66% of Consumers Say Security Matters More Than Speed in Payments, New Vyntra Report Finds

A new report launched today at Sibos byVyntra, a global leader in transaction intelligence reveals that consumers value security and resilience above speed when it comes to payments. The study, titled “The Hidden Tension in Every Payment” shows that 66% of consumers prefer security over speed, while 80% of consumers saying they would switch providers if faced with repeated outages.

The research, based on a survey of over 1,000 European adults, challenges long-held industry assumptions that speed alone drives loyalty. Instead, the findings demonstrate that consumers are more willing to tolerate small, purposeful verification steps than risk disruption or insecurity. The survey suggests that the next competitive edge in payments will come not from shaving milliseconds off transactions, but from proving resilience, building trust through transparency and designing purposeful, confidence building user journeys.

Results from the survey challenge some industry assumptions:

• Speed matters – but not at the cost of security. While real-time settlement is important, nearly 66% of consumers prefer a balance between speed and security over faster payments at the expense of safety

• Security creates confident customers. Over 50% of respondents welcome extra verification when paying, while fewer than 1% oppose it, proving that visible security builds user confidence

• Operational Resilience is non-negotiable. 80% of consumers say they would switch providers after repeated network outages, and over half expect less than one hour of total downtime in a year – demonstrating near-zero tolerance for disruption.

• Trust depends on transparency. 90% of consumers say it is important to understand how their provider protects their money and data, signaling unmet demand for clearer communication about security and safeguards.

• Fast is not enough – security and trust lead the way. Factors like security, reputation, cost, and ease of use all rank above instant completion when consumers choose a new payment provider, meaning speed alone is not a silver bullet for loyalty.

More than half of respondents said acceptable downtime should be less than one hour per year, or none at all, 90% said it is important to understand how their provider protects their money and data, while two-thirds prefer a balance of speed and security rather than instant transactions at any cost. Over half of consumers said they welcome extra verification when making payments, viewing it as reassurance rather than inconvenience.

Joel Winteregg, CEO of Vyntra, commented, “Payments are no longer judged only by speed, consumers expect seamless services, but they also demand security, resilience and transparency. Our research shows that outages and false declines don’t just cost money, they cost trust. At Sibos, we’re showing that financial institutions can no longer treat fraud prevention and operational resilience as separate issues. They must be unified to deliver the real-time trust that global finance depends on.”

‘The Hidden Tension in Every Payment’ offers a detailed framework for banks, fintechs and payment providers to understand what customers truly value and how providers can align their operations with those expectations. By weaving together consumer sentiment, operational realities and high-profile case studies, the report highlights both the risks of getting it wrong and the opportunities for those who can get it right.

To read more, download the full report here: https://vyntra.com/vyntra-sibos-report-the-hidden-tension-in-every-payment/