Payments & Transfers
Money that moves at the pace of your life
Send and receive across Europe and beyond, with euro payments in seconds, cross-border reach through SWIFT, and settlement times and fees you can see in advance.
Whether you are settling a property purchase in another member state, funding a portfolio, paying a supplier, or simply moving money between your own accounts, your payments should be straightforward and predictable. From our client centre in Sliema, we route your instructions through the established European and international networks and keep you informed of timing and cost before you commit.
Euro payments within the Single Euro Payments Area are free, and SEPA Instant typically settles in seconds, around the clock. For payments outside the euro area we use SWIFT, and for high-value or time-critical euro transfers we use TARGET2. Standing orders and saved beneficiaries handle the recurring instructions so that the routine looks after itself.
Capabilities
What this includes
SEPA & SEPA Instant
Euro payments across the Single Euro Payments Area at no charge, with SEPA Instant typically crediting the beneficiary within seconds, day or night.
SWIFT (cross-border)
International payments in major currencies, sent and received through the SWIFT network with our BIC, RIESMTM1, for inbound funds.
TARGET2 Wires
High-value and time-sensitive euro transfers settled through the central bank real-time gross settlement system.
Standing Orders & Recurring Payments
Fixed regular transfers for rent, school fees, savings, and other commitments, set once and managed thereafter without further instruction.
Scheduled Transfers
Single payments dated for a future day, so funds leave precisely when you intend them to.
Saved Beneficiaries
A trusted list of payees you can reuse, reducing keying and the risk of error on the people and accounts you pay most often.
How your money travels
We match each instruction to the right network. Euro payments within the SEPA zone travel as SEPA Credit Transfers or, where speed matters, as SEPA Instant, which is designed to credit the beneficiary within seconds at any hour. For larger or urgent euro transfers, TARGET2 provides real-time settlement through the Eurosystem. Payments outside the euro area, or in other currencies, are sent over SWIFT.
Inbound payments to your accounts use our BIC, RIESMTM1, and your Maltese IBAN, which begins with MT. We will confirm the details you need to give a remitter so that funds reach the correct account without delay.
Transparent timing and cost
We believe you should know what a payment will cost and when it will arrive before you send it. Settlement times depend on the network and the destination; SEPA Instant is near-immediate, standard SEPA usually settles the next business day, and SWIFT timing varies by country and correspondent. Fees and applicable charges are set out on our rates page, and we will tell you which apply to a given instruction.
We do not quote indicative foreign-exchange rates here, as they move continually. Where a payment involves a currency conversion, the rate that applies is shown on the rates page or confirmed to you at the point of instruction.
Set it once, then leave it
Standing orders and recurring payments take the effort out of regular commitments. Rent, school fees, club subscriptions, and transfers to a savings or investment account can each run to a schedule you define, and you remain in control to amend or cancel at any time. Saved beneficiaries keep your trusted payees a click away and help guard against mistyped details.
Questions, answered
What is the difference between SEPA and SEPA Instant?
Both are euro payments within the Single Euro Payments Area and both are free of charge. A standard SEPA Credit Transfer generally settles by the next business day, whereas SEPA Instant is designed to credit the beneficiary within seconds and operates around the clock, including weekends and holidays, subject to the receiving bank also participating.
When should a payment go by SWIFT rather than SEPA or TARGET2?
SEPA and TARGET2 are for euro payments within the relevant networks. For payments to destinations outside the euro area, or in currencies other than the euro, we use SWIFT. TARGET2 is reserved for high-value or time-critical euro transfers that require real-time settlement.
What details do I give someone to pay me?
Provide your Maltese IBAN, which begins with MT, together with our BIC, RIESMTM1. For payments from outside the euro area, the remitter may also be asked for the payment currency and a reference. Your relationship team can confirm the exact details for a given account.
How do I know what a transfer will cost and how long it will take?
Settlement times and fees are set out on our rates page and vary by network and destination. We will tell you which charges apply before a payment is sent. We do not publish indicative foreign-exchange rates, as they change continually; any conversion rate is confirmed on the rates page or at the point of instruction.
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Begin a conversation
Speak to a relationship manager
Tell us a little about your circumstances and we will arrange an introduction — discreetly, and without obligation.