Getting paid is exciting! We totally get that you're keen to see those funds land in your account.
At Helcim, we're all about getting your money to you as smoothly and quickly as we can. This article will give you the lowdown on typical deposit times, what can sometimes cause delays, and how to keep in the loop about your deposits.
In this article
General deposit timelines at Helcim
When you process payments with Helcim, the funds are deposited into your linked bank account. The time this takes can vary by transaction type:
Credit card transactions: Typically, funds from credit card sales arrive in your account within 1-2 business days after your batch has been settled.
ACH transactions: ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments usually take a bit longer, around 3-4 business days to deposit after settlement.
| In Canada, "ACH transactions" may be referred to by other terms, such as Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) or pre-authorized debits. |
What factors can affect deposit timelines with Helcim?
Several factors can influence how long it takes for your deposits to arrive.
First few batches
For all new merchants, we take a little extra time to review your first few batches. This means your initial deposits will take longer than the typical times mentioned above: around 3 business days for credit cards and about 7 business days for ACH/EFT.
| This important step helps us understand your business's processing patterns and ensures everything is set up for smooth sailing long-term. |
Weekends and holidays
Banks generally don’t process deposits on weekends or statutory holidays. So, if a transaction is made or a batch is settled on a Friday evening, over the weekend, or on a holiday, the "business days to deposit" count will start on the next business day.
| For instance, a batch closed Friday evening usually begins its deposit countdown on Monday (if it's not a holiday). |
Underwriting reviews
Helcim's underwriting process is ongoing. If we need to reach out to you for more information, it may cause a delay in your deposit. To avoid delays, please respond to our requests as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
How do I get my deposits faster at Helcim?
Option 1: Earlier batch settlements
To get your funds earlier, close your card batch before 7:00 PM MT (Mountain Time). Settling your batch earlier in the evening increases the chances of your funds being included in that day's processing run.
This means the 1-2 business day countdown could start sooner, potentially landing the deposit in your account a day earlier than if you settled later that night.
| Important Consideration: If your business operates and processes card transactions after 7:00 PM MT, closing your batch at this time would mean those later sales will go into a new, separate batch. This will result in multiple daily batches, which could affect how you reconcile your payments. It’s a trade-off between potentially faster funding and your daily reconciliation process – you decide what works best for your business! |
Option 2: See if you are eligible for Faster Deposits
You might also be able to get your card funds by the next business day through our Faster Deposits feature, depending on your bank.
| What are Faster Deposits? Helcim uses real-time payment rails (RTP) and the FedNow service to speed up the funding process for eligible businesses. If your bank participates in either network, this feature is enabled by default with no extra steps or fees. |
Is my bank eligible?
To see if your bank is on the RTP or FedNow networks, you can view their participant lists:
RTP Participating Financial Institutions | The Clearing House
FedNow Service Participants and Service Providers | Federal Reserve Financial Services
If your bank is not on the RTP or FedNow network, consider changing your linked account to one of the listed banks so you can take advantage of faster deposits.
What transactions are eligible?
Faster Deposits currently apply only to credit and debit card transactions, not ACH/EFT payments.
| If your bank is eligible and you want to link it to your Helcim account, learn how to update your banking information here: |
Conclusions
Let's recap the journey of your funds:
Standard deposits are 1-2 business days for cards, 3-4 for ACH/EFT.
Your first few batches take a bit longer as we get acquainted. Weekends and holidays also extend timelines.
Prompt responses to any underwriting queries can prevent delays.
For potentially faster funds:
Consider settling card batches before 7:00 PM MT (being mindful of reconciliation).
Check if your bank supports Faster Deposits via RTP or FedNow for next business day funding on card transactions.
Type of batch | Initial batches For all merchants | Typical deposits Merchants not on RTP or FedNow networks | Faster Deposits Merchants on the RTP or FedNow networks |
Credit card | ~3 business days | 1 to 2 business days | Next business day |
ACH | ~7 business days | 3 to 4 business days | 3 to 4 business days |
Next steps
Curious about other aspects of bank deposits? Check out these articles to learn more.
FAQ & Troubleshooting
Why do my first few deposits take longer to arrive?
Helcim reviews the first few batches for all merchants to establish a baseline understanding of your business's processing patterns. This process helps us ensure that your transactions are proceeding smoothly and that everything is set up correctly.
You may receive an email from trustandsafety@helcim.com for more information about your business. The more prepared you are to respond, the sooner we can get your processing up and running!
What does "batch settled" mean, and how does it affect my deposit timeline?
When you process transactions throughout the day, those transactions are typically grouped into a "batch." At a specific time, this batch is "settled," which means the transactions are finalized and ready for processing by the banks.
The deposit timeline begins after the batch has been settled. The exact time of batch settlement can vary, and it's a key factor in determining when your funds will be deposited into your account.
To learn more about adjusting your auto-settlement times, visit this article.
How do I know if my bank supports Faster Deposits?
Faster Deposits relies on the Real-Time Payments (RTP) or FedNow networks. To check if your bank participates in either of these networks, refer to the lists below:
If your bank isn’t on any of these lists, deposits from card transactions will be processed within the standard 1-2 business days.
Which transactions are eligible for Faster Deposits?
Faster Deposits only apply to credit and debit card transactions, not ACH.
Other transaction types, including ACH payments, are not yet supported by Faster Deposits even if your bank is eligible. We're exploring ways to expand this feature in the future.
Why don't I have access to Faster Deposits?
Faster Deposits is rolling out in phases across North America and may not yet be available in your region.
We’re actively working to bring this feature to more regions, particularly in Canada, with plans to launch by summer 2025.
If you are in Canada, you can rely on our standard deposit timelines for credit card and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) transactions, as outlined in this article.