IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
It's Already Here...
While America's distracted, the Fed quietly launched FedNow - a 24/7 instant payment system that's laying the foundation for a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
They claim it's about speed and convenience...
But beneath the surface, a system of surveillance and control is being built impacting our financial privacy and freedom.
Ask yourself:
If every transaction becomes digital, what happens to your privacy?
Could "programmable money" be used to limit how - or where - you spend?
Could access to your savings or retirement be limited by someone else's rules?
This isn't hypothetical.
And even Trump - who once criticized digital currencies - is now supporting a national crypto reserve... and has adopted projects like Trump-themed tokens.
The writing is on the wall. Once this system is fully operational, opting out may no longer be an option.
That's why this free guide is so urgent. It reveals the real risks - and what you can do right now to protect your financial freedom before it's too late.
Two years on, the FedNow Service has become a core piece of U.S. instant payments. More than 1,400 banks and credit unions connect to rails that run 24/7/365; in Q2 2025 FedNow handled about 2.1 million payments with average daily value around $2.7 billion. The rails work—funds settle in seconds. What remains undecided is who or what rides them.The speed itself is not a mandate for broader transformation. FedNow processes payments between banks; it does not create a new form of money. Yet the distinction between infrastructure and currency often blurs in policy debates, creating confusion between what exists today and what might exist tomorrow.
Rails Before a Mandate
FedNow is a major step in U.S. payments modernization—a nationwide rail that can move money between bank accounts in seconds. The Federal Reserve built these rails with a clear mandate: enable financial institutions to offer instant payments without requiring them to do so.
This infrastructure-first approach reflects a fundamental principle: convenience does not override consent. The rails exist to serve whatever payment instruments policymakers and the public ultimately choose to authorize. Speed alone cannot determine those choices. The technology works; the governance questions remain entirely separate.
|
What the Rails Actually Carry
Today, FedNow moves ordinary bank deposits using standardized ISO 20022 messages for credit transfers and requests for payment. When a small business owner pays a supplier instantly, both parties access the same type of money they always have—bank account balances backed by FDIC insurance. The innovation lies in the settlement speed, not the money itself.
The network's growth metrics reflect this practical focus. In Q2 2025, FedNow processed roughly 2.1 million payments. Common uses include payroll disbursements, bill payments, and B2B transfers. The system provides instant availability but does not create a new monetary instrument or direct government-to-consumer payment channel.
Law Lags the Ledger
The policy landscape surrounding any potential central bank digital currency remains deliberately constrained. In February 2025, Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed would not pursue a retail CBDC under his leadership and drew a line between ongoing research and any issuance pathway.
Congressional action has reinforced these boundaries. The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act passed the House in July 2025 by a 219-210 margin, explicitly prohibiting the Federal Reserve from issuing any retail digital currency without explicit Congressional authorization. The companion Senate bill, introduced by Senator Ted Cruz, currently awaits committee action. The legislation reflects broader concerns about financial privacy and government overreach that extend beyond partisan politics.
Privacy at Settlement Speed
The compression of settlement windows to seconds creates new data exposure considerations that financial institutions and regulators are still addressing. Traditional ACH transfers provided natural delays that allowed for dispute resolution and error correction. Instant settlement removes these buffers, concentrating decision-making into milliseconds.
Because FedNow is interbank RTGS operating 24/7/365, payments are typically irrevocable once posted. That shifts KYC/sanctions screening and fraud analytics to before funds move, tightening dispute windows and operational response times.
Partner Resources:
▶ The Video Musk Showed Trump — Now You Can See It
(by BEHIND THE MARKETS)
▶ The White House Is Betting on Bitcoin — Are You Still Waiting?
(by CRYPTO 101)
▶ Is Your Retirement Ready for Trump’s Next Trade War?
(by BEHIND THE MARKETS)
Operating in Seconds
For savers and small business owners, instant settlement brings both opportunities and responsibilities. Cash flow timing becomes more predictable, but error propagation accelerates proportionally. A misdirected payment that once took days to settle now moves in seconds, leaving shorter windows for detection and correction.
The irrevocable nature of instant payments places greater emphasis on front-end verification. Unlike credit card transactions, which can be disputed and reversed, FedNow transfers cannot be recalled once completed. This requires businesses to strengthen internal controls and verification procedures before authorizing payments, rather than relying on post-transaction remedies. Banks now offer enhanced fraud prevention tools, including transaction limits and account monitoring systems designed specifically for instant payment environments.
The rails are ready; the passenger requires consent. While technology has eliminated the barriers to instant settlement, governance frameworks will determine what travels these digital highways. The infrastructure awaits not just adoption, but authorization—a reminder that in democratic societies, capability does not determine destiny.
Deniss Slinkins,
Global Financial Journal
