With your Relay checking account1, you can send international wire payments to a payee using the SWIFT network. Before sending, you must add a payee. Your payee’s recipient address must be a valid physical address and cannot be a PO Box.
Before you start
Ensure International wires have been enabled for your account.
When sending your first international payment: Payments → Send International Payment → Select SWIFT or Local Rails → Accept Terms & Conditions & Select Enable.
Receiving: Sign in on desktop → Settings → International Wires Activation → Submit Application for Receiving International Wires.
Make sure you have the payee’s SWIFT/BIC and (if required) IBAN or local account number.
Some destinations require extra info (e.g., BSB for Australia, CNAPS for China CNY, Purpose of Payment for UAE). See FAQs below.
FX window: Conversions to non-USD are available Mon–Fri, 7:00am–6:00pm ET. You can still send SWIFT wires in USD outside this window.
For instructions on receiving international wires, see Receiving an international wire.
How to send (Web & Mobile)
On the web
Sign in to your Relay account in a web browser
Go to the Payments tab
Click on Send International Payment.
Select International Wire (SWIFT).
In Recipient (vendor), select an existing payee, or click + to add a new payee.
Select the Pay From Account.
Under Amount, select USD and choose the appropriate currency (if necessary).
Enter the Amount
Click Next Step.
Confirm the Payment Method and Payee Details.
Select a Purpose Code for the transaction.
Select the Scheduled Date (choose a date in the future to schedule a payment)
Select whether the payment is recurring or not.
Enter the Memo.
Click Next Step.
Confirm the payment details once more and select Pay.
FX conversions to non-USD are available Monday–Friday, 7:00am–6:00pm ET.
On the mobile app
Open the Relay mobile app and sign in.
Go to Payments and tap Send Payment.
Select a recipient from the list of payees or add a new payee (use a valid physical address).
Enter the payment Amount and choose the appropriate currency (if necessary).
Select the Source Account for the payment.
Choose International Wire (SWIFT) as the payment method.
Enter the Payee Personal Details and select Continue.
Select a Purpose Code for the transaction.
Enter the Memo.
Once you have confirmed the payment details, press Pay.
Fees (per SWIFT wire, by plan)
Starter | Grow | Scale |
|---|---|---|
$25 | $22 | $20 |
What you’ll need
Required information | Details |
|---|---|
Payee identity | Legal name (individual or business) and physical address (no PO Boxes). |
Bank identifiers | SWIFT/BIC (required). IBAN or local account number may be required depending on country. |
Payment details | Currency, amount, and a clear memo (business purpose, invoice number). |
Extra fields (by destination) | BSB (Australia), CNAPS (China, CNY), Purpose of Payment (UAE), etc. See FAQs. |
Timing & intermediaries
Topic | What to expect |
|---|---|
Processing timeline | SWIFT wires are typically sent out within 2–3 business days; beneficiaries often receive funds within 5–7 business days, depending on the banks involved. |
Intermediary banks & fees | One or more intermediaries may process the wire and deduct fees. Provide complete payee details to reduce delays. |
Limits, processing timeline, and fees
All accounts have limits on how much you can send by international wire per day and month. For details, see Viewing your account limits.
A fee is charged for sending international wires based on your Relay plan.
Initiating a Bill Payment through your account's International Wire Payment Flow
You can take advantage of Relay's Bill Pay feature directly from your account's Send International Payment window! To upload, pay a bill via International Wire, and migrate a bill directly into the Bill Pay section of your account, simply follow the below steps:
Sign in to your Relay account.
Click on Payments and select your desired payment method.
Upload the bill file (PDF, image, or document). under the Have a bill handy? field.
Relay will auto-extract key information:
Vendor name
Invoice number
Line Items and Amount
Invoice Date and Due date
Review or edit the extracted fields and complete the Memo field.
Optional: Add accounting categorization (available for all plans)
Line Item Categorization (available in Grow & Scale).
Click Next Step.
Verify again the payment method, payee details, and payment date and select Next Step and Pay.
Your payment will be initiated and the bill will also migrate into your account's Bills section.
For more information, please see Getting Started with Bill Pay in Relay and Creating and Uploading Bills in Relay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Swift Code?
A Swift code/BIC is an 8–11 character identifier for the payee’s bank (bank, country, location, and branch). Example format: AAAA BB CC 123
What is an IBAN?
An International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is used in many countries for international wires (up to 34 alphanumeric characters). Not all countries use IBAN; if not, your payee will provide a local account number. See the list of IBAN-mandatory countries here.
Sending international wires to Australia: BSB numbers
Australian banks use a BSB (Bank State Branch) number similar to a routing number. When a form requests BSB in place of account number, include the account number in the Memo as FBO [account number] to help processing.
China and CNAPS numbers
For wires to Chinese bank accounts in CNY, a CNAPS number is required. If your form does not expose this field, contact Support with the CNAPS number and payment details for assistance.
UAE Purpose of Payment (PoP) codes
Payment security
Keeping your money and data safe is our top priority. You may be prompted to verify a payment using an SMS 2FA code. Learn more: Verifying Payments using SMS Verification Codes.
Note: The threshold that prompts 2FA SMS codes will soon be customizable.
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1 You can only send international wire payments from a Relay checking account. To move funds from savings, first create an internal transfer to checking.
2 For more on currency conversion and supported currencies, see Converting currency in Relay and Currencies available in Relay. Mobile currently does not support sending non-USD currencies.
3 Provide a detailed business reason in the Memo (e.g., services provided + invoice number). Incomplete memos can cause compliance-related returns.