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The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) provides a secure communication network to financial institutions in order to communicate and facilitate cross-border transactions and payments.

The SWIFT system is a critical piece of infrastructure for the international banking system because it allows financial institutions to talk to one another securely. Without access to the SWIFT messaging network, banks are essentially shut out of the global financial system because they cannot speak to banks in other countries to agree to transaction and payment terms.

What Is SWIFT?

SWIFT doesn’t hold assets or move money around. Instead, it is a messaging system for banks and other financial institutions. When banks need to conduct business across borders with other financial companies, the SWIFT system allows them to communicate to one another in a secure and standardized manner to ensure reliable transaction terms.

The SWIFT messaging system relies on a standardized system of codes to transmit information and payment instructions. These codes are interchangeably called Bank Identifier Codes (BIC), SWIFT codes, SWIFT IDs, or ISO 9362 codes. Each member of the SWIFT network is assigned a BIC/SWIFT code, providing an efficient transfer of information during transactions.

The SWIFT codes are used so banks and financial institutions can communicate reliably. For example, a bank in the United States wants to make sure it is messaging the right bank in France to set up payment instructions before sending money.

Since SWIFT doesn’t send money, it requires banks to take additional steps to send money globally after communicating with their counterparty. This makes the whole process relatively slow and adds costs to the transfers. The advent of blockchain technology may alleviate these time lags and additional costs as the technology is adopted more broadly.

Format of BIC/SWIFT Code

These codes are unique and have 8 or 11 characters, identifying the bank, country, city, and branch.

•   Bank code (0-9 or A-Z): 4 characters representing the bank.

•   Country code (A-Z): 2 letters representing the country of the bank.

•   Location code (0-9 or A-Z): 2 characters of letters or numbers for the location of the bank.

•   Branch Code (0-9 or A-Z): 3 digits specifying a particular branch. This branch code is optional.

For example, Wells Fargo, with a branch in Philadelphia, has the 11-character SWIFT code PNBPUS33PHL. The first four characters reflect the institute code (PNBP for Wells Fargo), the next two are the country code (US), the following two characters specify the location/city code (33), and the last three characters indicate the individual branch (PHL). The last three characters are optional; if the bank is the head office, the code ends with XXX.

History of SWIFT

Telex was an early electronic communications system used in the post-World War II period, allowing businesses to send written messages across the globe. Before SWIFT, financial institutions used Telex to communicate with one another to ensure the successful transfer of international payments. However, Telex was slow, lacked security, and was prone to human error because it didn’t run on a standardized system.

To alleviate the problems of Telex, 239 banks from 15 countries joined forces in 1973 to develop a communications network that would provide safe, secure, and standardized messaging for cross-border payments. These banks formed the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication and went live with the SWIFT messaging service in 1977. Soon, SWIFT was widely adopted and became the gold standard for cross-border messaging in the global financial system.

More than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries use the SWIFT system to communicate. It processes tens of millions of messages per day, too. 

Who Controls SWIFT?

Based in Belgium, SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative, meaning that member institutions have stakes in SWIFT and the right to nominate directors to its governing board. This governing board is made up of 25 people from across the globe and overseen by the G-10 country central banks (Bank of Canada, Deutsche Bundesbank, European Central Bank, Banque de France, Banca d’Italia, Bank of Japan, De Nederlandsche Bank, Sveriges Riksbank, Swiss National Bank, Bank of England, USA Federal Reserve System), the European Central Bank, and the National Bank of Belgium.

Traditionally, SWIFT acts as a neutral party, so it doesn’t make any decisions on sanctions. However, because it operates under Belgian law and European Union regulations, SWIFT will adhere to sanctions imposed by the EU if necessary. This resulted in banks from Iran being kicked off the SWIFT system in 2012 because of the country’s nuclear weapon program. Additionally, in early 2022, several Russian institutions were kicked off of SWIFT after the country invaded Ukraine.

The Future of SWIFT

Because of SWIFT’s significant role in the global financial system, some believe that blockchain technology could circumvent the need to use the SWIFT network. Proponents of decentralized finance believe that these new technologies could increase global payments’ speed, security, and transparency. Just as SWIFT replaced Telex as the standard for messaging in the global financial system, some think that blockchain technology could do the same.

The Takeaway

SWIFT is a critical part of the global financial system. Without the secure messaging services of SWIFT, banks and other financial institutions would struggle to complete transactions and make payments in overseas business. However, the SWIFT system is relatively slow and costly for financial institutions. Even with the safe and secure messaging of SWIFT, cross-border payments and transfers between financial institutions can still take several days to complete. 

In a world that desires high-speed money transfers, this lag in transaction time can be burdensome to banks and other financial institutions. As new challengers in the global financial system, like blockchain technology, breakthrough and become a more mainstream part of the financial payments system, they could put pressure on the ubiquity of the SWIFT system and the overall global payments system.

Photo credit: iStock/Evgeniy Skripnichenko

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SOBNK-Q324-072

Stock exchanges are platforms that allow investors to buy and sell stocks in a venue that is regulated and transparent. These exchanges enable investors of all stripes to trade stocks and other securities, potentially benefiting from a stock’s share price appreciation and dividend payments.

