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ISO 20022 for banks and non-bank PSPs

ISO 20022 for banks and non-bank PSPs: a global messaging standard

The adoption of the messaging standard ISO 20022 is at the core of a major transformation across the payments industry, involving Market Infrastructures such as CHAPS, Financial Institutions and Payments Service Providers.

Introducing ISO 20022

ISO 20022 (sometimes referred to as MX by SWIFT) is a standard that allows for richer, more structured data content than the current legacy messaging standards and will bring consistency to the financial messages passed between participants.

The change to a new format has a number of significant implications for all participants across the industry. 

What is changing?

Benefits of ISO 20022

This new format replaces SWIFT MT. Standardising the format so that it is similar across the globe (e.g. FPS and CHAPS using the same format) helps to drive value for users, with potential for innovation, improved security and speed.

Although the change is driven by Market Infrastructures and SWIFT, there are lots of commercial benefits in using this new format for the industry.

Operational efficiencies

Enhanced data available to you may have potential benefits for improving your reconciliation and cash flow forecasting.

FinCrime

Anti-money laundering controls, sanctions screening and fraud monitoring available.

Analytics

Richer, more structured data offers opportunities for better analytics. Better structure to the data we capture can help inform decision making.

Enable innovation

Build once, use for many different domestic and international payments.

In addition to the direct benefits ISO 20022 will bring to your organisation, you will also enhance your customer proposition. All your retail, SME and corporate clients could benefit from richer payment data, operational efficiencies and a centralised treasury function as a result of this industry migration.

What this means to your organisation

Barclays intends to support banks, broker dealers and non-bank PSPs that want to adopt the new format. We recognise that each organisation is different and may need a partner to schedule the change to suit their situation. Please speak with your Relationship Director or Cash Specialist to discuss how we can further support your transition.

What it means for an early adopter

Clearing in MT or MX

  • You can instruct Barclays in pacs.008 and pacs.009 to take advantage of the benefits of the new format.

Forward Receipts in MT or MX

  • By default, Barclays will send MT if we receive in MT and send MX if we receive in MX format.
  • For GBP and EUR payments this means we will send in MX format when we receive from scheme but you can indicate in the SWIFT Transaction Manager if you want to receive in MX or in Multi-format (MX with embedded MT).

Balance and Transaction Reporting in MT or MX

  • By default, Barclays will continue to provide reporting in MT format and intend to support you with reporting in camt format.

What it means for a late adopter

Clearing in MT or MX

  • Instruct Barclays in MT as you do today until November 2025.

Forward Receipts in MT or MX

  • Be ready to receive MX (multi-format messages). The embedded MT message should enable you to continue to process in your existing systems and processes.

Balance and Transaction Reporting in MT or MX

  • Barclays will continue to provide reporting in MT format until you are ready to receive MX.

Testing

There are three routes for self-testing.

1

Plan

Use SWIFT MyStandards to validate that your ISO 20022 messages meet CBPR+ usage guidelines. You will find a dedicated Barclays community page within MyStandards which will detail best practice and Straight Through Processing (STP) guidance. For access to our community page, please reach out to your Relationship Director.

2

Prove

The SWIFT Test Sparring Partner (TSP) is a new automated testing facility that will support the community in its readiness testing of CBPR+ messages and flows. It is an avenue to prove your systems are ready to send and receive the new ISO 2022 messages. Playing the role of a fictitious institution on the FINplus Pilot service, it allows users to simulate flows as a Debtor, Creditor or Intermediary Agent for a set of pre-defined test scenarios.

3

Assurance

Penny testing provides the final piece of assurance before you switch to sending CBPR+ messages. From March 2023, when CBPR+ messages are live on the SWIFT network, you can test your set up by sending send low value payments to accounts held with Barclays or other banks. Barclays will be able to confirm that payments were processed STP and you will be able to check that the correct advices and account posting were generated and everything was reconciled as expected.

Further Support

SWIFT
Introduction to the new standard, golden source for formatting specifications and online training resources.

ISO20022.org ^
Site dedicated to ISO 20022 developments, message definitions and additional details such as external code sets, national clearing codes etc.

Payments Market Practice Group^
The PMPG is an independent SWIFT advisory group, comprised of payments experts from around the globe.

Bank of England^
This section of the Bank of England website is dedicated to the adoption of ISO20022.

European Central Bank^
This section of the ECB website is dedicated to the adoption of ISO20022.

For any further queries or support, please reach out to your Relationship Director.

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