Taiwan vs United States · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | FISC | RTP |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ✓ | — |
| Wallet Support | — | — |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | ◐ | — |
| ISO 20022 | ◐ | ✓ |
| Request to Pay | — | ✓ |
| Open API | ◐ | ✓ |
| Alias/Proxy | ◐ | — |
Taiwan's shared interbank real-time rail, operated by FISC (Financial Information Service Co.). Carries both institutional flows and consumer traffic β real-time transfers in every Taiwanese bank's mobile app, any-bank ATM withdrawals, and TWQR merchant payments. TWQR is FISC's national interoperable QR-code standard (launched 2019), used by consumer wallets Line Pay Money, JKO Pay, iPass Money and Pi ζι’ε . Live 24/7 since 1991, connecting 107 institutions, handling TWD plus five foreign currencies (USD, RMB, JPY, EUR, AUD). Settles through the CBC's RTGS.
The first modern US instant payment system, operated by The Clearing House (owned by 22 of the largest US banks). RTP launched in 2017 and supports credit transfers up to $1M with immediate finality β no chargebacks or returns. It also offers Request for Payment (RfP) messaging for bill pay and invoicing. While FedNow provides Fed-backed infrastructure, RTP has a head start with broader bank connectivity and higher transaction limits, and processes the majority of US instant payment volume today.