ISO 20022 is the international financial messaging standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that provides a common language and model for financial data. It defines business processes, data elements, and message definitions used by banks, payment systems, securities settlement systems, and other financial institutions worldwide.
The standard covers payment messages, securities messages, trade finance, foreign exchange, and card payments. SWIFT serves as the ISO 20022 Registration Authority, maintaining the central message repository and e-Repository. As of 2025, ISO 20022 became the exclusive format for cross-border payments on the SWIFT network, with more than 60 central banks worldwide either completed or underway with migration.
API Resources:
- Message Catalogue - All current ISO 20022 message definitions
- e-Repository - Full data dictionary and business process catalogue
- API Resources Catalogue - RESTful API resources aligned with ISO 20022
- APIs and ISO 20022 - Official guidance on API development
- Best Practices White Paper - ISO 20022 and Web APIs implementation guide
Key Message Domains:
- Payments (pacs, pain, camt) - Payment initiation, clearing, settlement, and cash management
- Securities (sese, semt, setr, seev) - Settlement, management, trading, and events
- Trade Services (tsmt, tsrv) - Trade finance messaging
- Foreign Exchange (fxtr) - FX trade and settlement
- Cards (cain, caad, caam) - Card transactions and ATM messaging
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