Zelle Shuts Down Standalone App, Redirects Users to Bank Services

New York, NY — Zelle, the widely used person-to-person money transferring service, officially shut down its standalone app on Tuesday, redirecting users to access its services through participating banks and credit unions. This decision, announced in October 2024, came as a result of declining usage, with only 2% of Zelle’s transactions occurring through the app itself, according to the company.

Despite the app’s discontinuation for cash transfers, Zelle remains operational through over 2,200 banks and credit unions across the United States. Users seeking to continue utilizing the service can now enroll through their bank’s mobile app or website. A prompt within the app informs users that it is “no longer available for sending and receiving money.”

The company stated that affected users had been notified of the closure via emails and in-app messages prior to the shutdown. “Most of our users already access Zelle through their bank’s platforms, so this transition will largely be unaffected,” Zelle officials noted.

Launched in 2017, Zelle quickly became a significant player in the digital payment landscape, amassing over 151 million users and processing more than $1 trillion in transactions in 2024 alone. “This growth demonstrates the demand for a reliable and straightforward way to transfer money directly from bank accounts,” Zelle said in an announcement.

However, the service has also faced scrutiny. Last year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) launched a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo over concerns that customers had lost upwards of $870 million due to fraudulent transactions via Zelle. While Zelle called the allegations “meritless,” the lawsuit was eventually dropped amid changes in the CFPB.

As of now, users of the recently discontinued app can still access it for educational purposes regarding scams and fraud in digital payments. The platform will serve as a resource, displaying a directory of banking apps that offer Zelle services. A full list of participating institutions is also available within the app.

Despite the transition from a standalone app, Zelle’s integration with traditional banking platforms means that the ability to send and receive money seamlessly continues for the vast majority of its user base.