Stock exchanges help the stock market work, and are a big part of the overall economy. Understanding stock exchanges and how they work may help you how they affect you and your investments.

What Is a Stock Exchange?

A stock exchange is a marketplace where the shares of publicly-traded companies are bought and sold between investors.

Exchanges are generally organized by an institution or association that hosts the market, like the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq. These organizations and government regulators – like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the U.S. – set up the rules and regulations of what companies investors can trade on a stock exchange.

If a company is “listed” on an exchange, it means that the company can be traded on that exchange. Not all companies are listed because each exchange regulates which companies meet their requirements. Companies not listed on the exchange are traded over-the-counter, or OTC for short.

Investors who want to buy or sell stocks commonly trade through an investment broker, a person or entity licensed to trade on the exchanges. Brokers aim to buy or sell stock at the best price for the investor making the trade, usually earning a commission for the service. Most investors will now use online brokerage firms for this service, paying little to no commissions for trades.

Historically, stock exchanges were physical locations where investors came together on a trading floor to frantically buy and sell stocks, like what you may have seen in the movies or on TV. However, these days, more often than not, stock exchanges operate through an electronic trading platform.

Major Stock Exchanges

Why Do We Have Stock Exchanges?

Stock exchanges exist because they provide a place for buyers and sellers to come together and trade stocks. Stock exchanges are also important because they provide a way for businesses to raise money. When companies issue stock to raise capital, investors will then trade the company’s shares on the stock exchange in which it is listed.

The individual stock exchanges set the rules for how stocks are traded. Stock exchanges are also regulated markets, which means that a government agency oversees the activity on the exchange. These rules and regulations provide a level of safety for investors and help to ensure that the market is fair, transparent, and liquid.

💡 Not sure what a stock is? Here we explain what stocks are and how they work.

What Is the Stock Market?

The stock market is made up of a network of different stock exchanges, including OTC markets, and the companies that are traded on these exchanges.

When you hear mentions of the stock market and its performance, it is usually in reference to a particular stock market index, like the S&P 500 or Dow Jones Industrial Average. However, the stock market is more than the specific companies that make up these stock market indices.

Generally, stock markets facilitate the buying and selling of shares between companies and institutional investors through initial public offerings (IPOs) in the primary market. Once a company has an IPO, the company’s shares are traded in secondary markets, like stock exchanges.

Stock Market Volatility

Volatility in the stock market occurs when there are big swings in share prices. Share prices can change for various reasons, like a new product launch or the most recent earnings report. And while volatility in the stock market usually describes significant declines in share prices, volatility can also happen to the upside.

Pros of the Stock Market

As mentioned above, the stock market allows companies to raise capital by issuing shares to investors. Raising money was one of the main reasons why stock issuances and trading began. It allows businesses to raise money to expand a business without taking out a loan or issuing bonds.

And because investors can own shares of companies, they can benefit from the growth and earnings of a business. Investors can profit from a company’s dividend payments, realize a return when the stock’s price appreciates, or benefit from both. This helps investors build wealth.

The relationship between stock markets, companies, and investors has arguably led to more economic efficiency, allowing money to be allocated in more productive ways.

Cons of the Stock Market

For companies, issuing shares on the stock market may be onerous and expensive due to rules and regulations from the stock exchanges and government regulators. Because of these difficulties, companies may be wary of going through the IPO process. Instead, they are more comfortable raising money in the private markets.

There are several potential risks associated with investing in the stock market. For example, the stock market is subject to market volatility, resulting in losses. Investors must be willing to take on the risks of losing money for the possibility of gains in the future.

Additionally, there is the potential for stock market fraud and manipulation by companies and investors, which harms individual investors, companies, and the economy.

💡 Recommended: How Many Companies IPO Per Year?

The Takeaway

A stock exchange is a marketplace where investors can buy and sell stocks or other securities, and where companies can list shares to try and raise capital. There are numerous stock exchanges, but the biggest in the U.S. are the New York Stock Exchange, and the Nasdaq.

Knowing the ins and outs of stock exchanges and how they influence the broader stock market may help you become a better-informed investor. Further, by learning about stock exchanges, their different rules, and their advantages and disadvantages, you may better understand the stock market as a whole. This may allow you to invest confidently and prepare for future stock market volatility.

Invest in what matters most to you with SoFi Active Invest. In a self-directed account provided by SoFi Securities, you can trade stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, options, and more — all while paying $0 commission on every trade. Other fees may apply. Whether you want to trade after-hours or manage your portfolio using real-time stock insights and analyst ratings, you can invest your way in SoFi's easy-to-use mobile app.

FAQ

What is the stock market?

The stock market is a collection of markets where stocks are traded between investors. It usually refers to the exchanges where stocks and other securities are bought and sold.

What are the benefits of investing in the stock market?

Some benefits of investing in the stock market include the potential for earning income through dividend payments, experiencing share price appreciation, and diversifying one’s financial portfolio beyond cash. Note, however, that there are significant risks associated with investing in the stock market, too.