ACH debit transfers are used by consumers to authorize the payment of insurance premiums, mortgages, loans, and other bills from their account. The ACH is also used by businesses to concentrate funds at a primary bank and to make payments to other businesses. In 2003, the Reserve Banks processed 6.5 billion ACH payments with a value of $16.8 trillion. See also Check 21 Act Cheque and Credit Clearing Company Cheque Truncation System Payment system Clearstream National Automated Clearing House Substitute check in United States SWIFT References External links Understanding Derivatives: Markets and Infrastructure - Chapter 2, Central Counterparty Clearing by Robert Steigerwald (Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago) Clearing and Settlement of Exchange-Traded Derivatives by John McPartland (Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago) Securities (finance) Financial markets Settlement (finance)