Free MT and ISO 20022 Message Parser
Paste a Swift MT message or an ISO 20022 XML message and see every block, field, sequence and element in plain English, with format checks. Nothing you paste is uploaded.
Free to use, no sign-up. Available publicly until further notice.
In short
ZagTrader's MT/MX Parser at mt-mx-parser.zagtrader.com is a free, browser-based tool for settlement, custody, payments and reconciliation teams. It decodes Swift MT messages in every category and ISO 20022 (MX) XML messages field by field, runs format checks, and links each message to reference pages for every MT type, every ISO 20022 message and the status, reason and event codes operations teams look up every day. IBAN, BIC and UETR checkers sit beside it.
- Price
- Free, no sign-up, available until further notice
- Messages
- Swift MT, categories 1 to 9, and ISO 20022 (MX) XML
- Privacy
- Parsing runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded
What it decodes
Paste a message or open a file and the parser explains it the way a settlement, custody or payments specialist would read it.
Every MT block and field
The header blocks come first, with the sender, receiver and priority decoded, then every field with its tag, qualifier, raw value and decoded value, grouped by sequence.
ISO 20022 as a readable tree
For an MX message the key fields come first, then the full element tree with each element's name and definition.
Codes named and explained
Qualifiers, indicators, status and reason codes are shown with their meaning, and link to a page on each code.
Format checks
Block structure, tag syntax, balanced 16R and 16S sequences, key mandatory fields, dates, amounts, currencies, and BIC, IBAN, ISIN, LEI and UETR formats.
MT and MX side by side
Each common MT message links to the ISO 20022 message that does the same job, for example MT540 and sese.023, or MT103 and pacs.008.
Many messages, whole files
Paste several messages at once or open .txt, .fin, .out and .xml files, including .gz and .zip archives.
The parser
Every message found is listed with its type and a count of problems. Open one to read its header blocks, sequences and fields, or its ISO 20022 elements, each named and decoded.
- Paste one or more MT messages or ISO 20022 XML documents, or drop a file
- Each message listed with its type and a count of problems
- MT header blocks, sequences, fields and qualifiers decoded
- MX key fields, then the full element tree with definitions
- Format checks on BICs, IBANs, ISINs, LEIs, UETRs, dates and amounts
- RJE and DOS-PCC files, CRLF or LF line endings, stray log lines handled
- Anonymise before you copy, export or share a link; JSON output
Reference pages
A page for every MT type and every ISO 20022 message: what it is for, who sends it to whom, its structure and the message that does the same job in the other format.
- MT messages
Every MT type in categories 1 to 9: what it is for, who sends it to whom and its ISO 20022 equivalent. The most used types have a full page with every sequence and field, an annotated example and the common rejects.
- ISO 20022 messages
A page for each of the 762 message identifiers in the ISO 20022 repository, with versions, building blocks and code sets. The most used have key elements, an XML example and the MT field mapping.
- Troubleshooting
Rejected payments, unmatched and failing settlement instructions and statements that do not add up: the usual causes and the steps to fix each one.
- Guides
The securities settlement lifecycle, the corporate action lifecycle, reading a custody statement, the move from MT to ISO 20022 and how payments travel, message by message.
Codes people look up
Settlement and corporate action messages say most of what matters in four-letter codes. Each code has a page: what it means, when you see it, what to do next and where it sits in the MT and ISO 20022 messages.
- Settlement status and reason codes
75 codes from MT548, MT537 and sese.024, such as PEND, PENF, NMAT, MACH, REJT and LACK, with what each one means and what to do next.
- Corporate action event codes
72 22F::CAEV event codes used in MT564 and seev.031, such as DVCA, DVOP, RHTS, SPLF, MRGR and TEND.
- Settlement transaction types
38 22F::SETR codes used in MT540 to MT543 and sese.023, such as TRAD, REPU, SECL and COLI.
- ISO 20022 external codes
3,346 codes across the ISO 20022 external code sets: payment status, reject, return and cancellation reasons, purpose codes and more.
