
What are Payment Systems?
A Payment System is a mechanism that facilitates transfer of value between a payer and a beneficiary by which the payer discharges the payment obligations to the beneficiary. Payment Systems are the medium to transfer funds from one person to another that facilitate businesses and economies. Payment system enables two-way flow of payments in exchange of goods and services in the economy. Payment systems help consumers to transfer funds to each other. Cash is the traditional and most widely used payment instrument that consumers use in their daily lives to purchase goods and services. Banking channels also provide other payment instruments through different platforms and these are also widely used in commerce. Payment systems comprises of instruments through which payments can be made, rules, regulations and procedures that guide these payments, institutions which facilitate payment mechanisms and legal systems etc. that are established to facilitate transfer of funds between different participant institutions. Payment systems are used by individuals, banks, companies, governments, etc. to make payments to one another.