🏦 SWIFT MT Message Parser

Parse and inspect SWIFT MT (ISO 15022) banking messages. Paste your raw SWIFT message below to decode its blocks, fields, and metadata.

What Is a SWIFT MT Message?

SWIFT MT (Message Type) messages are standardized financial messages used by banks and financial institutions worldwide to communicate securely over the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) network. Defined by the ISO 15022 standard, MT messages have been the backbone of international banking communication since the 1970s, handling everything from customer payments to securities trading and treasury operations.

Each MT message is identified by a three-digit number (e.g., MT103, MT202, MT940) that indicates the message category and purpose. The SWIFT network processes over 40 million messages daily across 200+ countries, connecting more than 11,000 financial institutions globally.

SWIFT MT Message Structure

Every SWIFT MT message consists of up to five blocks:

BlockNameDescription
{1:...} Basic Header Contains the application ID, service ID, sender's logical terminal address (BIC), session, and sequence numbers.
{2:...} Application Header Specifies input/output direction, message type (e.g., 103), receiver BIC, and message priority.
{3:...} User Header Optional block with additional metadata such as the message user reference (tag 108) or unique end-to-end transaction reference (tag 121).
{4:...} Text Block The main body containing tagged fields (e.g., :20: for reference, :32A: for amount). This is where the actual financial data resides.
{5:...} Trailer Contains checksums and authentication results added by the SWIFT network for integrity verification.

Common SWIFT MT Message Types

CategoryMT RangeExamples
Customer Payments MT 1xx MT103 (Single Customer Credit Transfer), MT101 (Request for Transfer)
Financial Institution Transfers MT 2xx MT202 (General FI Transfer), MT200 (FI Transfer for Own Account)
Treasury Markets MT 3xx MT300 (Forex Confirmation), MT320 (Fixed Loan/Deposit)
Collections & Cash Letters MT 4xx MT400 (Advice of Payment), MT405 (Clean Collection)
Securities Markets MT 5xx MT535 (Statement of Holdings), MT502 (Order to Buy or Sell)
Documentary Credits MT 7xx MT700 (Issue of Documentary Credit), MT760 (Guarantee)
Cash Management MT 9xx MT940 (Customer Statement), MT950 (Statement Message)

Common Use Cases

  • Payment Processing: Banks use MT103 messages to process international wire transfers between customer accounts across borders.
  • Statement Reconciliation: MT940/MT950 statements are used to reconcile bank account balances and transactions in treasury management systems.
  • Trade Finance: MT700 series messages facilitate letters of credit and guarantees in international trade.
  • Compliance & Audit: Parsing MT messages helps compliance teams review transaction details for AML/KYC screening and regulatory reporting.
  • System Integration: Developers parse MT messages to integrate SWIFT data with ERP systems, payment gateways, and accounting software.

Frequently Asked Questions

MT messages use the legacy ISO 15022 text-based format with tagged fields, while MX messages (also called ISO 20022) use XML-based formatting with richer data structures. SWIFT is migrating the industry from MT to MX, with full migration expected by November 2025. MT103 maps to the MX equivalent pacs.008.

BIC (Business Identifier Code, formerly Bank Identifier Code) is an 8 or 11-character code that uniquely identifies a financial institution on the SWIFT network. The format is: 4 letters (bank code) + 2 letters (country) + 2 characters (location) + optional 3 characters (branch). For example, BANKDEFF identifies Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, Germany.

This tool parses the message structure locally on the server without storing any data. However, real SWIFT messages contain sensitive financial information including account numbers and transaction details. For production use, always use sanitized or test messages. Never paste live production messages containing real customer data into any online tool.

MT103 is the most commonly used SWIFT message type. It is a Single Customer Credit Transfer used to instruct a cross-border payment from one bank to another on behalf of a customer. It contains details like the transaction reference, value date, currency, amount, ordering customer, beneficiary, and charge instructions.