SWIFT

Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication

SWIFT is a global messaging network that financial institutions use to securely transmit information and instructions for international wire transfers. It is not a payment system itself but provides the communication infrastructure.

SWIFT connects over 11,000 financial institutions in more than 200 countries. Each bank has a unique SWIFT code (also called BIC) that identifies it in international transactions. When making international transfers, you'll need the recipient's SWIFT code—you can verify it with our SWIFT code checker. Services like SWIFT gpi add tracking and transparency to cross-border wires.

Related Terms

SWIFT Code

A SWIFT code is an 8 or 11-character code that uniquely identifies banks and financial institutions ...

BIC

Bank Identifier Code

A BIC is an 8 or 11-character code that uniquely identifies a bank for international transactions. I...

Wire Transfer

A wire transfer is an electronic transfer of funds between banks or financial institutions. Wire tra...

IBAN

International Bank Account Number

An IBAN is a standardized international numbering system used to identify bank accounts across natio...

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