As users of the ACH Network contemplate data quality, risk and compliance strategies, they should be aware that on March 18, 2022, Nacha’s ACH WEB Debit “Account Validation Rule” becomes enforceable. The rule requires that the first use of an account number, or account number changes, be validated as part of a commercially reasonable fraudulent transaction detection system.  

As the date for enforcement draws near, some companies, payment fintechs and financial institutions are actively seeking solutions to comply with the Account Validation Rule. Phixius is one method to both adhere to the Nacha Account Validation Rule and provide a safe and secure way to verify and validate ACH account information. 

Built and operated by Nacha, Phixius is a peer-to-peer network that enables the exchange and validation of payment-related information quickly and securely. Phixius enables instantaneous verification of routing and account numbers. In the second quarter of this year, Phixius will also validate account ownership, offering an excellent application for mitigating fraud and enhancing certainty of payment routing .  

“We partnered with Nacha to offer the Phixius solution because it allows us to help our bank partners maintain compliance in real time,” said Scott Goldthwaite, president of Aliaswire, a fintech well-known for payments innovation. “Phixius was built to support high-capacity volume with rapid API performance, and that’s exactly what we need to deliver to our clients.”

Nacha will be hosting a free webinar on Thursday, March 10 at 2 p.m. ET to answer your questions both about the ACH WEB Debit "Account Validation Rule" and further discuss the Phixius platform. This webinar will cover how industry participants can continue to work towards compliance, given the current landscape.  

You can register for the webinar here. If you want to learn more about Phixius, here is a form to fill out, and a Nacha team member will get a hold of you.