How Dwolla and Ualett Bring Real-Time Earnings to Gig Workers

At Money20/20 USA, Dave Glaser, Dwolla and Jay Millard, Uallett discuss how real-time payments are transforming access to earnings for gig workers and small businesses. Using a mobile app, users can request an advance or receive funds instantly, with modern payment rails handling the movement behind the scenes. Their focus is on creating a simple, fast experience where the technology is invisible and the money just arrives.

Dwolla and Ualett highlight how important this is for people who rely on access to cash for everyday needs such as family expenses, car repairs or general financial stability. As expectations for immediacy arises, the payments process must stay smooth and low-friction.

Dwolla and Uallett also point to the growing impact of networks like RTP and FedNow in the U.S., which give businesses more options to choose the speed and cost structure that fits each use case. As more banks join these instant payment networks, it becomes easier for platforms serving large, distributed customer bases to meet the same real-time expectations across the country.

Looking ahead, Dwolla and Uallett expect continued expansion of payment methods, from debit push payments to digital assets and cross-border options, all orchestrated to deliver funds quickly and reliably. Richer data around each transaction will also help build more tailored financial tools for different types of users. What won’t change, however, is the core expectation: people will continue to want immediate access to their money, and the payments industry will need to keep delivering on that.