EPCOR

What EPCOR does

EPCOR (Electronic Payments Core of Knowledge) is a U.S. nonprofit membership association founded in 1974 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, that provides education, professional certifications, and audit/risk-assessment services to the electronic payments industry. Its primary members are banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions that participate in the ACH network, with secondary reach into third-party senders and payment service providers; named institutional members include UMB Bank, BOK Financial, The Huntington National Bank, First National Bank of Omaha, INTRUST Bank, Corporate One Federal Credit Union, and the Federal Reserve Banks of Kansas City and St. Louis.

The organization's core offerings fall into three product families. First, four industry-recognized professional certifications — Accredited ACH Professional (AAP), Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP), Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP), and National Check Professional (NCP) — supported by prep programs including the NCP Prep Program. Second, a calendar of recurring educational events delivered both in-person and virtually: Payments University, the annual Payments Conference (Paymentspalooza), Payments Leadership Series, Payment Systems Update, Symposiums, Day Camps, Workshops, Webinars, and co-presented programs such as the Virtual Fraud Symposium with UMACHA. Third, a suite of professional services including ACH, RDC, RTP, and Wire Transfer audit and risk assessment, third-party sender profile reviews, ACH network participant role determination, banking law information, treasury management services, advisory services, and an Instant Payments Enablement Service covering FedNow and RTP onboarding. The underlying technology stack is conventional association infrastructure: the My EPCOR member portal (my.epcor.org), the EPCOR Knowledge Community platform (community.epcor.org), and an online store for publications.

EPCOR's business model is a hybrid of subscription-style membership dues and event/certification/service fees. Annual membership dues are tiered by institution type and size; certification fees, event registration, and professional-service engagements (audit, risk assessment, consulting) generate incremental revenue on top. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on industry events, webinars, member referrals, and board-driven relationships rather than traditional sales motion. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors composed of member-institution representatives (with technology providers such as Jack Henry holding ex-officio seats), holds Nacha Direct Member status, and is a Founding Member of the Faster Payments Council — positions that double as regulatory influence and as commercial moat. EPCOR acquired peer payments association COCHA in July 2022, and operates as an independent nonprofit with no parent company or external equity backing.

Name

EPCOR

Legal name

EPCOR - Electronic Payments Core of Knowledge

Website

https://epcor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EPCOR is a U.S. nonprofit payments education association, founded in 1974 and based in Kansas City, that provides professional certifications (AAP, AFPP, APRP, NCP), educational events, and audit/risk-assessment services to banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payments Industry Education and Compliance Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

akta.pro primary industry

Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Programmatic Accreditors (Discipline/Profession-Specific) (EDADACAC), Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Payments industry education
• ACH certification programs
• Payments compliance audit
• Risk assessment services
• Financial institution training

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues for financial institutions and affiliated organizations providing access to education, resources, compliance support, and networking opportunities.
2. Education Programs and Events: Revenue from educational events including Payments University, conferences, day camps, workshops, webinars, and symposiums. Both in-person and virtual formats available.
3. Professional Certifications: Fees for certification programs including AAP (Accredited ACH Professional), AFPP (Accredited Faster Payments Professional), APRP (Accredited Payments Risk Professional), and NCP (National Check Professional).
4. Publications and Resources: Sale of publications, educational materials, flashcards, and resource packages through the online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EPCOR is a nonprofit membership association delivering professional certifications (AAP, AFPP, APRP, NCP), payments industry education programs, and compliance/audit/risk-assessment services for banks, credit unions, and third-party payment participants. It monetizes through annual membership dues, paid certification enrollment, event and workshop registrations, and consulting engagements covering ACH, RDC, RTP, wire transfer, and third-party sender operations.

