If you're sending a payment in a currency that's different from your recipient's bank's currency, you'll need to send it by Swift. An example is if you're sending USD to a country outside of the US.
Swift payments, also called international wires, are a type of international transfer sent with the Swift international payment network. The Swift international payment network is one of the largest financial messaging systems in the world. Wise can send or receive certain currencies via Swift payment.
Find out how to send to recipients with Swift, what the fees are, and how long it can take.
When do you use Swift?
We pay out via Swift when you send:
What do I need to know when sending Swift?
Here's a few things that can help make your transfer experience smoother.
Use an IBAN
When sending out a Swift payment, always use an IBAN when possible. You can use our IBAN checker to see if a country supports IBAN numbers and what its structure means.
Existing recipient
If you've sent a Swift payment to a recipient in the past, you can select them from the available recipients list when setting up your payment.
New recipient
First, always ask your recipient to double-check the details they're giving you are correct before you use them.
Our system then uses recipient validation to check that the details are valid and comply with Swift rules. When you start setting up the payment, the system checks the name, address, bank account number, and the Swift or BIC number of your recipient. This helps us prevent rejected transfers or delays with your payments and give you a better Swift experience.
Inputting details correctly
It's easy to type information into the wrong field. But this can lead to errors and delays. For example, in the account number field, only input the account number — not any additional details, like your recipient's name or Swift code.
Make sure you don't use any spaces or separators in the number.
What are the fees for Swift payments?
We’ll charge you to send out a Swift payment — check our pricing page on the latest fees for your region.
When the money is in transit, correspondent banks in between may also deduct their own handling fees. We can't control what extra costs other banks apply.
Learn more about correspondent bank fees
How long can a Swift transfer take?
Swift payments usually take 1–6 working days to reach their destination, but it's possible they can take longer due to time differences between the sending and receiving country, or multiple intermediary banks involved with delivering your money to us.
My recipient's account details didn't work
If the system spots incorrect details, it'll prompt you to review them before continuing with the payment.
There are some unique account numbers that sometimes don't work with our system. If you're sure it's a valid number — contact us with a proof of account from your recipient. We'll try to create a custom rule for your situation. A proof of account validity can be an invoice or statement from the recipient's bank that shows the bank account number.
*The speed or your transfers always depends on individual circumstances, and may not be available for all transactions