Use Cases

Digital Money Movement is for any organization that needs to pay a known group of people
programmatically — one originator, a pool of funds, and many recipients to pay.

The pattern is always the same. What changes is the business logic that decides who gets paid and
when, and that logic is yours. This is why the same integration supports programs that look
nothing alike.

Disbursements

A disbursement is the outbound transfer of funds from your organization to a recipient — to pay
wages, settle marketplace proceeds, issue rewards, pay out claims or settlements, reimburse
expenses, and more.

The scenarios below are the ones partners run most often. The list is not exhaustive; if your
program fits the shape of "one funded account, many people to pay, rules that decide the
payments," it fits here.

Each scenario notes the integration flow that commonly matches its payment pattern. That is a
starting point, not a rule — see
Choosing an integration flow.

Earned wage access and gig economy payouts

Pay workers for hours worked, tasks completed, or bonuses earned — on any schedule, without waiting
for a traditional payroll cycle. Near real-time delivery to a debit card lets you offer same-day or
on-demand pay as a product differentiator, which is often the deciding feature for workers choosing
between platforms.

Common pattern: The same workers are paid repeatedly, which often matches the Standard
Disbursements Flow.

Marketplace seller payouts

Push proceeds to sellers, vendors, and service providers as transactions settle. You control the
settlement schedule and any hold periods; Green Dot handles the money movement and provides
per-payout status so you can show sellers exactly where their money is.

Common pattern: Recurring payouts to known sellers, which often matches the Standard
Disbursements Flow.

Insurance claims

Replace check issuance with near real-time card payouts at the point of claim approval.
Particularly valuable for time-sensitive claims — home, auto, or emergency — where the recipient
needs funds immediately to begin recovery, and where the delay of a mailed check is itself part of
the customer complaint.

Common pattern: Claimants are often paid once per claim, which can match the Single Call
Disbursement Flow (Async). Carriers with repeat claimants may prefer the Standard Disbursements
Flow.

Loan and lending disbursements

Deliver loan proceeds to a borrower's debit card immediately after approval. Closing the gap
between approval and funding reduces post-approval abandonment and makes for a more competitive
borrower experience.

Common pattern: Either flow, depending on whether you expect to pay the same borrower again.

Government and benefits programs

Distribute benefits, grants, stipends, or emergency relief funds to card-holding recipients at
scale. Near real-time delivery matters most in emergency relief, where the speed of the payment is
the point of the program.

Common pattern: Recurring benefits often match the Standard Disbursements Flow; one-time relief
payments often match the Single Call Disbursement Flow (Async).

Retail returns and rebates

Issue refunds or promotional rebates directly to a customer's debit card instead of mailing a check
or issuing store credit. Improves satisfaction on an interaction that is already a negative one,
and eliminates check-issuance overhead.

Common pattern: Typically one-time payments, which often match the Single Call Disbursement
Flow (Async).

Staffing and payroll

Automate payroll runs for employees and contractors on any schedule — daily, weekly, biweekly, or
fully on demand. Works for a traditional workforce and contingent labor alike, including
same-day-hire situations where there is no time to set up a conventional payroll record.

Common pattern: Regular payroll often matches the Standard Disbursements Flow; one-off
contractor payments may match the Single Call Disbursement Flow (Async).

Legal settlements and class action payouts

Distribute settlement proceeds to a large, one-time recipient population efficiently. API-driven
payouts replace manual check issuance and the administrative overhead of chasing uncashed checks.

Common pattern: Each claimant is paid once, which often matches the Single Call Disbursement
Flow (Async).

Security deposits

Return security deposits for rentals, equipment, and services with a card payout — faster and more
trackable than a check.

Common pattern: Typically one-time payments, which often match the Single Call Disbursement
Flow (Async).

Matching a flow to your use case

What stays your responsibility

Digital Money Movement moves the money; it does not decide who receives it. Eligibility, amounts,
and timing are determined by your application's business logic. Keeping that boundary clear is the
key to a smooth integration.