Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining hold periods based upon risk analysis. The systems and methods may include receiving, via a network, a payment request to make a payment on behalf of a payor to a payee and directing a debit in an amount associated with the payment request from an account associated with the payor at a first time. The systems and methods may further include determining a hold period based upon a risk analysis of the payor, and directing a credit in the amount of the payment to the payee a second time, where the hold period determines a time period between the first time and the second time.

Abstract: To authenticate a user of a communications network, credentials from the user are centrally receiving. An authentication sequence is retrieved from a plurality of retrievable authentication sequences, and the retrieved authentication sequence is performed to authenticate the user based on the received credentials.