How to track SWIFT payments

Use the UETR and SWIFT GPI to see where your international payment is, what its status code means and what to do if it's delayed.

In short: how to track SWIFT payments

Get the UETR, the 36-character reference that every SWIFT payment has carried since November 2018. The sender's provider can give it to you.
Ask your provider for the SWIFT GPI tracker status of that UETR. It shows which bank holds the payment, any fees taken and whether it has been credited.
If the status hasn't moved for a few business days, ask your provider to open a payment investigation with the banks in the chain.

Online trackers can help, but only banks and other financial institutions on the Swift network see the full GPI record.

Where to find your UETR and payment reference

Two references identify a SWIFT payment. The sender's own reference, sometimes called the payment reference number, is the one your provider puts in the payment instruction; in the MT103 format it sits in field 20. The UETR (unique end-to-end transaction reference) is created once by the first bank and copied unchanged by every bank in the chain, which is why the UETR code is the one trackers ask for. It's included in all SWIFT payment instruction messages.Swift made the UETR mandatory on 18 November 2018 for customer payments (MT103) and the related bank-to-bank messages. Messages sent without one are rejected. It's written as 32 hexadecimal characters in five groups separated by hyphens, for example 8a562c67-ca16-48ba-b074-65581be6f001.

In the MT103 format, the UETR is in field 121 of the message header.
Since November 2025, cross-border payments on Swift travel as ISO 20022 pacs.008 messages. There the UETR is in the payment identification block (PmtId/UETR), alongside the end-to-end ID.
Ask the sender's provider for the UETR and a copy of the payment confirmation. As the recipient, you can ask your own provider whether it received the payment and under which UETR.

A SWIFT code (BIC) identifies a bank, not a payment, so it can't be traced on its own. See BIC code for how to read one.

How SWIFT GPI tracking works

SWIFT GPI is a set of rules on the Swift payment network that added end-to-end payment tracking to cross-border transactions. Each bank that handles a payment reports its status to the GPI Tracker under the payment's UETR: received, passed on, fees deducted, credited. The beneficiary's bank sends a payment confirmation when the money reaches the beneficiary account, or a rejection with a reason code.The Tracker isn't public. Banks and payment providers see it through Swift, and your provider reads the latest status for you. Public tracking sites can show part of the picture, but they rely on what the banks in the chain share, so a missing update there doesn't mean the payment is lost. Some trackers give you a tracking link to share with the beneficiary, but the data behind it still comes from the banks in the payment journey.Swift also offers a Basic Tracker to institutions that aren't full GPI members, so most banks can at least report when they've credited a payment.

Online SWIFT trackers: what they can and can't show

A search for a SWIFT tracker brings up public tools such as TrackMySwift, and some banks run their own tracking services, such as Deutsche Bank's International Payment Tracking. You enter the UETR and the tool shows the last status it can see.These tools don't have the full SWIFT GPI record. They show what the banks in the payment chain share, so keep a few things in mind:

A status that hasn't changed doesn't mean the payment is lost. A bank further down the chain may not report to that tool.
The status shown can lag behind where the payment actually is.
A genuine tracker only needs the UETR. Don't enter account numbers, passwords or card details on a tracking site.

A public tracker is fine for a quick check. For a reliable status, or when you need to act on a delay, ask your provider: it reads the GPI record directly.

SWIFT GPI payment status codes and what they mean

When your provider checks a payment, the GPI Tracker returns a status code and, for payments still in progress, a reason code.

Status	Reason	What it means
ACSP	G000	Passed to the next bank in the chain, which can update tracking
ACSP	G001	Passed to the next bank, which can't update tracking (often a non-GPI bank)
ACSP	G002	Credit may not be confirmed the same day; another update will follow
ACSP	G003	Held until the beneficiary provides documents, often a compliance request
ACSP	G004	Waiting for funds from the previous bank, often a missing cover payment
ACCC	none	Credited to the beneficiary account
RJCT	reason code	Rejected; the reason code, such as AC01 (invalid account) or RR03 (missing creditor name or address), says why

G003 and G004 are the statuses that hold payments longest, because a person has to act: the beneficiary sends documents, or a bank sends the missing funding. Rejection reasons use the same ISO codes as SEPA; see SEPA return codes explained for the common ones.

Why a cross-border payment stops at a correspondent bank

A payment only reaches its destination directly when the sender's provider has an account with the beneficiary's bank. Otherwise it passes through one or more intermediary banks, usually correspondent banks that hold nostro accounts for each other. The more banks involved, the more places a payment can wait. Money doesn't physically move through the payment system: each bank debits and credits nostro accounts on its own books and passes the instruction on.

Manual review: each bank runs its own sanctions and AML screening. A name match or an unusual payment purpose sends the payment to compliance officers, and the review lasts until they're satisfied.
Missing or inconsistent data: an incomplete beneficiary name or address, a wrong account number, or a purpose that doesn't match the invoice.
Routing: if a bank in the chain has no correspondent relations in the target currency, or the standard settlement instructions (SSI) are out of date, the payment is held or sent back.
Cut-off times and time zones: a payment that misses a bank's cut-off waits for the next business day in that country.

