UETR
A UETR (Unique End-to-end Transaction Reference) is a 36-character code assigned to a SWIFT payment when it's created. Every institution that handles the payment passes the same UETR along unchanged, so the sender, the beneficiary and every bank in between can identify and trace that one payment.
What a UETR looks like
A UETR is 32 letters and numbers split into five groups by hyphens, in an 8-4-4-4-12 pattern. Here's a made-up example:a1b2c3d4-e5f6-4789-a012-3456789abcdeThe format is a version 4 UUID, a standard for generating identifiers that are, for practical purposes, never repeated. The sending institution generates it once, and nobody along the chain changes it.SWIFT made the UETR mandatory on 18 November 2018 for all customer and bank-to-bank payment messages, including the MT103. In the old MT messages it sat in field 121. Since cross-border payments moved to ISO 20022 in November 2025, it travels in the payment identification block of the pacs.008 message.
Where to find your UETR
If you sent the payment, your provider assigned the UETR and should show it in the payment details or confirmation. [CONFIRM: where a Narvi client sees the UETR for outgoing and incoming SWIFT payments, and link to the relevant help page.]If you're expecting a payment, ask the sender for the UETR. It's the fastest way for any institution in the chain to find the payment, faster than an amount and a date.SEPA payments don't use the SWIFT network, so they don't have a UETR you can trace through SWIFT. They carry their own end-to-end reference instead.UETR vs other payment references
| Reference | What it identifies | Format | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|---|
| UETR | One payment, from start to finish | 36 characters, 8-4-4-4-12 | The sender's institution, once |
| BIC or SWIFT code | A financial institution | 8 or 11 characters | Fixed for the institution |
| Transaction reference | A message, for the institution that sent it | Up to 16 characters in MT messages | Each institution in the chain |
| IBAN | An account | Up to 34 characters | The account holder's provider |
How a UETR is used to trace a payment
Institutions on SWIFT GPI update a central tracker each time a payment moves: received, passed on, credited, or held for checks. Because every update is filed under the same UETR, anyone with access to the tracker can see where the payment is and which correspondent bank holds it now.For the steps, see how to track a SWIFT payment with its UETR. For the bigger picture, see how SWIFT payments work.FAQ
No. A SWIFT code (BIC) identifies a financial institution and never changes. A UETR identifies a single payment and is different for every payment.
Yes. SWIFT has required one on customer and bank-to-bank payment messages since 18 November 2018. Messages sent without one are rejected.
No. SEPA payments run on a separate scheme and aren't tracked through SWIFT. Ask your provider to trace them using the payment's end-to-end reference.
Last reviewed October 21, 2026Disclaimer
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.
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.
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