Zebec and NatPay Link Solana Payroll to FedNow for Instant Wage Settlement

Zebec Network and payroll processor NatPay launched NatPayNOW on Dec. 3, a real-time payroll service that routes conventional NACHA payroll files through the Federal Reserve’s FedNow instant-pay rail while using Zebec’s Solana-based settlement layer. NatPay acts as the FedNow participant and processor, handling legacy payroll workflows for employers; Zebec provides on-chain settlement compatibility and ISO 20022 messaging support. NatPay processes roughly $150 billion in annual payroll and serves over 300,000 ACH clients, giving the integration broad distribution. The service delivers wages to employees in seconds — including weekends and holidays — removing batch ACH delays. Real-time delivery requires employee banks to support FedNow; participation is growing but not yet universal. Zebec reported processing more than $400 million in payroll over the past 12 months, supporting 250+ employers and 12,000 workers; it also issued 65,000 payment cards tied to payroll flows. Integration supports both bank settlement and on-chain options, raising compliance considerations. Zebec’s native token ZBCN was trading at about $0.002982 on Dec. 4, down roughly 1.5% over 24 hours. Key keywords: Solana payroll, FedNow, NatPayNOW, real-time payroll, NACHA, ISO 20022.
Bullish
This integration is bullish for crypto-linked payment rails and Solana-linked settlement for several reasons. First, it connects mainstream payroll processing (NatPay’s large client base and $150B annual volume) to an instant settlement rail (FedNow) while leveraging Zebec’s Solana settlement layer — a practical on-ramp that increases real-world utility and transaction flow through Solana rails. Broader adoption of FedNow payrolls could raise demand for settlement on public blockchains that offer speed and low fees; that incremental demand is positive for projects providing those rails and services. Operationally, the integration preserves employer workflows, lowering adoption friction and increasing the chance of rapid uptake among payroll providers and corporate clients. In the short term, expect modest positive sentiment for Solana-related infrastructure and Zebec token markets as traders price in improved utility and potential transaction volume. Volatility may accompany initial announcements and usage metrics releases. In the long term, sustained adoption of FedNow-linked payrolls that optionally settle on-chain could drive recurring transaction volume, more integrations between traditional finance and blockchain rails, and stronger fundamentals for settlement-layer projects. Risks and neutralizing factors: employee bank FedNow participation is incomplete, compliance and regulatory complexity around on-chain settlement could slow adoption, and token price impacts depend on whether settlement activity accrues value to Zebec’s native token. Overall, benefits to on-chain settlement demand and reduced friction for enterprise payroll point to a net bullish market signal for Solana-settlement providers and related tokens.