Tracking tells you where the payment is waiting. It doesn't tell you why, which is what a payment investigation is for.

How long does a SWIFT transfer take?

International wire transfers sent over SWIFT are faster than their reputation. Swift reports that most payments on its network reach the beneficiary's bank within minutes. Crediting the beneficiary account can take longer, because the receiving bank runs its own checks and posts payments on its own schedule.For planning, allow the same day to two business days for major currencies and corridors, and three to five business days where the payment passes several correspondent banks or a currency with few routes. Banks in different countries work to their own calendars, so weekends and public holidays in either country don't count. How SWIFT payments work covers timing in more detail.

What to do when a SWIFT payment is delayed: trace and payment investigation

Check the payment details you sent: beneficiary name exactly as on the recipient's account, IBAN or account number, BIC, currency and amount. Most delays start here.
Get the UETR and the latest GPI status from your provider. The status code tells you whether the payment is moving, waiting for documents or rejected.
If the status is G003, contact the beneficiary: their bank is waiting for something from them, usually an invoice or proof of the business relationship.
If nothing has moved for three to five business days, ask your provider to open a payment investigation. It sends a request through the chain to the bank holding the payment.
If the payment was sent in error, ask for a recall straight away. GPI's Stop and Recall service asks every bank in the chain to stop it, but it only works while the money hasn't been credited.
Keep a record: the UETR, the dates you contacted your provider and the answers you got.

If you're a Narvi client, send the UETR to our support team and we'll help you track the payment.Investigations between banks are moving to ISO 20022 camt messages, which Swift will require in November 2027. For you, the process stays the same: your provider raises it. Expect an answer within a few business days; a bank holding a payment for compliance review may not be able to say why.

What tracking won't tell you: fees and exchange rates

The GPI Tracker shows fees each bank deducted, but not why the beneficiary received less than you sent. That depends on the charge option on the payment: OUR, SHA or BEN. If a supplier needs the invoice amount in full, send with OUR. For a full picture of what international transfers and bank transfers over SWIFT cost, see How SWIFT payments work.

FAQ

Yes. Every SWIFT payment has a UETR, and the banks handling it report its status to the SWIFT GPI Tracker. Ask your provider for the status of your payment's UETR.

Most SWIFT wire transfers reach the beneficiary's bank within minutes and are credited the same day or within one to two business days. Payments through several correspondent banks, or held for compliance checks, can take longer.

Ask your provider for the GPI status. ACCC means the payment was credited to the beneficiary account. The beneficiary can also confirm the payment arrived under the same UETR.

Only with the UETR. Your provider's internal transaction number or the sender's reference won't work in tracking tools on their own, but your provider can use them to find the UETR.

Yes. Public tools such as TrackMySwift let you enter a UETR for free. They only show what the banks in the payment chain share, so for a reliable status ask your provider, which reads the SWIFT GPI Tracker directly.

A UETR has 36 characters: 32 letters and numbers in five groups separated by hyphens, for example 8a562c67-ca16-48ba-b074-65581be6f001. Ask the sender's provider for it; many show it on the payment confirmation.

Sources

Updated October 29, 2026. First published September 3, 2024. Sources checked October 29, 2026.Authors:
• Valeriya Kushchuk, now Narvi's Digital Marketing Manager, previously a business reporter and marketer in the crypto space.
• Sarah Ruthe, content editor who writes for Narvi about money and payments.Disclaimer
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax, or other professional advice from Narvi Payments Oy Ab or its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.Please see Narvi's terms of use or reach out to our team.

Choose Narvi for International Payments

Global payments need an account that's built for them. Narvi provides a Nordic-designed platform built for companies with global operations.

Here’s how Narvi Payments can streamline your transfers:

Instant SEPA payments: Our smart routing solution enables instant processing of euro transfers in the EU/EEA and switches to SWIFT for global wire transfers when required.
Global SWIFT transfers: Your dedicated IBAN is connected to the SWIFT system. Send and receive euro payments to 100+ countries. Our support team helps you track both SEPA and SWIFT payments.
Regulated in Finland (EU): Narvi is an e-money institution licensed by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority and passported across the EEA.

Take step one to a smarter way of handling your business finances. Reach out to our team and learn how you can transform transacting globally.Let's Talk

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How to track SWIFT payments

Use the UETR and SWIFT GPI to see where your international payment is, what its status code means and what to do if it's delayed.

In short: how to track SWIFT payments

Where to find your UETR and payment reference

How SWIFT GPI tracking works

Online SWIFT trackers: what they can and can't show

SWIFT GPI payment status codes and what they mean

Why a cross-border payment stops at a correspondent bank

How long does a SWIFT transfer take?

What to do when a SWIFT payment is delayed: trace and payment investigation

What tracking won't tell you: fees and exchange rates

FAQ

Is it possible to track a SWIFT transaction?

How long does a SWIFT payment take to process?

How do I confirm a SWIFT transfer?

Can I track a payment with a transaction number?

Is there a free UETR tracker?

What does a UETR number look like?

Sources

Choose Narvi for International Payments

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