Why Did My Bank Send It as SWIFT?

You usually notice that a transfer was sent as SWIFT rather than SEPA only afterwards — because of an intermediary bank charge or a longer time. So why does a transaction fall back to SWIFT when it could be made as SEPA? In this guide we explain the possible reasons and how you can prevent it.

Possible reasons

• The wrong transfer screen: If you selected the "international transfer" screen, the bank may process the transaction as SWIFT. The correct screen is usually "SEPA" or "intra-Europe euro transfer".
• The currency is not euro: SEPA only carries euros; if the transaction was started in a non-euro currency, SWIFT comes into play.
• The recipient country is outside SEPA: If the recipient IBAN belongs to a non-SEPA country (for example, Turkey), the transaction cannot be SEPA anyway.
• The recipient bank is not reachable: If the recipient bank has not joined the relevant SEPA scheme, the sending bank may turn to SWIFT.
• The bank's default policy: Some banks use SWIFT by default on certain corridors.

How do you prevent it?

1. Choose the right screen. Use the SEPA/intra-Europe euro transfer option.
2. Send in euros. Make sure the transaction is in euros.
3. Check the recipient country. Confirm that the IBAN belongs to a SEPA country; see SEPA country lookup.
4. Assess the signals. Check the transaction type with the SEPA or SWIFT detector.
5. Ask your bank. If you are not sure, ask directly whether the SEPA option is offered.

Specific to Turkey

Because Turkey is outside SEPA, euro transfers between Turkey and Europe cannot be SEPA anyway and go via SWIFT. So in this corridor the answer to "why SWIFT?" is structural: Turkey is not yet within SEPA scope. For the current status, see the Turkey SEPA status page.

Summary

A transaction can fall back to SWIFT due to the wrong screen, a non-euro currency, a non-SEPA recipient, a reachability problem or the bank's default policy. SWIFT is usually more expensive and slower. Choosing the right screen and sending in euros to a SEPA country helps keep the transaction on a cheaper SEPA route.