Bank Swift Codes

A SWIFT code is a universal way of identifying banks throughout the world. The acronym SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication Code. This code is recognized and approved by the International Standards Organization, or ISO, and represents a particular bank or bank branch.

When transferring money to another country or another bank, options include on-site express funds transfer services like Western Union, online funds transfer services like PayPal, or direct wire transfers from one bank to another. If a direct wire transfer is selected, the bank will probably ask for a SWIFT code for the bank receiving the funds. The code is universally recognized and usually necessary for a funds transfer.

Currently, a SWIFT code is eight or eleven characters. The first four characters are letters and refer to the bank specifically. The next two characters are the country code, and the last two characters are the location code. If the code is eleven characters, this means that the bank has added a three-digit code to denote a specific branch of a bank.

The SWIFT code format listed above is the standard established by the ISO, in particular, ISO 9362. This is the individual mandate which created the Business Identifier Code, or BIC. For this reason, this type of code is also known as a BIC code or ID or SWIFT-BIC code or ID. Prior to 2009, BIC stood for Bank Identifier Code because it only identified financial institutions. In 2009, the ISO changed the acronym to stand for Business Identifier Code because it now sometimes identifies financial and non-financial companies.

SWIFT codes only identify a particular bank or other institution. They do not replace an account number. A person will need to provide an individual account number along with the code which will put the funds directly in the account.

An account number is different from a SWIFT code or a routing number. A routing number, also known as a routing transit number, is a 9-digit code used in the US which is unique to a particular branch of a bank. A routing number and account number can be found on the bottom of checks and other financial documents. On the bottom of a typical check, there are three sets of numbers. The first number is the routing number, the second number is the unique account number, and the last number is the individual check number.

MT 101 Request for Transfer
MT 102 Multiple Customer Credit Transfer
MT 102+(STP) Multiple Customer Credit Transfer (STP)
MT 103 Single Customer Credit Transfer
MT 103+(REMIT) Single Customer Credit Transfer (REMIT)
MT 103+(STP) Single Customer Credit Transfer (STP)
MT 104 Customer Direct Debit
MT 105 EDIFACT Envelope
MT 107 General Direct Debit Message
MT 110 Advice of Cheque(s)
MT 111 Request for Stop Payment of a Cheque
MT 112 Status of a Request for Stop Payment of a Cheque
MT 190 Advice of Charges, Interest and Other Adjustments
MT 191 Request for Payment of Charges, Interest and Other Expenses
MT 192 Request for Cancellation
MT 195 Queries
MT 196 Answers
MT 198 Proprietary Message
MT 199 Free Format Message

Financial Institution Transfers

MT 200 Financial Institution Transfer for its Own Account
MT 201 Multiple Financial Institution Transfer for its Own Account
MT 202 General Financial Institution Transfer
MT 202+(COV) General Financial Institution Transfer (COV)
MT 203 Multiple General Financial Institution Transfer
MT 204 Financial Markets Direct Debit Message
MT 205 Financial Institution Transfer Execution
MT 205+(COV) Financial Institution Transfer Execution (COV)
MT 207 Request for Financial Institution Transfer
MT 210 Notice to Receive
MT 256 Advice of Non-Payment of Cheques
MT 290 Advice of Charges, Interest and Other Adjustments
MT 291 Request for Payment of Charges, Interest and Other Expenses
MT 292 Request for Cancellation
MT 295 Queries
MT 296 Answers
MT 298 Proprietary Message
MT 299 Free Format Message

Treasury Markets, Foreign Exchange, Money Markets, and Derivatives

MT 300 Foreign Exchange Confirmation
MT 303 Forex/Currency Option Allocation Instruction
MT 304 Advice/Instruction of a Third Party Deal
MT 305 Foreign Currency Option Confirmation
MT 306 Foreign Currency Option
MT 307 Advice/Instruction of a Third Party FX Deal
MT 320 Fixed Loan/Deposit Confirmation
MT 321 Instruction to Settle a Third Party Loan/Deposit
MT 330 Call/Notice Loan/Deposit Confirmation
MT 340 Forward Rate Agreement Confirmation
MT 341 Forward Rate Agreement Settlement Confirmation
MT 350 Advice of Loan/Deposit Interest Payment
MT 360 Single Currency Interest Rate Derivative Confirmation
MT 361 Cross Currency Interest Rate Swap Confirmation
MT 362 Interest Rate Reset/Advice of Payment
MT 364 Single Currency Interest Rate Derivative Termination/Recouponing Confirmation
MT 365 Single Currency Interest Rate Swap Termination/Recouponing Confirmation
MT 380 Foreign Exchange Order
MT 381 Foreign Exchange Order Confirmation
MT 390 Advice of Charges, Interest and Other Adjustments
MT 391 Request for Payment of Charges, Interest and Other Expenses
MT 392 Request for Cancellation
MT 395 Queries
MT 396 Answers
MT 398 Proprietary Message
MT 399 Free Format Message

