Relay cannot process international wires involving certain entities, jurisdictions, business practices, or products, due to Nium partner policy, sanctions law, and anti-money laundering rules.
Relay's international wire service is provided through Nium and operates on both the Swift Network and the Local Network. Nium's policies, combined with U.S., U.K., EU, Singapore, and United Nations sanctions and export control rules, define what a Relay account can and cannot pay for internationally. If a wire falls into any of the categories below, it will be blocked before it leaves your account.
Who cannot send or receive international wires through Relay
The following entity types are ineligible for international wires through Relay, regardless of the destination country or purpose:
Non-profit organizations
Foreign governments, embassies, and consulates
Sanctioned persons or entities on any list maintained by U.S., U.K., EU, Singapore, or United Nations authorities
Organizations linked to terrorism or criminal activity
International wires are also restricted to business-to-business transactions. Business-to-person wires are not supported.
Which jurisdictions are restricted
Relay cannot send or receive international wires to or from countries that Nium designates as high-risk. The specific country list is maintained by Nium and updated when sanctions or regulatory conditions change. For the current list of ineligible countries, see Country Restrictions for Sending or Receiving International Wires.
Which business practices are prohibited
International wires cannot be used to fund any activity in this list:
Activities that violate applicable laws or regulations
Unlawful, fraudulent, or deceptive transactions
Content or services that promote or facilitate violence
Unsolicited advertising or spam-related payments
Distribution of malicious code
Tax evasion
Which products and services are prohibited
Relay does not process international wires for goods or services in these categories:
Adult content and services
Alcohol and tobacco
Ammunition, weapons, and related components
Controlled substances
Counterfeit goods
Cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency exchanges
Decryption products
Endangered species and related products
Gambling and betting services
Hacking services or tools
Hazardous materials
Human organs and body parts
Intellectual property infringement (including piracy and unauthorized reproduction)
Marijuana and cannabis-related products
Multi-level marketing programs
Petroleum and petroleum products
Pharmaceuticals sold outside of licensed channels
Precious metals and gemstones
Pyramid schemes
Which financial and professional services are prohibited
International wires from a Relay account cannot fund these services:
Crowdfunding platforms
Escrow account operations
Investment services
Lending
Securities brokerage
Trading platforms
Wealth management
How to check if your international wire is eligible
If you're not sure whether your transaction fits within Relay's international wire policies, contact our Customer Experience team before initiating the wire. Your recipient's country may also be restricted independently of the categories on this page. Confirm eligibility on both dimensions (activity and country) before submitting a payment.
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If this article did not fully answer your question, our Customer Experience team is here to help.