OneWest Bank, the Pasadena, California-based banking unit of CIT Bank, is now participating in the Zelle Network, allowing customers to send and receive instant payments online and through the bank's mobile app, according to a company release. 

Zelle allows bank customers to send and receive funds to and from participating accounts within minutes, and only require the recipient's email address or mobile number for verification. 

OneWest has more than 60 retail branches in Southern California. Zelle last month announced that $44 billion was sent through the network, which processed a total of 171 million transactions. Almost 500 financial institutions are contracted to operate on the Zelle Network.