In what scenario is the cheque clearing process expedited?

The cheque clearing process is expedited when both the payer's and payee's accounts are held within the same financial institution. This scenario allows the bank to process the cheque more quickly because there is no need for the cheque to physically travel to another bank for verification or payment. The internal systems of the bank can facilitate an immediate transfer of funds between accounts, reducing the time it typically takes for a cheque to clear, which can take several days if the accounts are at different financial institutions.

In contrast, personal relationships or the manner in which a cheque is written do not influence the timeframe for processing. Handwritten cheques do not have an effect on clearing speed unless they present issues that require manual intervention, and cash transactions typically bypass the cheque clearing process altogether, rendering that option irrelevant for this specific question.