Last reviewed: · Curated by Ohmyfin Organisation editorial.
A typical SWIFT international wire costs $20-50 from the sender plus $10-30 of intermediary correspondent charges plus $10-25 the beneficiary bank deducts on receipt. Total real cost is usually $40-100 per payment plus FX margin (often 1-3% above the interbank rate). Tracking the UETR is free on Ohmyfin.
Details
There are three cost layers. (1) The sender's bank fee, typically $20-50 (corporate plans often $5-15). (2) Correspondent / intermediary fees — every bank in the chain deducts a $10-30 fee from the payment if charges are OUR or SHA. (3) Beneficiary-bank inward-payment fee, $10-25 in most countries.
Charge bearer is set on MT103 field 71A: OUR (sender pays everything — beneficiary gets full amount), SHA (sender pays sending fee, beneficiary pays receiving), BEN (beneficiary pays everything — most expensive for them).
FX is the biggest hidden cost — banks typically apply a 1-3% margin on top of the mid-market rate. For a $10,000 transfer that's $100-300 of FX cost on top of the $40-100 in explicit fees.
Key facts
Sender fee: $20-50 typical, $5-15 corporate
Correspondent chain: $10-30 per intermediary (1-3 typical)
Beneficiary inward fee: $10-25 in most countries
FX margin: usually 1-3% above interbank — often the biggest cost
Tracking the UETR on Ohmyfin: free
Frequently asked questions
How much does a SWIFT international payment cost?
A typical SWIFT international wire costs $20-50 from the sender plus $10-30 of intermediary correspondent charges plus $10-25 the beneficiary bank deducts on receipt. Total real cost is usually $40-100 per payment plus FX margin (often 1-3% above the interbank rate). Tracking the UETR is free on Ohmyfin.
Is Ohmyfin tracking really free?
Yes. Ohmyfin tracking is free for individuals worldwide — 10 lookups per IP per day with no signup, plus 100 free credits when you create an account. We never charge ordinary users.
Do I need a bank login to use Ohmyfin?
No. Ohmyfin queries the SWIFT GPI network directly via the UETR — no credentials at any bank required.
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