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Zelle, the popular person-to-person money transferring service, has shut down its standalone app as of Tuesday (April 1). However, the service itself remains available through participating banks and credit unions. Zelle had previously announced the shutdown, citing that only 2% of transactions occurred on its app, while the vast majority of its 151 million users accessed the service through their bank's website or app.
Users who relied on the standalone app were notified through emails and in-app notifications about the change. These users must now re-enroll through their bank or credit union's app to continue using Zelle's services.
For those already using Zelle through their bank's app, no action is required.
The decision to close the app comes as more than 2,200 financial institutions now offer Zelle, reflecting its widespread adoption since its launch in 2017.
Zelle, created by a consortium of about 30 banks, was designed to compete with other payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, and Apple Pay. In 2024, Zelle users sent over $1 trillion, marking the highest amount ever sent by a person-to-person payment service in a single year.
Despite its success, Zelle faced legal challenges last year when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued the app and three major banks for allegedly allowing fraud to occur on the platform. The lawsuit, which claimed customers lost over $870 million, was dropped in March following changes at the CFPB ordered by President Donald Trump.
Zelle's official website provides further guidance for users needing to transition from the standalone app to their bank's app.