How Much Time Neft Settlements Take

Today, individuals and businesses no longer need to bother with writing cheques for amounts owed. You do not have to deal with having the funds credited into your account at a later date, especially when you need money during emergencies. Thanks to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the various online payment platforms launched by them, you can receive small and high-value transfers in your accounts within minutes or hours. One of the most convenient modes of fund transfers is NEFT. Let us understand what it is and how long NEFT takes to settle funds.
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National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is an efficient online platform introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). It offers a secure and speedy method for transferring money between banks, both within and across institutions. NEFT allows you to send funds quickly at minimal or no cost, depending on whether you use online or offline options. To transfer money, you only need the recipient's bank account details and contact information, which you can enter through the Internet or mobile banking services.

One of the most significant features is the NEFT settlement time taken for beneficiaries to receive money. Firstly, senders and receivers do not have to worry about any specific hours to initiate transactions. You can send money via NEFT 24x7x365. As such, there are no restrictions on timings, and there is no need to worry about initiating transactions during banking hours, weekends, or public/bank holidays. Whether you wish to send money to friends and family or pay your bills and Credit Card dues via NEFT, you can do so at all hours.

Here's how NEFT settlements work: If you want to transfer funds from your HDFC Bank account to an account at XYZ Bank, the process is as follows.

Step 1: Initiation
You initiate the NEFT transfer through HDFC Bank's Net Banking platform or mobile app 'PayZapp.' You provide the necessary information, including the transfer amount, the beneficiary's bank name (in this case – XYZ Bank), branch name, account number, the Indian Financial System Code (IFSC code) of the XYZ Bank branch, and the beneficiary's contact number.
Step 2: Batch Processing
NEFT settlements take place in half-hourly batches throughout the day. Once you have initiated the transaction, it takes up to 30 minutes for your transaction to be included in the next available batch based on the time you initiated the transfer.
Step 3: Batch Submission
HDFC Bank submits the batch containing your NEFT transaction to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The batch also comprises multiple transactions from different customers.
Step 4: RBI Processing
The RBI receives the batch from HDFC Bank and processes it after verifying the submitted details of each transaction, including the beneficiary's bank and account information. It then transfers the funds from the HDFC Bank account to the XYZ Bank account.
Step 5: Confirmation
Once the fund transfer is complete, the sender and the beneficiary receive confirmation notifications from their banks, indicating that the funds have been successfully transferred.

While the NEFT mentioned above process may appear complex at face value, the total time taken rarely exceeds 30 minutes to one hour. However, if you are initiating an NEFT transaction for the first time, the time taken for an NEFT transfer may be up to 2 hours, as the RBI takes up to 30 minutes to verify beneficiary accounts.

You can initiate the transaction only 30 minutes after your beneficiary's account details have been set up. Also, once you set up a beneficiary's account, you do not have to undergo the process again. The next time you send money through this payment method, the time taken for NEFT transfers will be reduced, and the beneficiary shall receive the funds within 30 minutes to an hour.

Individuals, firms, and corporates must fulfil the following requirements to send money via NEFT.

• Remitter Bank Account: The remitter must have a bank account with any member bank participating in the NEFT system.
• Beneficiary's Bank Account: The beneficiary (i.e., the individual entity receiving the funds) should also have an account with any bank in the country participating in the NEFT system.
• Account Verification: The remitter's bank account must be verified for online or mobile banking-based NEFT transactions.
• Beneficiary Identification: The remitter must provide accurate details of the beneficiary, including their name, bank and branch name, account type, account number, and IFSC Code.

Note: Beneficiaries must have a bank account to receive funds via NEFT, but the sender does not. The sender can visit any bank offering NEFT services and initiate a transfer by depositing cash. These transactions, considered offline, are limited to ₹50,000 per transfer.

HDFC Bank offers all kinds of online and digital payment solutions. The bank's UPI Payment app, PayZapp, allows you to conduct instant, one-click fund transfers. You only need the beneficiary's bank-linked mobile number or Quick Response (QR) code for such transactions.
PayZapp allows you to transfer money, pay utility and Credit Card bills, shop for products and services, and do so much more by linking your HDFC Bank account, Debit Card, or Credit Card.
Click here to transfer funds through PayZapp on your IOS phone.
Click here to make a fund transfer through payZapp on your Android phone.
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*Terms and conditions apply. The information provided in this article is generic in nature and for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for specific advice in your own circumstances.