Relay cannot send or receive international wires to certain countries, and cannot offer international wire services when a Relay Account has beneficial owners with certain citizenships.
Which countries can't I send or receive international wires to?
Relay cannot process international wires, sending or receiving, involving any of the following countries:
Afghanistan
Belarus
Central African Republic
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Lebanon
Libya
Mali
Myanmar (Burma)
North Korea
Russia
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Ukraine
Venezuela
Yemen
Zimbabwe
This list reflects current Thread Bank policy, sanctions screening, and anti-money-laundering requirements, and it can change without notice.
Which countries have beneficial owner citizenship restrictions?
Relay cannot offer international wire services on a Relay Account when a beneficial owner holds citizenship in any of the following countries or territories:
Afghanistan
Algeria
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Belarus
Bolivia
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Côte d'Ivoire
Cuba
Curaçao
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Fiji
Gabon
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Iran
Iraq
Jamaica
Kenya
Laos
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Mali
Moldova
Monaco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Nicaragua
Nigeria
North Korea
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Philippines
Republic of Congo
Russia
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Syria
Tanzania
Trinidad and Tobago
Ukraine
US Virgin Islands
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zimbabwe
Beneficial owners are the individuals named as owners on your Relay Account application. If any owner holds citizenship in a listed country, international wire services cannot be enabled on the account, regardless of where the business itself operates.
Why does Relay restrict international wires to these countries?
Restrictions come from three sources: U.S. Treasury and OFAC sanctions, Thread Bank's own risk policies, and anti-money-laundering rules that govern cross-border payments. These lists are set at the banking-partner and regulatory level, so Relay applies them uniformly and cannot make case-by-case exceptions.
What if I need to send money to a restricted country?
For payments involving a country on the first list, Relay cannot process the wire. You may consider using a third-party international payment provider for the transaction, and check that provider's own country and industry restrictions before you send. Relay is not affiliated with those services.
How do I know if my Relay Account is affected?
If a beneficial owner listed on your Relay Account holds citizenship in any country on the second list, international wire services will not be available on the account. Domestic wires, ACH transfers, and other Relay services are unaffected. If you're unsure whether your account is affected, contact our Customer Experience team.
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