Sending International Wires with Relay

Relay offers two international wire options: the Local Network for lower cost and faster delivery, and the Swift Network for global coverage and full tracking.

Who this is for

International wires on Relay are available if:

• Your business has completed international wire activation

• The initiating team member owns 25% or more of the business, or is tied for the highest ownership percentage if no owner meets that threshold

• The destination country is not on Relay's restricted list

• The beneficial owner citizenships on the account are not restricted

• The payment purpose is within Relay's permitted activities

How international wires work at Relay

Relay routes each international wire through one of two rails, chosen at initiation based on the destination currency and how much tracking you need.

• The Local Network uses each destination country's domestic payment infrastructure, such as SEPA in the eurozone, Faster Payments in the UK, EFT in Canada, and Direct Entry in Australia

• The Swift Network routes through the global Swift messaging network, which supports most world currencies and generates an MT103 confirmation report

• Some payments trigger an SMS verification code as an added security layer; the threshold that triggers these prompts will become customizable

• Cutoff times listed in this article are guidelines for same-day processing, not guarantees

What's included and what's not

Included:

• Wires in EUR, GBP, CAD, and AUD via the Local Network

• Wires in most global currencies via the Swift Network

• MT103 confirmation reports on Swift wires

Not included:

• MT103 tracking on Local Network wires

• Same-day settlement guarantees; posted cutoffs and settlement windows are typical ranges

• Payments to restricted countries or for non-permitted activities

Which network should I use for an international wire?

Use the Local Network for smaller, recurring payments in supported currencies where cost and speed matter more than tracking. Use the Swift Network for larger payments or when you need full MT103 traceability.

What is the difference between the Local Network and a domestic wire?

A domestic wire moves money between two U.S. bank accounts. The Local Network is for international payments and routes through the destination country's domestic payment infrastructure, which reduces cost and settlement time compared to a Swift Network wire.

Which currencies and payment rails does Relay support?

The Local Network routes each wire through the destination country's domestic payment rail. Swift Network wires clear through the Swift messaging network in most world currencies.

• EUR: SEPA Credit Transfer (SCT) and SEPA Instant (SCT Inst.) on Local; Swift for non-SEPA destinations

• GBP: Faster Payment Service (FPS) on Local; Swift as fallback

• CAD: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) on Local; Swift as fallback

• AUD: Direct Entry on Local; Swift as fallback

• All other currencies: Swift Network only

What are the cutoff times for same-day processing?

Cutoff times are guidelines, not guarantees. Wires submitted after cutoff process the following business day.

What are the maximum payment amounts?

The Local Network has per-currency limits. The Swift Network has no set maximum.

• EUR (Local): €100,000 per SCT wire

• GBP (Local): £1,000,000 per wire

• CAD (Local): CAD $200,000 per wire

• AUD (Local): See the app for the current limit

• Swift Network (all currencies): No set maximum

Why might I be asked to verify a wire with an SMS code?

Relay prompts for SMS verification on some payments as an added security layer. If you receive a prompt, enter the code sent to the mobile number on file. The payment threshold that triggers SMS verification will become customizable.

Why can't I send an international wire?

The three most common blockers are ownership percentage, restricted countries or citizenships, and restricted payment activities.

• Only team members who own 25% or more of the business can initiate international wires; if no owner meets that threshold, the members tied for the highest ownership percentage can initiate

• Certain destination countries are restricted (see Country Restrictions for Sending or Receiving International Wires)

• Certain beneficial owner citizenships restrict international wire access

• Certain payment purposes are non-permitted (see Non-Permitted Activity for International Wires)

Frequently asked questions

Which international wire option is faster, Local Network or Swift?

Local Network wires typically arrive within 0 to 3 business days, which is faster than the 5 to 7 business days typical for Swift Network wires.

When should I use the Swift Network?

Use Swift when you need MT103 end-to-end tracking, when the destination currency is not supported on the Local Network, or when the payment is large enough that traceability matters more than the higher fee.

Can I track a Local Network payment?

Local Network wires do not generate an MT103 report. If you need to confirm delivery status, the Customer Experience team can help investigate.

Are international wire funds FDIC insured?

Funds in transit through the international wire network are not on deposit at Thread Bank and are not FDIC insured while in transit. FDIC insurance available for funds on deposit through Thread Bank, Member FDIC.

Who can initiate an international wire on a Relay Account?

Only team members who own 25% or more of the business can initiate international wires. If no owner meets that threshold, the members tied for the highest ownership percentage can initiate.

Related articles

• Sending an international wire through the Local Network

• Sending an international wire through the Swift Network

• Country Restrictions for Sending or Receiving International Wires

• Non-Permitted Activity for International Wires

• Currencies available in Relay

Talk to our Customer Experience team

If this article did not fully answer your question, our Customer Experience team is here to help.