Federal Reserve holidays 2026: when wires and ACH pause

Short answer

The Federal Reserve holidays 2026 are 11 dates, and four are still ahead: Monday, October 12; Wednesday, November 11; Thursday, November 26; and Friday, December 25. On those days Fedwire and FedACH do not settle payments, so wires and standard bank transfers wait for the next banking day. FedNow instant payments run every day, holidays included.

All Federal Reserve holidays in 2026

The Federal Reserve Banks close on these days. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, as July 4 did this year, the Reserve Banks stay open on the Friday before.

Source: Federal Reserve Financial Services: holiday schedules · Federal Reserve Board: holidays observed (K.8) · Checked on October 3, 2026

What stops on a Fed holiday

At a glance

• Fedwire (wires)No funds-transfer business day on Saturdays, Sundays or Fed holidays; the business day opens at 9:00 PM ET the evening before and the customer transfer cutoff is 6:45 PM ET
• FedACH (direct deposits, bank-to-bank transfers)Stops processing before each holiday and restarts at 5:30 PM ET on the holiday itself
• FedNow (instant payments)Open 24 hours, every day, including weekends and Fed holidays

Sources: Fedwire Funds Service operating hours · FedACH holiday schedule · FedNow Service operating hours · Checked on October 3, 2026

A wire your bank has not sent by its own cutoff on the last business day before a holiday goes out on the next business day. Banks set their cutoffs before the Fed’s 6:45 PM ET deadline; find yours in the wire transfer cutoff time table.

The four holidays left in 2026, hour by hour

Source: Federal Reserve Financial Services: FedACH holiday schedule · Fedwire Funds Service operating hours · Checked on October 3, 2026

Columbus Day has its own walk-through: see columbus day 2026 bank holiday.

Christmas gives the longest pause of the year for wires. It falls on a Friday, so Fedwire has no business day from Friday, December 25, through Sunday, December 27, and reopens at 9:00 PM ET on Sunday for Monday, December 28.

Timeline

1. Thursday, December 24, before your bank’s cutofflast chance to send a wire that leaves before Christmas
2. Thursday, December 24, 11:30 PM ETFedACH stops processing
3. Friday to Sunday, December 25–27no Fedwire business day
4. Sunday, December 27, 5:30 PM ETFedACH resumes
5. Sunday, December 27, 9:00 PM ETFedwire opens for Monday’s business day
6. Monday, December 28wires requested over the holiday weekend go out

Payment apps and Zelle on a Fed holiday

Moving money out of a payment app to your bank with a standard (free) transfer uses ACH, so a Fed holiday adds a day. Instant transfers, which cost a fee, do not wait for banking days.

At a glance

• Venmo standard transfer1 to 3 business days; weekends and US bank holidays are not counted, and a transfer started on a holiday begins processing the next business day
• Venmo instant transferAvailable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays and weekends
• PayPal standard transfer to a bankTypically 1 business day, up to 1 to 3; a transfer started after 7:00 PM ET or on a weekend or holiday may take an extra day
• Cash App standard transferUsually 1 to 3 business days; instant transfers typically arrive immediately
• ZelleMoney sent to an enrolled recipient is typically available within minutes

Sources: Venmo: bank transfer timeline · Venmo: instant transfer FAQ · PayPal: where’s my withdrawal · Cash App: transfer speed options · Zelle: how long it takes to receive money · Checked on October 3, 2026

Venmo gives its own example: if Monday is a bank holiday and you start a standard transfer that day, it begins processing on Tuesday, and Wednesday is the first day you could expect the money. Instant transfer fees are set by each app; see how long does zelle take for Zelle timing in detail.

What to do before a Fed holiday

• Send a wire that must land before the holiday on the last business day, before your bank’s cutoff.
• Expect a direct deposit or bank transfer due on the holiday to land a banking day later. See how long does ach take.
• If an ACH payment is still pending after the holiday, see ach transfer pending.
• Your bank’s own holiday notice has the final word on its branches and processing.

Federal Reserve holidays 2027

The Reserve Banks have published next year’s dates: New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 18; Presidents Day, February 15; Memorial Day, May 31; Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19 (Reserve Banks open Friday, June 18); Independence Day, Sunday, July 4 (Reserve Banks closed Monday, July 5); Labor Day, September 6; Columbus Day, October 11; Veterans Day, November 11; Thanksgiving, November 25; and Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25 (Reserve Banks open Friday, December 24). The FedACH processing times for 2027 are not yet on the holiday page. The next Fedwire business day after each 2027 holiday and the long weekends are in federal reserve holidays 2027.

Source: Federal Reserve Financial Services: holiday schedules · Checked on October 3, 2026

Related: how long do wire transfers take. This page explains payment timing and is not financial advice.