This article walks you through receiving an international wire in Relay: activation, deposit account setup, and the details your sender needs for each currency.
What you need before you start
An activated Relay account with international wire receiving turned on
A checking account you can designate as the destination for incoming international wires
Your business's registered physical address (PO Boxes are not accepted)
The sender's country, sending bank, and the currency they plan to use
Access to Relay on desktop (deposit account setup is desktop only today)
How do I activate international wire receiving?
Activation is a one-time step you complete before any sender can wire funds to your Relay account. Sign in on desktop, open Accounts, and follow the activation flow. For the full walkthrough, see How to Activate Receiving International Wires.
How do I designate my deposit account for incoming wires?
You can designate one checking account at a time to receive international wires, and you can change it whenever you want. Setup is available on desktop only.
Sign in to Relay on desktop.
Open Accounts.
Click Manage accounts.
Under Receiving International Wire Account, select the checking account you want to use.
Click Save.
International wires post only to the designated account. Choose the account that fits your bookkeeping workflow, such as a dedicated income account if you use Profit First.
What information does my sender need to wire USD via SWIFT?
For USD, or any currency Relay does not accept over the Local Network, your sender uses the SWIFT network and needs your Thread Bank, Member FDIC routing details.
Beneficiary name: your registered business name, exactly as it appears on your Relay account
Beneficiary address: your business's physical address, no PO Boxes
Beneficiary account number: your Relay account number, visible on the dashboard
Bank name and address: Thread Bank, Member FDIC (shown in your dashboard)
SWIFT/BIC code and any intermediary bank details shown in your Relay dashboard
Intermediary banks may deduct fees before the funds land. If exact amounts matter for invoice reconciliation or contract terms, ask the sender to select "OUR" charges so they absorb wire fees on their side.
What information does my sender need to send EUR, GBP, or CAD via the Local Network?
For EUR, GBP, and CAD, Relay uses the Local Network in each region, which is typically faster and carries lower intermediary fees than SWIFT.
EUR (SEPA Credit Transfer or SEPA Instant):
Beneficiary business name and physical address
IBAN from your Relay dashboard
GBP (Faster Payments Service):
Beneficiary business name and physical address
Sort code and account number from your Relay dashboard
CAD (Electronic Funds Transfer):
Beneficiary business name and physical address
Institution number, transit number, and account number from your Relay dashboard
For any currency outside USD, EUR, GBP, and CAD, check Currencies available in Relay for current support.
How long do international wires take, and what fees apply?
Timing depends on the sender's bank and the network used. Local Network transfers (EUR, GBP, CAD) typically land faster than SWIFT (USD or non-standard currencies). Relay does not charge a fee to receive international wires. For SWIFT transfers, the sender's bank and any intermediary banks may deduct fees before the funds arrive in your account.
For network-level settlement expectations, see Transaction settlement and processing timelines.
What happens after an international wire arrives?
Non-USD wires (EUR, GBP, CAD) convert to USD automatically once they land in your designated Relay checking account. Conversion runs during standard business hours, Monday through Friday, so a wire that arrives on a weekend converts on the next business day. The USD amount posts to your account with the applied exchange rate shown in the transaction detail.
To trace a specific SWIFT wire, ask the sender for the MT103 document from their bank. Local Network transfers are tracked through the sender's bank.
Common issues and how to resolve them
Wire returned for wrong beneficiary name. The name on the sender's instructions must match your business name or a Beneficial Owner on file with Relay. See Which names can I receive ACH, wire, or check payments under?.
Wire rejected for PO Box address. Sending and intermediary banks reject wires with PO Box beneficiary addresses. Provide your registered physical business address instead.
Wire delayed in transit. SWIFT wires can sit at intermediary banks for extra review. Ask the sender to request an MT103 status update from their bank.
Wire returned because Relay does not support the sender's country. Check Country Restrictions for Sending or Receiving International Wires before sharing your wiring details.
Currency arrived but did not convert. Conversion runs Monday through Friday. Weekend arrivals convert on the next business day.
Related articles
Country Restrictions for Sending or Receiving International Wires
Which names can I receive ACH, wire, or check payments under?
Talk to our Customer Experience team
If this article did not fully answer your question, our Customer Experience team is here to help.