Seamless ISO 20022 Migration
ISO 20022 summarised
ISO 20022 is the global standard for payments messaging. It will create interoperability between various settlement networks using far richer payments data that should result in higher levels of straight-through processing as well as more efficient compliance processes.
How does ISO 20022 benefit you
Increased transparency and automation
Richer data
Lower operating costs
Improved customer service
Aquila Native ISO 20022 Messaging
The Aquila Messaging Hub supports ISO 20022 as well as other standards such as Swift ISO 15022 (FIN), electronic banking, local clearing internal systems and bespoke. Most financial institutions will rely on supporting both these Swift standards for some years and our solution can consume or produce either format based on business requirements.
ISO 20022
ISO 20022 is a global standard for messaging and its adoption is being fueled by the following projects:
CBPR+
Fedwire
TARGET2
CHIPS
CHAPS
CHATS
Lynx
Euro1
BRPS
MEPS+
HVPS+
SEPA
November 2025 and Beyond
Many banks have relied on a translation tools to comply with the November 2025 deadline and are now exploring full adoption.
Native message processing isn’t just a future-proofing strategy it’s essential for unlocking the full benefits of richer data, improved automation, and real-time payment innovation.
Aqua Global’s Translation Tool solution assisted many banks to comply with the deadline and therefore we have a specialist understanding of what is required to enable full adoption. Our expertise and 100% in house support and project team will help your bank to seamlessly upgrade from translation tool to full native adoption.
Why Aqua
Proven technology aligned with Swift's migration roadmap
Rapid deployment for tight timelines
Long-term scalability for native ISO 20022 messaging
Full support and expert advisory throughout your transition
Client Testimonials
We are customer-driven and are proud of the outstanding levels of support that we provide. Our solutions are intuitive and empower people to perform their work more efficiently. Read real client comments below.
“Since integrating Aquila Message Management and Aquila Payments, we have seen remarkable improvements in payment automation, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation. The platform’s seamless multi-channel messaging capabilities have significantly reduced manual intervention, strengthened internal controls, and enhanced real-time transaction processing.”
Inayat Kashif
CEO, iFast Global Bank
“‘The implementation of Aqua Global’s Aquila Reconciliation Solution has provided us with the tools to centralize and automate our reconciliation processes across eight entities, resulting in significant reductions in IT overhead while ensuring compliance with the latest ISO 20022 standards. The streamlined platform has improved efficiency, reduced complexity, and enhanced accuracy through AI-driven automation.”
Bruno Pereira Carneiro
Deputy Head of IT - Europe, Banco do Brasil
“Partnering enables us to provide enhanced digital banking automation to financial institutions. The integration between dotConnect and Aquila provides financial institutions with the ability to automate the accounting and settlement of payments initiated within our application, strengthening the digital banking experience for their customers.”
Mohamed Gamil
CEO & Co-founder, dotConnect
Get in touch
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Frequently Asked Questions related ISO 20022
What is ISO 20022?
ISO 20022 is a global financial messaging standard that uses structured XML-based formats to exchange richer and more consistent payment and securities data between financial institutions. It replaces legacy MT message formats with MX messages, enabling improved interoperability, transparency, and automation across domestic and cross-border payment systems.
Why are banks migrating to ISO 20022?
Banks are migrating to ISO 20022 to meet regulatory mandates, align with SWIFT cross-border payment requirements, and improve data quality across transaction processing. The standard enables richer remittance information, better compliance screening, enhanced analytics, and higher straight-through processing rates.
What are the biggest ISO 20022 migration risks?
The main risks include incorrect MT-to-MX data mapping, incomplete field validation, legacy system incompatibility, insufficient testing, and operational disruption during coexistence periods. Poor governance during migration can result in payment rejections, compliance failures, and increased manual intervention.
Do we need to replace core systems to adopt ISO 20022?
No. Many banks adopt ISO 20022 through a transformation or orchestration layer that converts and validates messages between legacy systems and ISO 20022 formats. This allows phased migration without replacing core banking platforms.
What is MT-to-MX transformation?
MT-to-MX transformation is the process of converting legacy SWIFT MT messages into ISO 20022 MX message formats. This involves mapping structured and unstructured fields into richer data elements while ensuring compliance with ISO schema validation rules.
How does ISO 20022 improve straight-through processing (STP)?
ISO 20022 improves STP by providing structured and standardised data fields that reduce ambiguity and manual interpretation. Enhanced validation rules and richer payment data decrease exception rates and improve automated processing accuracy.
What causes ISO 20022 message rejections?
Common causes include invalid or missing mandatory data fields, incorrect schema formatting, improper field mapping from MT messages, non-compliant character sets, and failure to meet network validation rules set by SWIFT or clearing systems.
How do you run dual processing (MT + MX) safely?
Dual processing can be managed safely through a centralised messaging hub or transformation layer that supports both MT and MX formats. Proper version control, reconciliation monitoring, validation testing, and parallel processing safeguards are critical during coexistence periods.
How does a messaging hub support ISO 20022 migration?
A messaging hub supports migration by centralising message validation, transformation, routing, and monitoring. It enables banks to manage MT and MX messages simultaneously, apply consistent business rules, and maintain full audit traceability during transition.
What’s the difference between translation and native processing?
Translation converts legacy MT messages into ISO 20022 MX formats without fully leveraging enriched data capabilities. Native processing, however, treats ISO 20022 as the primary data model, enabling full use of structured fields, enhanced compliance screening, and improved automation performance.