Product overview

EPCOR (Electronic Payments Core of Knowledge) is a membership-based payments association that provides a comprehensive ecosystem of professional certifications, education programs, and consulting services for the electronic payments industry. The organization offers four core professional certifications: Accredited ACH Professional (AAP), Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP), Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP), and National Check Professional (NCP). These certifications are supported by a robust educational framework including EPCOR Payments University (in-person workshops and virtual sessions), the annual Paymentspalooza Conference, virtual events like the Fraud Symposium and Wire Transfer Day Camp, webinars, and bundled learning packages. EPCOR also provides professional services including audit and risk assessment offerings for ACH, RDC, RTP, wire transfers, and third-party senders, as well as consulting services such as Instant Payments Enablement and Advisory Services. Members access resources through the My EPCOR Portal (my.epcor.org), the Knowledge Community platform (community.epcor.org), and an Online Store for publications. The organization serves as a national voice for the payments industry, influencing policies and representing member interests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) Professional certification program for ACH payments specialists demonstrating expertise in ACH network rules, operations, and compliance.
• Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP) Professional certification validating expertise in real-time payment systems and instant payment technologies, including FedNow and RTP.
• Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP) Professional certification demonstrating advanced knowledge in payments risk management and fraud prevention strategies.
• National Check Professional (NCP) Professional certification for check processing professionals covering check fraud, returns, and exception handling, supported by an NCP Prep Program.
• EPCOR Payments University Workshop-style educational event in both in-person and virtual formats taught by seasoned payments professors covering ACH, faster payments, risk, and other payments topics.
• Payments Conference (Paymentspalooza) Annual three-day payments conference featuring hands-on workshops, education sessions, and networking opportunities for payments professionals.
• Virtual Fraud Symposium Two-day virtual fraud education event co-hosted with UMACHA, empowering institutions with knowledge to combat fraud in the payments industry.
• ACH Audit Services Audit services for ACH payment operations to ensure compliance with Nacha rules.
• ACH Risk Assessment Risk assessment services for ACH network participants evaluating compliance posture and operational risk.
• RDC Audit Services Audit services for Remote Deposit Capture operations covering compliance and risk review.
• RDC Risk Assessment Risk assessment of Remote Deposit Capture services evaluating compliance and operational risk.
• RTP Audit Services Audit services for Real-Time Payments operations, including RTP network compliance review.
• RTP Risk Assessment Risk assessment for Real-Time Payments services covering operational and compliance risk.
• Third-Party Sender Profile Review Review service for third-party sender compliance and operational profiles used by ODFIs to evaluate sender readiness.
• ACH Network Participant Role Determination Analysis and determination of ACH network participant roles (ODFI, RDFI, third-party sender) and responsibilities for member institutions.
• Third-Party Sender Maturity Assessment Assessment of third-party sender operational maturity and compliance posture against Nacha expectations.
• Wire Transfer Audit Services Audit services for wire transfer operations and compliance review for financial institutions.
• Wire Transfer Risk Assessment Risk assessment services for wire transfer operations covering operational, fraud, and compliance exposure.
• Advisory Services Expert advisory services for payment strategy, operations, and regulatory matters for member institutions.
• Instant Payments Enablement Service Consulting service to help organizations move from planning to market with instant payments, covering FedNow and RTP network enablement.
• Treasury Management Services Services and education programs for treasury management professionals at financial institutions.
• Flex Training Service Customizable training services for organizations needing tailored payment education delivered to their teams.
• EPCOR Membership Annual membership program for financial institutions and affiliated organizations providing access to education, resources, compliance support, networking, and discounts on certifications and events.

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• NachacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPCOR is a Nacha Direct Member, enabling direct participation in ACH Network governance and standards development. This relationship positions EPCOR as an influential voice in payment policies and rules.
• Faster Payments CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPCOR is a Founding Member of the Faster Payments Council, collaborating to advance faster payments adoption and education in the U.S. financial system.
• UMACHAstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPCOR partners with UMACHA (Upper Mississippi Association for ACH) to co-present the Virtual Fraud Symposium, combining fraud education resources for the payments industry.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SWACHA: Southwestern Payments Association serving banks in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and surrounding states. Operates the same regional ACH association model as EPCOR, providing payments education, compliance support, and member services to financial institutions.
• NEACH: New England ACH Association, a regional payments association providing education, certification support, and Nacha-aligned compliance resources to member financial institutions in the Northeast. Directly comparable member-based association model to EPCOR.
• UMACHA: Upper Midwest ACH Association covering the same broader Midwest ACH ecosystem EPCOR serves. EPCOR and UMACHA already co-present the Virtual Fraud Symposium, evidencing the highly comparable member-based, education-driven model.
• Faster Payments Council: Faster Payments Council is the U.S. industry body advancing real-time and faster payment systems. EPCOR is a Founding Member, and the two collaborate on faster-payments education and adoption, making it a tightly overlapping peer for EPCOR's emerging real-time payments work.

Broad incumbents

• Nacha: Nacha is the governing body for the ACH Network and runs its own education, compliance, and rulemaking programs. EPCOR is a Nacha Direct Member; Nacha is both a partner and the broader incumbent whose standards and curricula shape EPCOR's offerings.
• Association for Financial Professionals (AFP): AFP is a major membership association for treasury and finance professionals offering certifications (CTP, CTP-D), education, and events. Overlaps with EPCOR on treasury management education and payments but serves a broader corporate-finance audience.
• BAI (Bank Administration Institute): BAI is a longstanding banking industry association providing executive education, training, and research to financial institutions. Comparable association-model peer, although broader in scope than EPCOR's payments-specific focus.
• American Bankers Association (ABA): ABA is the largest U.S. banking trade association, offering industry education, certifications (CRCM, CFSA), and policy advocacy. Competes with EPCOR for mindshare on compliance and payments education across the same bank membership base.
• The Clearing House Payments Authority: The Clearing House operates the RTP network and publishes research, education, and thought leadership around real-time payments. Overlaps with EPCOR on payments education and advisory for the same financial-institution audience, particularly in real-time rails.
• Electronic Transactions Association (ETA): ETA is the global trade association for the payments industry, representing merchants, banks, and processors. Comparable association-model peer serving an overlapping payments ecosystem with education, advocacy, and member events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EPCORPymntsNews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EPCORPymnts
• Facebookfacebook.com/EPCOROnline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epcorofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/epcorpymnts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A1 record

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about EPCOR