Payment Pre-Funding

Definition ∞ Payment pre-funding involves depositing funds into an account or a designated mechanism before initiating a transaction or a series of payments. This ensures that sufficient capital is available to cover the payment obligations when they occur, reducing settlement risk and processing delays. It is a common practice in various payment systems, including some blockchain-based solutions and traditional escrow services. Pre-funding provides a guarantee of payment availability.
Context ∞ In the context of digital assets and payment systems, payment pre-funding is discussed in relation to stablecoins, central bank digital currencies, and certain Layer 2 scaling solutions. News reports might cover how pre-funding mechanisms are used to facilitate efficient batch payments or to secure commitments in decentralized finance protocols. This practice helps ensure transaction finality and mitigate liquidity concerns in high-volume payment environments.