Banking Networks, Direct Debit, and the Next Leap in Payments

In many mature markets, paying tuition, utilities, or a recurring subscription is as simple as authorizing an automatic debit from a bank account. You provide your details once, and the charge repeats without human intervention. This is possible thanks to well-established banking clearing networks: in the United States, for example, the ACH network processes tens of billions of electronic transactions every year.

In Mexico, however, the landscape is very different. According to recent data, payments made via bank direct debit (that is, automatic debits from bank accounts) account for just 1.2% of all electronic transactions. Although the volume of interbank direct debits grew by 7.5% in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year, we remain far from a standard of mass adoption.

This gap reveals an opportunity, yes, but also a bottleneck. In a country where financial inclusion is growing, where fintechs and wallets are multiplying and digital adoption is accelerating, the fact that direct debit remains anecdotal severely limits efficiency in recurring collections, automated billing, and subscription-based revenue models.

Why are countries like Brazil or the United States a step ahead? Because their banking networks, clearing rails, and regulations promote interoperability and the automation of recurring payments. In the United States, the ACH network is mature, regulated, and widely adopted. In Latin America more broadly, there is a migration toward what is known as A2A (account-to-account) or “bank-to-bank” payments through more modern infrastructure, with global growth projected at 14% annually between 2023 and 2027 for this type of payment.

Which means Mexico is — or should be — at an inflection point. The banking infrastructure is in place (accounts, CLABE for interbank transfers, financial regulation). What’s missing is a cultural, regulatory, and technological shift to embrace direct debit as a mass tool for automated collections.

For businesses, this would be a paradigm shift: moving from “selling a product or service and chasing payment month after month” to “offering a seamless, continuous, predictable billing experience.” This not only improves operational efficiency, but also financial planning, retention, and loyalty. For consumers, it means convenience, predictability, and less friction: automatic direct debit removes the need for reminders, eliminates worries about due dates, and avoids dealing with cash or manual transfers.

Today, there are signs that this path is already being laid. The growth of direct debits in 2025, the expansion of A2A methods, the adoption of wallets, and regulatory momentum toward interoperability all show that the payments ecosystem is moving.

In this context, players that build their own banking infrastructure and direct-debit solutions can play a key role in accelerating adoption. This does not mean that every company must become a bank (though, with a single integration, they can offer recurring collections as if they were major players). At tapi, we have more than 35 direct connections to the country’s leading financial institutions to manage payments and direct debits.

Because when direct debit works, friction disappears. Collections stop being an operational pain point and become an automated, predictable, reliable function. And in a market like Mexico’s — low adoption today but high potential tomorrow — that function can make the difference between a company that grows with stability and one that struggles with volatility.

The challenge is now clear: scale, educate, and build trust. But it is also urgent. With a robust banking base, adequate regulation, and ready-to-deploy technological solutions, Mexico can take the leap toward a system where handling recurring payments is no longer a burden, but part of everyday life.

More efficient companies, more comfortable consumers, a deeper and more inclusive financial system. That automated, interoperable, and simple banking future is not theoretical. It can be the next chapter in the transformation of payments in Mexico.