IBAN, BIC and UETR checkers
Small tools for the identifiers behind most payment rejects. Each one checks the format and explains what it found. A valid result does not confirm that an account, bank or payment exists.
- IBAN checker
Checks an IBAN against the format of its country (length, structure and check digits) and splits it into bank code, branch and account number. IBAN formats are listed for each of 89 countries.
- BIC checker
Checks the format of a BIC (Swift code) and decodes the party prefix, country, location and branch, including test and passive participant codes.
- UETR checker
Checks that a UETR is a lower-case version 4 UUID and shows where it sits in MT and ISO 20022 payment messages.
Your messages stay with you
Parsing and every check run in your browser; nothing you paste, open or type is uploaded. Messages carry account numbers, BICs, IBANs and amounts, so the parser reads them on your computer. Turn on Anonymise before you copy, export or share a link with a colleague or a vendor.
Built by the team behind ZagTrader's Swift messaging
ZagTrader is a capital markets platform for brokers, banks, exchanges, custodians and asset managers. The parser comes from the team that builds SWIFT Suite, ZagTrader's module for Swift messaging.
We publish it free for everyone who reads these messages: settlement, custody, payments and reconciliation teams, and the developers who support them.
- Institutions
- 100+ run on ZagTrader technology
- In production
- Since 2009
- Sister tool
- Free FIX log analyzer and parser
Frequently asked questions
Is the MT/MX Parser really free?
Yes. The MT/MX Parser at mt-mx-parser.zagtrader.com is free to use with no sign-up and no account. ZagTrader makes it available publicly until further notice.
Is my message uploaded anywhere?
No. Parsing and the format checks run in your browser, so nothing you paste or open is uploaded to ZagTrader or anyone else. The IBAN, BIC and UETR checkers also run in your browser; nothing you type is uploaded, stored or logged.
Which messages can it read?
Any Swift MT message, in every category, is split into its blocks and fields. Names, decoded values and checks cover the common payment, cash, securities and corporate action messages, such as MT103, MT202, MT202COV, MT900, MT910, MT940, MT942, MT950, MT535 to MT537, MT540 to MT548 and MT564 to MT568. Any ISO 20022 message is shown as an element tree, with key fields for pacs.008, pacs.009, camt.052, camt.053, camt.054, sese.023, sese.024, sese.025, semt.017, seev.031, seev.033 and seev.035.
What do the format checks cover?
For MT messages: the block structure, field tag syntax, balanced 16R and 16S sequences, key mandatory fields of common messages, dates, amounts with a comma decimal, currency codes, BIC format, and IBAN, ISIN and LEI check digits and the UETR format. For MX messages: BIC, IBAN, ISIN, LEI, UETR, dates, amounts and currencies. They are format checks only, not the full validation a network or a receiving bank applies.
Can it read several messages or a whole file?
Yes. Paste several messages at once, or open a .txt, .fin, .out or .xml file, including .gz and .zip archives. RJE and DOS-PCC files, CRLF or LF line endings and stray log lines before or after a message are handled.
What reference pages does it include?
A page for every MT type in categories 1 to 9, with a full page of sequences, fields, an annotated example and common rejects for the most used types; a page for every ISO 20022 message identifier, 762 in all; settlement status and reason codes, corporate action event codes, settlement transaction type codes and 3,346 ISO 20022 external codes; and troubleshooting pages and guides for settlement, custody and payments.
Do the IBAN, BIC and UETR checkers look up real accounts or banks?
No. They are format checks. The IBAN checker tests the length, structure and check digits for the country, the BIC checker decodes the parts of the code, and the UETR checker tests the version 4 UUID format. A valid result does not confirm that an account, bank or payment exists.
Who makes the tool?
ZagTrader, the capital markets platform company. The parser is built by the team behind ZagTrader's Swift messaging, which also publishes the free FIX parser at fixparser.zagtrader.com. 100+ institutions run on ZagTrader technology, in production since 2009.
Explore further
Related guides
Swift is a trademark of S.W.I.F.T. SC. ZagTrader is not affiliated with Swift.
Decode a message now
Free to use, no sign-up. When you want to talk about Swift messaging in your own operations, talk to the team that built the parser.