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DevelopersOperators

Credit transfers

Move money between accounts around the world, whether in euros across the SEPA network or in multiple currencies over local rails and SWIFT.

Types of credit transfers

Swan offers two main types of credit transfers. Each type has its own rules, capabilities, and APIs.

Refer to the dedicated sections to understand each type and how they work at Swan:

Transfer typeDescription
SEPA Credit TransfersSend and receive money using euro-based accounts and the SEPA network

Includes:
  • Instant SEPA Credit Transfers
  • Standing Orders on the SEPA network
  • Swan Internal Credit Transfers
International Credit TransfersSend and receive money from around the world in over 40 currencies using local payment rails and SWIFT

Beneficiaries

Add trusted beneficiaries to accounts to facilitate credit transfers. Adding trusted beneficiaries also reduces the risk of sending a transfer to an unintended beneficiary.

You can add trusted beneficiaries with the API, either with a dedicated mutation or when initiating a credit transfer. If you use Swan's Web Banking interface, eligible account members can add trusted beneficiaries from the app. Beneficiaries who aren't added as trusted are referred to as unsaved beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries and membership permissions

How account members can interact with beneficiaries depends on their account membership permissions.

PermissionBeneficiary interaction
canViewAccountView the list of trusted beneficiaries.
canManageBeneficiariesAdd trusted beneficiaries.
canInitiatePayments
with canManageBeneficiaries
Initiate credit transfers to trusted and unsaved beneficiaries.
canInitiatePayments
without canManageBeneficiaries
Initiate credit transfers to trusted beneficiaries only.

Trusted beneficiaries move through their own status flow. Refer to trusted beneficiary statuses.

Label and reference

Add custom labels and references numbers to your SEPA and International Credit Transfers with the API, or, if you're using it, Swan's Web Banking interface.

Whether your label and reference entries are visible on other financial institutions' platforms and statements depends on their design.

Screenshot of API mutation including label and references, plus label and reference from Swan's Web Banking interface

Custom label

  • Optional field where you can name your transaction.
  • According to SEPA, this label is for remittance information (RemittanceInfo), or payment details.
  • If left empty, the default value for Web Banking is Transfer to {beneficiary}. However, nothing is sent to the beneficiary's bank.
  • This value is displayed in your Swan transaction history.
  • Your beneficiary probably sees this reference, though it's impossible to know because every app is different.
  • Called label in the API transaction object.

Reference

  • Optional field intended to provide a way for you to include a reference number or code.
  • According to SEPA, this reference should be used for the end-to-end identification reference (EndToEndId) used to uniquely identify a transaction from start to finish.
  • Only characters 0-9 and a-z are allowed in this field. The total number of characters allowed can change, so refer to your transfer form for the character maximum.
  • If left empty, there is no default value. Note that the reference field is mandatory for SEPA inter-bank exchanges, so Swan populates an empty field with something similar to your transaction ID.
  • This value will be included in the details of a transaction in your transaction history, but not displayed in the main list.
  • Your beneficiary probably sees this reference, though it's impossible to know because every app is different.
  • Called reference in the API transaction object.

External reference

  • With the API, you can also add an external reference.
  • Share additional information about a transaction only visible to you.
  • Called externalReference in the API transaction object.

In this section

1
SEPA Credit Transfers
Euro transfers across SEPA: regular, instant, internal, and Standing Orders.
2
International Credit Transfers
Multi-currency transfers over local rails and SWIFT.
3
Credit transfer statuses
The transfer, trusted beneficiary, and Standing Order status flows.