New Research Shows Employers Now Expect Earned Wage Access to Be Free--and a Part of a Broader Financial Wellness Strategy

Rhea-AI Summary

Chime (CHYM)-related coverage cites a new Everest Group report (Jan 29, 2026) showing earned wage access (EWA) is now a mainstream workforce benefit. Key findings: 77% of employers adopt EWA for financial wellness, 83% say wellness programs struggle to show outcomes, and nearly 6 in 10 expect EWA to be fee-free and integrated into broader financial wellness offerings such as Chime Workplace.

Positive

• 77% of employers adopt EWA to support employee financial wellness
• Nearly 6 in 10 employers say EWA should be offered at no cost
• 76% of employers cite financial wellness as a strategic priority for the next 12 months

Negative

• 83% of employers report wellness programs struggle to demonstrate positive financial outcomes
• 66% of employers who adopted EWA struggle to measure employee financial stress
• 35% cannot link EWA usage to employee retention or turnover

News Market Reaction

-5.11%

1 alert

-5.11% News Effect

On the day this news was published, CHYM declined 5.11%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

77% of employers offering earned wage access cite employee financial wellness as the primary driver, reinforcing its role as a core workforce benefit

Yet 8 out of 10 employers say their wellness programs struggle to demonstrate positive financial outcomes

NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from Everest Group, a leading global research firm, finds that earned wage access (EWA) has become an established workforce benefit after more than a decade in the market. According to the research, EWA has reached an inflection point, with employers now expecting it to be delivered at no cost and as part of a broader financial wellness offering—rather than legacy EWA programs that simply provide instant payouts.

Read the complimentary Everest Group report: Download Here

Join the Everest Group webinar examining what 10 years of EWA reveal—and what comes next: Register Here

Based on national research involving more than 100 senior HR, finance, and payroll leaders, the report finds that:

• 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 research highlights the evolution of EWA for enterprises: Modern EWA for employees must be part of a broader financial wellness offering, such as Chime Workplace™, and it must be free. Both are essential to unlocking real financial progress for employees and demonstrating measurable financial wellness outcomes for employers, including reduced financial stress, positive changes in financial behavior, and improvements in productivity.

"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. As the market matures, fee-free, compliance-ready solutions that integrate into broader wellness ecosystems will be the market-leading model."

The report builds on one of the earliest comprehensive employer-focused studies of earned wage access conducted by Everest Group in 2022. Additional findings from the report include:

• 66% of employers who have adopted EWA struggle to measure employee financial stress
• 48% report difficulty tracking behavioral changes in employee financial habits
• 31% are unable to quantify productivity improvements linked to EWA
• 35% cannot connect EWA usage to employee retention or turnover

"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. Chime Workplace was built for and is leading this next phase of the market."

Explore the full Everest Group report for a deeper look at the data and insights shaping the future of EWA and financial wellness: Download Here

About Chime Enterprise
Chime Enterprise, the enterprise division of Chime^® (NASDAQ: CHYM) — a leading financial technology company — partners with employers to deliver financial wellness solutions that empower their workforce across industries including retail, hospitality, food and beverage, healthcare, and professional services. Through its award-winning flagship product, Chime Workplace™, the company offers a comprehensive financial wellness suite that brings together everything from earned wage access to long-term saving, credit building, and more — all in a single, no-cost platform designed to support employees at every stage of their financial journey. To learn more, please visit https://chimeworkplace.com/.

Media Contact:
press@chime.com

Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. The secured Chime Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

Chime Workplace offered by Chime. Banking services provided by Chime's bank partners, The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.

MyPay at Work™ provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A. MyPay at Work services provided by Chime Capital, LLC (NMLS 2316451).

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-research-shows-employers-now-expect-earned-wage-access-to-be-freeand-a-part-of-a-broader-financial-wellness-strategy-302673663.html

SOURCE Chime Enterprise

FAQ

What did the Everest Group report say about employer adoption of EWA and CHYM on Jan 29, 2026?

EWA is now mainstream; 77% of employers adopt it for financial wellness, signaling broader uptake. According to Everest Group, employers expect EWA to be integrated into financial wellness and delivered fee-free to drive measurable outcomes.

How many employers said wellness programs struggle to show results in the Jan 29, 2026 report?

83% of employers reported difficulty demonstrating positive financial outcomes from wellness programs. According to Everest Group, this gap is driving demand for integrated, measurable EWA solutions tied to broader financial coaching and savings tools.

What proportion of employers expect earned wage access to be free, per the Jan 29, 2026 findings?

Nearly 6 in 10 employers say EWA should be offered at no cost, reflecting cost expectations. According to Everest Group, fee-free delivery is now viewed as essential for EWA to demonstrate measurable employee financial progress.

Which financial wellness features did employers prioritize alongside EWA in the Jan 29, 2026 research?

Employers prioritized financial coaching (63%), credit score building (57%), goal setting (53%), and automated savings (49%). According to Everest Group, these features indicate employers want EWA integrated into broader wellness ecosystems.

What measurement challenges did the Jan 29, 2026 report identify for employers using EWA?

Employers reported measurement gaps: 66% struggle to measure financial stress, 48% struggle with behavioral tracking, and 31% can't quantify productivity gains. According to Everest Group, these limits hinder proving EWA’s ROI to employers.

How does the Jan 29, 2026 report describe the future model for EWA relevant to CHYM?

The report says the market is moving toward fee-free, compliance-ready EWA integrated with broader wellness offerings like Chime Workplace. According to Everest Group, that integrated model is positioned as the market-leading approach.