenting with digital payments; they depend on them. Yet when it comes to payouts, too many businesses remain locked into legacy processes due to familiarity,” said Melissa Hentschel, Chief Executive Officer at Onbe. “Our research makes it clear this is a growing liability. When payouts fail to match the speed and simplicity of how people already pay, it creates a friction that forward-thinking organizations are moving quickly to eliminate.”  

Key findings from the report include:

• 94% describe embedded payment experiences, such as rideshare apps, as convenient.

• 89% of consumers prefer digital payment methods when receiving payouts over check-based alternatives.  

• 74% of consumers overall feel confident making in-person retail payments with just their mobile phone—a six-point increase from last year.

• 72% of consumers overall expect a payout within a week or less to be satisfied with the experience.

• 71% believe digital methods are more secure than physical alternatives, up 12 points from the previous year.  

As digital behavior continues shaping financial expectations, payouts are becoming a critical moment in the consumer experience. Businesses that move beyond legacy methods and deliver fast, flexible, and transparent payout options will be better positioned to meet rising demands. In an environment where speed, choice, and convenience are helping define loyalty, aligning payout strategies with how consumers already live and transact is no longer optional—it’s a competitive advantage.

Download the 2026 Payouts Landscape Report here.

About Onbe‍

With more than 25 years of industry experience and offices in Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas and London, Onbe is a fintech that manages and modernizes customer and compensation payments for corporate clients ranging from mid-market to the Fortune 500. Onbe's team of experts and technology platform offers clients a turnkey solution to offload their entire B2C payment operations, relieving them of the cost, complexity, and risk that come with orchestrating these payments in-house. Backed by top-tier investors, Onbe delivers on today's consumer expectations for instant, digital, and seamless payments. To learn more, visit www.onbe.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About NRG   

National Research Group is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the intersection of content, culture, and technology. The world’s most innovative brands turn to us for insights into growth and strategy for any content, anywhere, on any device.

Methodology  

Unless otherwise noted, data in this paper comes from a study of 1,500 US consumers, ages 18 and above, who received a payout in the last year, conducted online in January 2026. Respondents had to complete a 13-minute survey about their personal spending habits and their preferences when receiving payouts and incentives.  

This paper also draws comparisons to the previous edition of this study conducted in January 2025, based on a survey of 1,504 US consumers. Participants for both studies were weighted to be demographically representative of the US in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity. Onbe and NRG’s annual report is an iteration of Onbe’s previous yearly payments survey, formerly the Future of Payments.  

Media Contact:
Melissa Noucas
Vice President, Marketing
Melissa.noucas@onbe.com

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