välittäjäpankit

Välittäjäpankit, often translated as intermediary banks or correspondent banks, play a crucial role in international financial transactions. These banks act as agents or facilitators on behalf of other financial institutions, primarily when direct relationships between the originating and receiving banks do not exist. Their main function is to process cross-border payments, ensuring that funds can be transferred efficiently and securely between different countries and currencies.

When a customer of bank A in one country wants to send money to a customer of bank B in another country, and bank A and bank B do not have a direct correspondent banking relationship, they will often rely on an intermediary bank. Bank A will send the funds to its intermediary bank, which then forwards the funds to bank B's intermediary bank, or directly to bank B if a relationship exists between them. This network of intermediary banks creates a global payment system.

These services are essential for international trade, remittances, and other forms of global financial activity. Intermediary banks typically charge fees for their services, which are passed on to the end customer or absorbed by the originating bank. The relationship between banks and their intermediaries is governed by agreements that outline responsibilities, fees, and compliance procedures, including anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) regulations.