How the instant transfer works
The instant transfer is a banking service that moves funds in real time, generally in under 10 seconds, between two bank accounts. Unlike traditional transfers, which can take up to three working days, it makes the funds immediately available to the beneficiary.
Accessible through the banks' online services — mobile apps or websites — it is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and public holidays. To make such a transfer, simply log in to your online banking area, select the instant transfer option, then enter the beneficiary's details and the amount to transfer. Once confirmed, the transfer is completed within seconds.
Availability at the weekend
The simple test
If your bank announces an arrival date on the next day or later, it is a standard transfer. An instant transfer announces no date: it is executed before you have left the screen.
One of the main advantages of the instant transfer is its continuous availability. The service runs permanently, which makes it possible to transfer money at any moment, during the week, at the weekend or on public holidays. A transfer started on a Saturday or a Sunday is processed immediately, and the funds are available in the beneficiary's account in real time.
That is a clean break with the standard transfer: it goes through interbank clearing, which only runs on working days. A standard instruction given on Friday after the cut-off time only enters processing on the Monday — and therefore arrives, at best, on the Monday evening.
Is it really instant at the weekend?
The instant transfer lives up to its name: it is processed in real time, with no additional delay, whatever the day of the week. A transfer made at the weekend is therefore genuinely instant, with the funds received within seconds.
Two conditions must, however, be met:
- The beneficiary's bank must be compatible with the service. Otherwise, the transfer is handled as a standard transfer, with longer times.
- The amount must respect the cap of 20,000 DH per operation, as well as any daily limits specific to your bank.
Ask your bank about its own conditions regarding caps and any fees involved: pricing for the service is unregulated, and it varies noticeably from one bank to another.
What to take away
The instant transfer is a major step forward in banking transactions: it brings speed and flexibility, and its availability 24/7 makes it a particularly practical tool for urgent transfers, or for transfers that call for immediate execution.
For a weekend payment — an order to be validated before Monday, for example — it is the only banking route that produces an immediate effect. On iris.ma, payment by bank card plays the same role without the cap of 20,000 DH, and validates the order within the second.
Frequently asked questions
Does an instant transfer go through on a Sunday?
Yes. The service runs without interruption, Sundays and public holidays included, and the funds arrive within seconds.
And a standard transfer started on a Saturday?
It is recorded but only enters processing on the Monday, the first working day. After that, allow 1 to 3 working days — see the interbank transfer times.
Is there a surcharge at the weekend?
No: the price of the instant transfer does not depend on the day. It depends only on your bank's price list, which it sets freely.
How do I know whether the beneficiary's bank accepts instant transfers?
Your app tells you as you enter the details: if the instant option is unavailable for the IBAN entered, it is greyed out, or the instruction switches automatically to a standard transfer.