A method including receiving a first promise-to-pay message at a transaction system. The method also can include storing the first promise-to-pay message in the transaction system. The method additionally can include sending a second promise-to-pay message from the transaction system to a second financial institution. The method further can include receiving a first response at the transaction system from the second financial institution indicating a successful credit of the second account maintained by the second financial institution. The method additionally can include storing the first response in the transaction system. The method further can include sending a second response from the transaction system indicating the successful credit of the second account maintained by the second financial institution to inform at least the sender in real-time after the payment authorization time of the successful credit of the second account maintained by the second financial institution. Other embodiments are provided.