Last reviewed: · Curated by Ohmyfin Organisation editorial.
MT103 is the most important SWIFT message type for individuals and businesses. It instructs a single customer credit transfer between two banks across borders.
Details
An MT103 message is structured into 5 blocks (basic header, application header, user header, text, trailer). The customer-relevant content is in block 4 (the text), with fields like 20 (sender reference), 32A (value date / currency / amount), 50 (ordering customer), 57 (beneficiary bank), 59 (beneficiary), 70 (remittance), 71A (charges), 121 (UETR).
MT103 is being replaced by ISO 20022 pacs.008 — coexistence on the SWIFT network ends November 2025.
Verify any MT103 free on Ohmyfin: paste the UETR (field 121) or sender reference (field 20) into the tracker.
Key facts
Standard SWIFT message for one-off customer wires
Five blocks; customer data in block 4
Carries UETR (field 121) for GPI tracking
Replaced by ISO 20022 pacs.008 from Nov 2025
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell if an MT103 PDF I received is real?
Verify the UETR (field 121) on Ohmyfin. If the UETR cannot be located in the SWIFT network, treat it as fraudulent until your own bank confirms the credit.
Is an MT103 the same as a wire transfer?
An MT103 is the SWIFT message that instructs the international wire transfer. They are tightly linked but technically different things.
Related — more from swift message types and beyond
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