MEMPHIS, TN, UNITED STATES, [DATE] — Express Wages, an innovator in fintech providing earned wage access (EWA) nationwide, announced a partnership with Channing Capital Management to offer on-demand pay to its workforce. The collaboration reflects Express Wages’ mission to ease the financial stress of workers living paycheck-to-paycheck by giving them faster, more flexible access to the wages they’ve already earned.

Chicago-based Channing Capital Management, an employee-owned boutique investment management company providing advisory services for both institutional and individual investors, has accumulated $3.7 billion in assets under management. Its partnership with Express Wages supports Channing Capital’sefforts to attract and retain top talent by providing a valuable employee benefit that helps improve cash flow and cover unexpected expenses.

“Some firms overlook the needs of their hourly and support staff,” says Express Wages Founder and CEO Alfred Milan. “By offering earned wage access, Channing Capital is providing a practical benefit that helps these key employees handle real-life expenses without waiting for payday.”

Breaking barriers in both finance and tech, Express Wages is the first Black-founded fintech company in the EWA space. Its platform offers employer-integrated on-demand pay solutions, providing financial relief to frontline workers. Prior to launching Express Wages, Milan built a 20-year track record of success in senior care and health care technology — scaling operations, capturing new markets and leading high-performing teams.

According to Bankrate’s 2025 Annual Emergency Savings Report, more than one-third of Americans had to tap their emergency savings in the last year, and nearly one in five had no emergency savings whatsoever. Express Wages’ plug-and-play solution empowers companies to provide their employees with immediate access to a portion of their earned wages before payday, helping them avoid high-interest predatory loans, credit card debt, overdraft fees and late payment penalties. 

Based in Delaware and headquartered in Memphis, Express Wages differentiates its offering by delivering a full ecosystem of employee financial wellness tools. In addition to earned wage access, the company’s strategic partnerships offer:

• Insurance through Allstate, including affordable identity theft protection for employees and their families for just $6/month per family. 

• Financial literacy education via WellCents. 

• Mortgage literacy resources through Edge Home Finance. 

• Transparent pricing and no hidden fees for employers or employees.

Milan adds: “Express Wages is focused on giving employees timely access to the money they’ve already earned. For hourly staff juggling everyday expenses, that flexibility can mean the difference between stability and stress — and ultimately leads to better focus, performance and productivity on the job.”

Express Wages recently closed a $1.2 million friends and family funding round to accelerate its expansion across multiple industries, including food service, hospitality and health care. With growing awareness of the financial pressures facing hourly and frontline workers, earned wage access is rapidly gaining momentum. According to Business Research Insights, “the global earned wage access software market size stood at approximately USD 1.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1.82 billion in 2025, growing further to USD 5.13 billion by 2033 at an estimated CAGR of 14%.”

About Express Wages 

Express Wages is transforming how employers support hourly teams — delivering on-demand pay and long-overdue financial relief to frontline workers nationwide. Offered at no cost to employers, the innovative platform allows employees to access a portion of their earned pay on demand, empowering them to meet urgent financial needs without relying on credit or debt. Express Wages partners with industry leaders to deliver holistic financial wellness tools, including insurance, mortgage education and literacy resources. For more information, visit https://expresswages.com.