PGP and NatPay Forge Strategic Alliance to Build a Next-Generation Payroll and Disbursement Infrastructure With Dual Bank and Web3 Rails
In a move that signifies a transformative step forward for the payroll technology ecosystem, Payroll Growth Partners (“PGP”), a Zebec Network portfolio company, has announced a strategic partnership with the National Payment Corporation (NatPay), one of the United States’ largest and most established ACH and document distribution providers. Together, the two organizations aim to build what they describe as a “next-generation payroll and disbursement platform,” combining bank-grade direct-deposit infrastructure with optional Web3-based real-time stablecoin payout capabilities.
This collaboration brings together NatPay’s three decades of expertise in payroll automation and ACH processing with Zebec Network’s programmable, real-time blockchain payment rails. The result is a payroll and treasury solution built to meet the needs of a digital-first economy—one where employers increasingly require speed, transparency, flexibility, and interoperability between traditional and emerging financial systems.
A Unified Platform Bridging Traditional Banking and Web3
The core of the partnership lies in a seamless integration between NatPay’s comprehensive payroll, ACH, and HCM (Human Capital Management) technology stack and Zebec Network’s programmable stablecoin rails. With this dual-rail architecture, employers will be able to route employee payouts through either conventional banking channels or Web3-native settlement pathways—all from a single, consolidated interface.
Traditionally, payroll systems have required employers to rely exclusively on a single payout format, limiting flexibility for employees and contractors who may prefer alternative payment methods. By integrating Zebec’s real-time stablecoin transaction layer, PGP’s national client base will gain the ability to leverage instantaneous, programmable, and globally accessible digital asset payouts without compromising compliance or security.
This combined offering reflects a major industry shift toward hybrid infrastructure—one where blockchain-enabled rails complement rather than replace the banking systems that anchor payroll operations today.
NatPay: A Legacy Provider With National Scale
Founded in 1991, NatPay has grown into one of the most respected and widely used ACH payroll processors in the nation. The company currently processes more than $170 billion annually on behalf of over 300,000 ACH clients, spanning employers of all sizes and industries. Its long-standing reputation for security, reliability, and efficiency has positioned NatPay as a top-tier provider of direct deposit, document distribution, and paperless payroll services.
The company’s suite of solutions—including Direct Deposit Plus, pay card programs, and its digital paperless document ecosystem—has helped modernize payroll workflows for decades. Through this strategic partnership, NatPay’s proven infrastructure and extensive client base will serve as foundational building blocks for PGP’s PayBridge platform as it shifts toward more dynamic and programmable payout models.
Jim Hagan, Executive Vice President at NatPay, emphasized that PGP and PayBridge represent the type of innovative partners NatPay seeks out. “Together, we’re helping payroll providers and employers move from batch processes to always-on, digital-first experiences, without sacrificing security or compliance,” he said. His remarks underscore a broader industry trend: payroll systems are evolving from periodic cycles into continuous, real-time financial operations.
PayBridge: A Modern Payroll Engine Ready for Transformation
PayBridge—a flagship firm within PGP that processes over $300 million annually in payroll for mid-market and enterprise employers—stands at the center of the rollout. Originally acquired by Payroll Growth Partners, PayBridge has become a core component of PGP’s mission to digitize and streamline payroll operations across its national footprint.
With NatPay’s infrastructure and Zebec’s Web3 rails integrated directly into the PayBridge system, employers will soon gain access to a platform capable of routing payouts through:
- Traditional ACH
- Bank wires
- Real-time FedNow payments
- Programmable Web3 stablecoin transfers
- Pay cards
- Paperless statements and pay stubs
This multi-rail system ensures redundancy, speed, and flexibility—critical qualities in an environment where workforce expectations and payment preferences are rapidly changing.
PayBridge’s adoption of Zebec’s programmable payout logic introduces new capabilities such as automated tax withholding for Web3 earnings, conditional release of payments, decentralized treasury workflows, and smart-contract-driven compliance verifications. These features significantly enhance the operational sophistication and transparency of payroll systems.
ISO 20022 Messaging and FedNow Connectivity: Future-Proofing Payroll Infrastructure
A central technological advantage of the partnership is its adoption of ISO 20022, the emerging global standard for financial messaging. By transitioning to ISO 20022-compliant frameworks, PayBridge customers will experience more structured, data-rich, and interoperable payment flows—paving the way for automation, enhanced auditability, and seamless integration with both domestic and international settlement systems.
In addition to ISO 20022 compatibility, the platform integrates NatPay’s ACH engine with connectivity to the FedNow Service, the Federal Reserve’s real-time payment network. This inclusion is crucial, as FedNow is rapidly becoming the foundational infrastructure for instant settlement in the U.S. banking system.
