Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. A secure global messaging network banks use to send cross-border payment instructions.
Each bank has an 8- or 11-character SWIFT/BIC code.
Related terms in Payments & digital banking
Account Aggregator
An RBI-regulated NBFC that moves your financial data from one institution to another, only with your consent. It does not store o…
AePS
Aadhaar Enabled Payment System. Lets customers withdraw cash, deposit or check balance at a micro-ATM using only Aadhaar number a…
BBPS (Bharat BillPay)
Bharat Bill Payment System, an NPCI platform for paying electricity, water, gas, DTH and other bills through many apps and agents.
BHIM
Bharat Interface for Money. NPCI's own UPI app, launched in December 2016.
Central Bank Digital Currency (e-rupee)
Digital form of the rupee issued by RBI. It is legal tender like cash. Pilots began in November 2022 (wholesale) and December 202…
Cheque Truncation System (CTS)
A clearing system in which the cheque image, not the paper, is sent from the presenting bank to the paying bank. RBI began moving…
Contactless card
A debit or credit card with an NFC chip that you can tap on a machine to pay. Small payments up to a limit do not need a PIN.
Credit card
A card that lets you borrow up to a limit to pay for purchases, which you repay later. Interest is charged if you do not pay the …
Debit card
A card linked to your bank account. Payments are taken straight from your balance.
FASTag
A RFID tag on a vehicle's windscreen that lets toll be paid automatically from a linked account. It runs on NPCI's National Elect…