Banking Circle gains Swiss SIC access for real-time CHF payments

By Gloria Methri

Banking Circle has taken a major step forward in strengthening its embedded financial infrastructure by securing direct access to the Swiss Interbank Clearing (SIC) system. This latest move enhances the bank’s real-time cross-border payment capabilities in Swiss Francs (CHF) and underlines its ambition to build a globally interoperable payments platform for financial institutions.

The new access enables Banking Circle to support both Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments in CHF, offering its clients real-time settlement and seamless integration with Swiss and Liechtenstein financial systems. The addition of Liechtenstein-issued VIBAN accounts further provides firms with operational control, regulatory alignment, and streamlined account management.

According to Laust Bertelsen, CEO of Banking Circle, said, “This is another clear signal that the market wants to see improvement in global payments infrastructure, and we intend to be the go-to payments bank for financial institutions across Europe looking for simplified, accelerated, real-time transactions. CHF is a major piece in solving that puzzle – and now clients can have direct access to that system through our single API tech-first platform, which drives seamless customer experiences, transparency, control and reduces cost and complexity across their payment value chain.”

Key benefits of the new CHF offering include:

• Direct connectivity to SIC: Enabling both domestic and cross-border CHF payments through a fully integrated link to Swiss and Liechtenstein payment systems.
• Efficient account infrastructure: Scalable management via Liechtenstein VIBANs, tailored to varied regulatory and operational needs.
• Multi-currency capabilities via a single API: Access to payment schemes and account infrastructure across CHF, EUR, GBP, DKK, SEK, and AUD, with further expansion planned in 2025.

With the inclusion of Swiss Francs, Banking Circle now provides direct access to local clearing schemes for five of the twelve major European and UK currencies, reinforcing its strategic positioning as a super-correspondent bank for B2B cross-border flows. The development aligns with its broader vision of eliminating legacy barriers in international payments and improving access for financial institutions of all sizes.

The CHF payment solution is now live, with commercial rollout in progress. It represents a critical step in Banking Circle’s long-term goal to create a global clearing network that supports instant, low-cost payments and unlocks new business models across regions.

As more currencies and geographies are added, clients will be able to manage an increasingly complex payments landscape through a single integration, reducing fragmentation and dependency on traditional correspondent banking structures.