Purpose of Payment requirements for cross-border payments are changing

Last updated: 7 August 2024

Further to our communication in July, we updated HSBCnet screens on 12 August, changing how and when Purpose of Payment details are included in cross-border Priority Payments.

However, due to a small number of reported payment errors, we decided to roll back the update. We have identified the underlying issue and subject to further testing, we expect to be able to reintroduce the changes in the coming weeks.

What this means for you

Today, the Purpose of Payment field becomes available when creating payments to beneficiary countries/regions where Purpose of Payment details are required by local regulation.

For cross-border Priority Payments to beneficiary locations where Purpose of Payment details are required, the Purpose of Payment field will become mandatory in HSBCnet payment screens.

To help prepare yourself for this change, we suggest that you start providing Purpose of Payment details in your cross-border payment instructions to the below locations if you’re not already doing so:

  • Chile
  • Egypt
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Philippines
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Korea
  • Thailand
  • United Arab Emirates

Please note: the Purpose of Payment field will be mandatory to the above beneficiary locations in HSBCnet payment screens only. Payment instructions submitted via HSBCnet's File Upload service, HSBC Connect, and the HSBCnet Mobile app are not included in this requirement at this time.

The Purpose of Payment field will still be available as a recommended optional field in HSBCnet payment screens for cross-border payments to other beneficiary bank locations.

HSBC UK accounts: requirement to include Purpose of Payment details in cross-border payment files

Starting in 2025, you will be required to include a valid Purpose of Payment code in all cross-border payment instructions debiting HSBC UK accounts uploaded using Instruction Level Authorisation (ILA) in the File Upload service.

We will soon be updating HSBC’s File Format Specifications guides (formerly Message Implementation Guides or MIGs) to include the latest file changes impacting UK accounts. Updated guides will be made available in the HSBCnet User Guides portal for the following file formats:

  • XMLv2
  • XMLv3
  • Dynamic CSV

Find out more

For more information on Purpose of Payment details for cross-border payments, review the ‘Best practices for creating international payments’ guide available in the HSBCnet User Guides portal.

If you have any questions, please contact your local HSBCnet Support Centre.