Collections and Cash Letters

MT 400 Collections: Advice of Payment
MT 405 Collections: Clean Collection
MT 410 Collections: Acknowledgment
MT 412 Collections: Advice of Acceptance
MT 416 Collections: Advice of Non-Payment/Non-Acceptance
MT 420 Collections: Tracer
MT 422 Collections: Advice of Fate and Request for Instructions
MT 430 Collections: Amendment of Instructions
MT 450 Cash Letters: Cash Letter Credit Advice
MT 455 Cash Letters: Cash Letter Credit Adjustment Advice
MT 456 Cash Letters: Advice of Dishonor
MT 490 Advice of Charges, Interest and Other Adjustments
MT 491 Request for Payment of Charges, Interest and Other Expenses
MT 492 Request for Cancellation
MT 495 Queries
MT 496 Answers
MT 498 Proprietary Message
MT 499 Free Format Message

Securities Markets

MT 500 Instruction to Register
MT 501 Confirmation of Registration or Modification
MT 502 Order to Buy or Sell
MT 503 Collateral Claim
MT 504 Collateral Proposal
MT 505 Collateral Substitution
MT 506 Collateral and Exposure Statement
MT 507 Collateral Status and Processing Advice
MT 508 Intra-Position Advice
MT 509 Trade Status Message
MT 510 Registration Status and Processing Advice
MT 513 Client Advice of Execution
MT 514 Trade Allocation Instruction
MT 515 Client Confirmation of Purchase or Sale
MT 516 Securities Loan Confirmation
MT 517 Trade Confirmation Affirmation
MT 518 Market-Side Securities Trade Confirmation
MT 519 Modification of Client Details
MT 524 Intra-Position Instruction
MT 526 General Securities Lending/Borrowing Message
MT 527 Triparty Collateral Instruction
MT 528 ETC Client-Side Settlement Instruction
MT 529 ETC Market-Side Settlement Instruction
MT 530 Transaction Processing Command
MT 535 Statement of Holdings
MT 536 Statement of Transactions
MT 537 Statement of Pending Transactions
MT 538 Statement of Intra-Position Advice
MT 540 Receive Free
MT 541 Receive Against Payment Instruction
MT 542 Deliver Free
MT 543 Deliver Against Payment Instruction
MT 544 Receive Free Confirmation
MT 545 Receive Against Payment Confirmation
MT 546 Deliver Free Confirmation
MT 547 Deliver Against Payment Confirmation
MT 548 Settlement Status and Processing Advice
MT 549 Request for Statement/Status Advice
MT 558 Triparty Collateral Status and Processing Advice
MT 559 Paying Agents Claim
MT 564 Corporate Action Notification
MT 565 Corporate Action Instruction
MT 566 Corporate Action Confirmation
MT 567 Corporate Action Status and Processing Advice
MT 568 Corporate Action Narrative
MT 569 Triparty Collateral and Exposure Statement
MT 574 (IRSLST) IRS 1441 NRA Beneficial Owners List
MT 574 (W8BENO) IRS 1441 NRA Beneficial Owner Withholding Statement
MT 575 Statement of Combined Activity
MT 576 Statement of Open Orders
MT 577 Statement of Numbers
MT 578 Statement of Allegement
MT 579 Certificate Numbers
MT 581 Collateral Adjustment Message
MT 582 Reimbursement Claim or Advice
MT 584 Statement of ETC Pending Trades
MT 586 Statement of Settlement Allegements
MT 587 Depositary Receipt Instruction
MT 588 Depositary Receipt Confirmation
MT 589 Depositary Receipt Status and Processing Advice
MT 590 Advice of Charges, Interest and Other Adjustments
MT 591 Request for Payment of Charges, Interest and Other Expenses
MT 592 Request for Cancellation
MT 595 Queries
MT 596 Answers
MT 598 Proprietary Message
MT 599 Free Format Message