Peru, Chile and Argentina Enter a New Phase of Growth Driven by Real-Time Payments, ACI Worldwide Report Finds

WHY THIS MATTERS: The rapid maturation of real-time payment infrastructures across Latin America represents a seismic shift in the global fintech landscape. While Brazil’s Pix has long served as the regional gold standard, the latest data from Peru, Chile, and Argentina suggests a broader continental awakening. This modernization is not merely a technical upgrade; it is a critical driver of formal economic participation. By digitizing cash-heavy economies, these nations are dismantling long-standing barriers to financial services, effectively onboarding millions of previously unbanked citizens into the formal economy. For the global fintech community, this transition signals a burgeoning market for value-added services built atop these instant rails, from automated B2B settlements to sophisticated merchant acquiring solutions. As these three markets enter this decisive phase, the resulting surge in GDP and financial inclusion will likely redefine the region’s economic trajectory for the next decade.

Peru, Chile and Argentina are entering a decisive stage of their real‑time payments modernization journeys, with adoption expected to drive economic growth and financial inclusion across the region, according to the Real-Time Payments: Economic Impact and Financial Inclusion report. The study was commissioned by ACI Worldwide, and conducted by the Cebr (Centre for Economics and Business Research), a leading economic think tank.*

By 2028, real-time payments are forecast to support billions of dollars in formal gross domestic product (GDP) across these three markets and expand access to financial services for millions of people historically excluded from the financial system, the study finds.

• Argentina: Real-time payments are projected to facilitate $19.3 billion in additional GDP by 2028. The continued expansion of real-time rails is also expected to enable 1.1 million people to enter the formal financial system.
• Peru: Real-time payments are forecast to generate $376 million in additional GDP and bring 1.4 million people into the banking system.
• Chile: Real-time payments are expected to facilitate $740 million in additional formal GDP and expand financial access for more than 83,000 people.

Brazil and Colombia: Proven Regional Benchmarks

The projected gains across Peru, Chile and Argentina build on a clear regional precedent set by Brazil and Colombia, where real-time payments have already become core economic infrastructure.

By 2028, Brazil’s Pix ecosystem is forecast to facilitate $49.9 billion in additional formal GDP, demonstrating the economic power of scale and everyday usage.

Colombia has emerged as a regional benchmark for real-time payments following the implementation of Bre-B and its rapid adoption across the financial ecosystem. By 2028, real-time payments are forecast to facilitate $282 million in additional GDP in the country, but their most significant impact will be on inclusion.

Colombia is projected to bring 5.1 million people previously excluded from the financial system into banking, the largest expansion of financial inclusion in Latin America. The speed and scale of Bre-B’s rollout demonstrate how interoperable, real-time payment infrastructure can accelerate access to financial services, positioning Colombia as a reference point for markets across the region seeking inclusive payments modernization.

“Each market is entering this next phase from a different starting point,” said Mauricio Fernández, real-time payments lead, Latin America, ACI Worldwide. “In Peru, the central bank’s push for real-time payments and interoperability could transform the payments ecosystem and significantly expand financial inclusion. In Chile, the focus is on widening adoption, moving beyond person-to-person payments to merchant payments and everyday transactions. In Argentina, regulatory reforms and the rapid growth of fintechs are driving innovation and competition, helping to broaden access to financial services and support economic growth.”

Advancing the Regional Payments Conversation in Chile

ACI Worldwide will participate as a sponsor at the Chile Fintech Forum, taking place May 6-7, 2026. One of Latin America’s most influential fintech gatherings, the event brings together banks, fintechs, regulators and technology providers to advance real-time payments across Chile and the region.

ACI’s Paola Sanchez will participate as a panelist in the session Multi-Acquiring in Chile: The End of Monopoly and the New Payments Ecosystem on May 7 at 11:45 a.m.

FF NEWS TAKE: The shift toward interoperable, instant payment rails is no longer optional for Latin American regulators, it is the prerequisite for modern growth. Following in the footsteps of Colombia’s Bre-B and Brazil’s Pix, the focus for Peru and Chile must now shift from basic infrastructure to widespread merchant adoption. If successful, this regional synergy will consolidate Latin America as the world’s most dynamic laboratory for payments innovation, leaving traditional legacy markets in the rearview mirror.