Push Payment
A payment initiated by the sender, who actively instructs their bank to transfer funds to a recipient.
Also known as: credit transfer, send payment
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
A push payment is one where the payer initiates the transaction — they 'push' money out of their own account to someone else. Bank transfers, wire transfers, and most peer-to-peer payment app transactions are push payments. Once sent, the money leaves the payer's account immediately or near-immediately.
Because the account holder authorises the outbound transfer, push payments offer weaker consumer protections than pull payments. If a fraudster deceives you into sending a push payment, recovering the funds requires the receiving bank's cooperation and is not guaranteed.
Understanding the push vs. pull distinction is critical: if a 'seller' asks you to send a bank transfer rather than pay by card, you are giving up card chargeback rights and taking on the full reversal risk yourself.
Sources
- SEC Investor.gov — Protect Your Money: How to Avoid Investment Scams — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- FCA — ScamSmart — UK Financial Conduct Authority
- CFPB — Fraud and Scams — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Scamwatch — Investment Scams — Australian Competition & Consumer Commission