DBS’ corporate customers will be the first in India to be offered real-time status of their cross-border[1] payments at their fingerprints. DBS clients in Singapore and Hong Kong were the first in Asia to be able to tap into this digital solution. Powered by SWIFT Global Payments Innovation (gpi), this solution will enable DBS’ India clients to experience the same transparency and speed for their transactions.
Roshan Mathew, Head of Global Transaction Services at DBS Bank India said, “As with revolutionary products like UPI that transformed domestic payments, corporate treasurers have been eager to see innovation in cross-border payments and want efficiency and speed across all their payments. The DBS SWIFT gpi solution gives them online visibility to track payments across 62 gpi banks across the globe and this is set to increase as more banks come on board.”
The SWIFT gpi launch is a significant step towards leveraging innovations into existing robust cross-border payments infrastructure provided by SWIFT. A SWIFT survey[2] found that 54% of treasurers said that they want real-time payments tracking, while 42% are looking for instant payments.
With the new DBS SWIFT gpi solution, customers can now track[3] the status of their cross-border[4] payments instantly online without the need to call the DBS corporate call centre. By logging into DBS IDEAL, the bank’s corporate online banking platform, clients will be able to find out whether the full amount of funds has been received by the beneficiary, the foreign exchange rate applied, and where the funds are in the cross-border payment chain. In addition, customers can expect a faster turnaround time for their cross-border payments as banks using SWIFT gpi are governed by service-level agreements and are required to process transactions within four hours.
Raj Bafna, Sr. GM Finance, Alkem Laboratories Ltd[5] said that the solution has benefited their payments processes. “The platform has enabled us to track payments in real time and brought clarity in the payment process,” said Bafna.
“By bringing real-time cross-border tracking through SWIFT gpi to India, DBS is setting a new standard in the way treasury functions are managed. Traditionally, transactions are routed through multiple banks before reaching the beneficiary, making complete trackability of payment challenging, and leading to inefficiencies and increased operational costs. These gaps are being addressed by SWIFT gpi through its real-time, end-to-end status updates, and the information it offers on the foreign exchange rate and the amount that will be credited to the beneficiary. I am confident that this will up the ante for corporates and SMEs in India and offer them tremendous value-add when it comes to supporting their supply chain, trade and cash management functions,” said Michael Moon, Head of Payments Markets, Markets & Initiatives, Asia Pacific, SWIFT.
“DBS has been pioneering banking with innovative products and challenging every way banking has operated traditionally. The unique online tracking solution is a testament to that commitment,” Mathew added.
[1], [4] Cross-border payments, which are not related to trade import payments (A2) are enabled for this feature.
[2] The future of payments: a corporate treasury perspective survey by SWIFT and EuroFinance gauged the views of 300 treasury professionals from corporations worldwide, ranging from SMEs to global corporations in 18 different industries in October 2017.
[3] The tracking on SWIFT gpi is based on a Unique End-to-End Transaction Reference number (UETR) assigned by the originating bank. This UETR enables real-time tracking of the status of the cross-border payment.
[5] Alkem Laboratories Ltd. is one of India’s leading Generic and Speciality Pharmaceutical Company.
About DBS
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia, with over 280 branches across 18 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS has a growing presence in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank’s “AA-” and “Aa1” credit ratings are among the highest in the world.
DBS is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, and has been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney. The bank has also been recognised for its leadership in the region, having been named “Asia’s Best Bank” by several publications including The Banker, Global Finance, IFR Asia and Euromoney since 2012. In addition, the bank has been named “Safest Bank in Asia” by Global Finance for nine consecutive years from 2009 to 2017.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment, and can-do spirit in all of our 26,000 staff, representing over 40 nationalities.
For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.
