Payments

Branch announces Flex earned wage access for financial institutions

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October 21, 2026

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Branch, a provider of embedded financial services, launched its Flex earned wage access (EWA) model designed specifically for banks and credit unions, according to a press release.

The white-label solution allows financial institutions to embed EWA directly into their existing mobile apps under their own branding, giving depositors access to earned wages before traditional paydays. Branch powers the service by funding all advances, managing compliance, and handling integrations via an API-first framework, ensuring institutions face no balance-sheet risk or underwriting changes.

"Earned wage access has become a baseline expectation for today's workforce, and increasingly people expect it from the institutions they already bank with," Atif Siddiqi, founder and CEO of Branch, said in the release. "Extending Flex EWA to banks and credit unions lets them meet that demand under their own brand, reinforce the relationships they've already earned, and compete for the deposits that make those relationships valuable."

Depositors can choose between standard free delivery or instant delivery to their existing debit cards for a small fee. Institutions can deploy the platform through a 60-day sprint covering technical integration, testing, and go-live.

The financial institution offering expands Branch's existing EWA portfolio, joining its Core and Flex models for employers. Beyond EWA, Branch provides paycard services, cashless tip distribution, contractor payouts and embedded finance.

Payments