When paired with Zebec’s blockchain rails—capable of conducting real-time stablecoin transactions globally—the system delivers a hybrid settlement environment that is both future-proof and regulation-friendly. Employers gain access to an unprecedented breadth of payout choices, while employees can receive earnings in whichever form serves them best.
Real-Time and Programmable Payments: A Competitive Advantage for Employers
As the workforce becomes increasingly distributed, digitized, and diverse, employees now expect flexible payment options that traditional payroll systems struggle to deliver. Gig workers, creators, cross-border contractors, and digital-first employees often require faster access to earnings or prefer receiving their compensation in digital assets.
The PGP–NatPay partnership enables employers to meet these demands without adopting entirely new systems or compromising compliance. The integrated Web3 rails allow for:
- Real-time wage payouts
- Programmable conditional payments
- Digital asset-based compensation
- Micro-disbursements for gig workers
- Automated treasury and reconciliation workflows
These capabilities can enhance retention, strengthen employer value propositions, and support workforce models that require more dynamic payment structures.
Leadership Perspectives: Combining Strengths to Modernize Payroll
Simon Babakhani, CEO of Zebec and Founder of Payroll Growth Partners, highlighted the importance of NatPay’s scale and reliability as PGP builds a next-generation payroll engine. “NatPay brings three decades of experience, national scale, and a proven infrastructure,” he said. “Pairing their infrastructure allows us to offer our clients the best of both worlds: bank-trusted direct deposit and programmable payouts in one workflow.”
His remarks reflect PGP’s strategic vision: rather than replacing the banking system, the company aims to enhance it by embedding programmable Web3 functionality directly into existing payroll and treasury frameworks.
Jim Hagan of NatPay echoed the sentiment, noting that the partnership will help payroll providers transition from traditional batch-based cycles to always-on, digital-first systems. “Security, compliance, and reliability remain our top priorities,” he said. “But employers also need speed and flexibility. This integration delivers both.”
Expanding Beyond Payroll: A Broader Vision for Treasury and Financial Operations
While payroll is the immediate focus, the architecture resulting from this partnership has much broader applications. The unified platform has the potential to support a wide array of disbursement and treasury functions, including:
- Vendor payments
- Contractor disbursements
- Cross-border remittances
- Expense reimbursements
- On-demand wage access
- Treasury automation for enterprise clients
The programmable nature of Zebec’s rails, combined with NatPay’s ACH, wire, and FedNow infrastructure, creates a flexible foundation adaptable across sectors such as logistics, healthcare, construction, technology, retail, and professional services.
Phased Rollouts: Stablecoin Payroll, Earned Wage Access, and Cross-Border Payments
The partnership also includes a roadmap for phased enhancements. As regulatory clarity around stablecoin payments strengthens, PGP plans to introduce optional features such as:
- Stablecoin payroll programs
- Instant earned wage access (EWA)
- Cross-border disbursements via real-time blockchain rails
- Global contractor payments
- Programmable compliance and tax logic
The ability to toggle between fiat and stablecoin payouts provides employers with risk-managed flexibility. Meanwhile, earned wage access—supported by real-time settlement through Web3 rails or FedNow—allows employees to access a portion of their earnings instantly, eliminating reliance on predatory payday lending services.
A New Standard for Payroll Innovation
The partnership between Payroll Growth Partners, NatPay, and Zebec brings together three industry forces committed to reimagining payroll infrastructure from the ground up. By integrating bank-trusted ACH systems with instantaneous, programmable Web3 payment capabilities, the collaboration offers one of the most comprehensive, future-ready payout platforms available to employers today.
For employers, the partnership means faster, more transparent, and more compliant payroll operations. For employees, it means greater choice, speed, and financial flexibility. And for the broader financial ecosystem, it represents a meaningful step toward convergence between traditional finance and blockchain-powered innovation.
As the rollout progresses, this unified infrastructure is expected to become a model for how payroll and treasury systems can evolve—seamlessly merging the reliability of established banking networks with the programmability and speed of modern blockchain rails.
About Payroll Growth Partners
Payroll Growth Partners invests in and operates small- to medium-sized payroll companies, enhancing efficiency, unlocking new revenue, and future-proofing client offerings. payrollgrowthpartners.com
About NatPay (National Payment Corporation)
National Payment Corporation (NatPay) is a top leader in ACH and document distribution solutions, providing direct deposit, pay cards, online pay stubs, tax forms, and e-statement services to clients nationwide. natpay.com
