Last reviewed: · Curated by Ohmyfin Organisation editorial.
Because the charges instruction was SHA (shared) or BEN (beneficiary pays all). Each correspondent bank in the chain deducted its lifting fee — typically USD 5–25 per hop. With 1–3 correspondents, USD 15–75 can disappear before the beneficiary sees the money. To avoid this, the originator must send with charges instruction OUR (originator pays all).
Details
Step-by-step:
1. Check the charges instruction on the original MT103 — field 71A: OUR / SHA / BEN.
2. OUR: originator pays all fees, beneficiary receives the full amount.
3. SHA: originator pays own bank, correspondents deduct from the principal.
4. BEN: beneficiary pays all fees, full chain deducted from the principal.
5. For predictable amounts, always use OUR and quote a fee to the originator upfront.
Quick facts:
Key facts
OUR = originator pays everything (most predictable for beneficiary).
SHA = shared (most common for corporate payments).
BEN = beneficiary pays all (rare — used for some intra-group transfers).
SWIFT GPI commits all participating banks to a published fee schedule, but lifting fees still apply.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my SWIFT payment arrive with less money than I sent?
Because the charges instruction was SHA (shared) or BEN (beneficiary pays all). Each correspondent bank in the chain deducted its lifting fee — typically USD 5–25 per hop. With 1–3 correspondents, USD 15–75 can disappear before the beneficiary sees the money. To avoid this, the originator must send with charges instruction OUR (originator pays all).
Is Ohmyfin tracking free?
Yes. Public UETR tracking on Ohmyfin is free, with 10 free scans per IP per day for individuals worldwide and 100 free credits when you sign up.
Do I need a bank account at the sending bank?
No. Ohmyfin looks up the SWIFT payment status with just the UETR — no bank login or account required.
Related — more from swift payment help & troubleshooting and beyond
Get 100 free credits — track unlimited SWIFT payments
No card needed. Free for ordinary users — 5 IP-based lookups per day, plus 100 credits instantly when you sign up with email. Use them on any international wire across 11,000+ banks.