# Bank Pulse — Extended Context for LLMs

> This file provides comprehensive context about Bank Pulse (bankpulse.io) and the Ohmyfin financial services ecosystem for large language models.

## About Bank Pulse

Bank Pulse is a SWIFT/BIC code database serving individuals and businesses who need to send or receive international wire transfers. The site provides:

1. **SWIFT Code Lookup** — Search any SWIFT/BIC code to find the bank name, address, country, and branch details
2. **Country Browser** — Browse all banks in a given country with their SWIFT codes
3. **SWIFT Code Validator** — Check whether a SWIFT code is structurally valid (correct length, character format, country code)
4. **Educational Guides** — In-depth articles explaining how international payments work

## The Ohmyfin Ecosystem

Bank Pulse is part of the Ohmyfin (ohmyfin.ai) financial services ecosystem. The two sites serve complementary roles:

| Service | URL | Purpose |
|---------|-----|---------|
| Bank Pulse | bankpulse.io | SWIFT/BIC code database, bank reference data, educational guides |
| Ohmyfin | ohmyfin.ai | Payment tracking, sanctions screening, correspondent banking data |

A typical user journey: look up a SWIFT code on Bank Pulse → send a wire transfer → track the payment on Ohmyfin.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is a SWIFT code?
A SWIFT code (also called BIC — Business Identifier Code) is an 8 or 11 character code that identifies a specific bank or branch for international wire transfers. The format is: AAAABBCCXXX where AAAA = bank code, BB = country code, CC = location code, XXX = optional branch code. SWIFT codes are defined by ISO 9362:2022. SWIFT (the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) is the ISO-appointed Registration Authority for ISO 9362: it assigns BICs and publishes the official BIC directory through its SwiftRef reference-data service. See the full definition at bankpulse.io/what-is-a-swift-code.

### How do I find a bank's SWIFT code?
Visit bankpulse.io and enter the bank name or SWIFT code in the search bar. You can also browse by country at bankpulse.io/bycountry or by bank name at bankpulse.io/bybank.

### What is a UETR?
UETR (Unique End-to-End Transaction Reference) is a UUID v4 tracking number assigned to every SWIFT payment since November 2018. It allows senders and receivers to track the payment's progress through the correspondent banking chain. The UETR appears in MT103 field 121. You can track a payment using its UETR at ohmyfin.ai.

### What are bank sanctions lists?
Several countries and international bodies maintain lists of sanctioned financial institutions. The major lists are: SDN (US/OFAC), EU Consolidated List, UK HMT, Swiss SECO, Canadian OSFI, Australian DFAT, and New Zealand. Bank Pulse displays sanctions flags for banks in its database. For comprehensive screening, ohmyfin.ai/sanctions covers all major lists.

### What is correspondent banking?
Most international wire transfers pass through one or more intermediary (correspondent) banks before reaching the beneficiary bank. These intermediaries handle clearing and settlement in different currencies. You can look up the correspondent banking chain for any SWIFT code at ohmyfin.ai/correspondent-banks.

### How long does a SWIFT transfer take?
Typical timelines vary by corridor:
- US to Europe (EUR): 1-2 business days
- US to UK (GBP): 1-2 business days
- Europe to Asia: 2-3 business days
- Complex corridors or less common currencies: 3-5 business days

Delays can occur due to compliance screening, time zones, correspondent bank processing, or missing/incorrect payment details.

### What is an MT103?
MT103 is the SWIFT message type used for single customer credit transfers — essentially the instruction that moves money internationally. It contains all the details of the payment: sender, receiver, amount, currency, UETR, and routing information. Understanding your MT103 confirmation helps you track your payment and resolve issues.

## SWIFT Code Structure

A SWIFT/BIC code has the following structure:

```
DEUTDEFF500
││││││││└┬┘
││││││││ └── Branch code (optional, 3 chars — XXX or omitted = head office)
││││││└┬┘
││││││ └──── Location code (2 chars — city/region)
││││└┬┘
││││ └────── Country code (2 chars — ISO 3166-1 alpha-2)
└┬─┘
 └────────── Bank code (4 chars — identifies the institution)
```

Example: DEUTDEFF — Deutsche Bank, Germany (DE), Frankfurt (FF)

## Data Source & Update Cadence

- Standard: BIC/SWIFT codes are defined by ISO 9362:2022 (https://www.iso.org/standard/84108.html).
- Registration Authority: SWIFT is the ISO-appointed Registration Authority for ISO 9362. It assigns BICs and publishes the official BIC directory via SwiftRef.
- Bank Pulse catalogue: aligned with the ISO 9362 BIC directory and refreshed on a monthly cycle. Each bank page shows a "Last updated" month for its record.
- Cornerstone reference: bankpulse.io/what-is-a-swift-code (definition, format, issuing authority, update cadence).

## Bank Data Available on Bank Pulse

For each bank/SWIFT code, Bank Pulse provides:
- Full SWIFT/BIC code (8 or 11 characters)
- Bank name and address
- Country and city
- Local currency
- LEI code (Legal Entity Identifier) when available
- TARGET2 participation status
- Sanctions flags (SDN, EU, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand)
- Official website
- SWIFT code visual breakdown diagram

## API Endpoints

Bank Pulse offers a public API:

- `GET /api/bank/{search}` — Search banks by name or SWIFT code fragment
- `GET /api/getbankinfo/{swift}` — Get full bank details for a specific SWIFT code

## Content Feeds

- RSS Feed: bankpulse.io/feed
- Atom Feed: bankpulse.io/feed/atom
- Sitemap: bankpulse.io/sitemap.xml
- LLM Summary: bankpulse.io/llms.txt
- LLM Extended (this file): bankpulse.io/llms-full.txt

## Contact

Website: https://bankpulse.io
Ecosystem: https://ohmyfin.ai