Earned wage access (EWA) has evolved into a widely recognized workforce benefit after more than ten years in the market. According to a new report from research firm Everest Group, “The End of Earned Wage Access (As We Know It),” employers now expect EWA to be delivered at no cost and as part of a broader financial wellness offering rather than simply providing instant payouts.
Drawing on national research from more than 100 senior HR, finance, and payroll leaders, the report finds the following:
- While 77% of employers have adopted EWA to support employee financial wellness, 83% say their wellness programs struggle to demonstrate positive financial outcomes.
- Across employers, nearly 6 in 10 say EWA should now be offered at no cost.
- Among employers that have not yet adopted EWA, 56% point to limited visibility into financial outcomes and functionality beyond instant payouts as key barriers.
- Over three quarters of employers (76%) cited financial wellness as a strategic priority for the next 12 months.
- Employers also cited financial coaching and guidance (63%), credit score building (57%), financial goal setting (53%), and automated savings (49%) as the most important components of financial wellness programs, signaling how legacy EWA point solutions must evolve to address financial well-being broadly.
The full report is available through Chime Enterprise’s resource hub,
"What we're seeing in this research is a clear inflection point for the earned wage access market," said Sharath Hari, Vice President, Everest Group. "As EWA moves into the mainstream, employers are no longer evaluating it as a standalone capability. They are holding providers to higher standards around cost, compliance, payroll integration, and measurable outcomes.”
"This research confirms what employers are telling us every day: earned wage access alone is no longer enough," said Jason Lee, Chief of Chime Enterprise. "Employers now expect EWA to be free, measurable, and part of a broader financial wellness strategy. They want proof that it's improving financial health and productivity—not just faster access to pay."
HR Executive will host Lee and Hari for the webinar “What 10 Years of Earned Wage Access Reveal and What Comes Next” on Thursday, February 19, at 1:00 p.m. ET. Register here.
Sean Tait Bircher is the Writer and Editor of Membership Publications for PayrollOrg. Raul Plata, Jr., is the Editorial Assistant of Membership Publications for PayrollOrg.
