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Last updated: 25 February 2026
Nordea will update the postal address requirements in SEPA (Credit Transfers and Direct Debits) and cross-border payments in 2026. From 15 November 2026, use of the unstructured postal address will no longer be accepted for SEPA and cross-border payments, and payments must instead be sent using either structured or hybrid address formats. SEPA and cross-border payments adhere to the use of address fields in ISO20022 payment messages.
The background for this change is in the SWIFT Standards Release 2026 and payment schemes 2025 rulebooks, such as those from the European Payment Council (EPC) & Nordic Payments Council (NPC). The move towards structured address format improves payments data quality. This further enriches fraud monitoring capabilities while reducing manual intervention and payment rejections/delays.
Two address formats are allowed in payments from 15 November 2026:
- Structured Address
- 'Town Name' and 'Country' are mandatory
- Up to 14 structured address data fields may be used. (Please refer to the FAQs below for the full list.) It is recommended to provide as many structured elements as possible.
- The unstructured field 'Address Line' is not allowed
- Hybrid Address
- 'Town Name' and 'Country' are mandatory
- It is recommended to include as many address details as possible
- At least one line of unstructured ‘Address Line’ is mandatory
- A maximum of two lines of unstructured address lines are allowed
- Structured address information provided in the respective structured elements must not be repeated in the ‘Address Line’ elements
It is not mandatory to include the beneficiary’s address in SEPA payments (euro payments sent within the EEA and non-EEA). However, if an address is included for SEPA payments, it must either be in structured or hybrid address format, as payments will otherwise be rejected.
It is mandatory to include the beneficiary address in cross-border (international) payments using either the structured or hybrid format. If the beneficiary’s bank or other addresses are used, they must also be in structured or hybrid format.
Where necessary, Nordea will update the outbound payments with the originator’s hybrid or structured address, to ensure seamless payment processing.
To ensure payment processing without disruptions, we advise you to start planning for the change now:
- Review and assess your existing payment initiation systems and data formats
- Prepare to support the hybrid/structured postal address formats by November 2026
- Ensure postal addresses for relevant parties (where needed) are either in the fully structured or hybrid format, including structured ‘Town Name’ and ‘Country Code’
- Begin collecting town and country information from payees if not already available
- Will payments with unstructured addresses be rejected from 15 November 2026?
- Yes, payments with unstructured address will be rejected from 15 November 2026. The only allowed address formats are structured or hybrid. Address details are not mandatory for SEPA payments within the EEA, but if an address is used, it will have to be in hybrid or structured format.
- Which address format is recommended by Nordea after 15 November?
- In line with the recommendation from EPC, Nordea recommends using fully structured addresses in payments. However, payments with hybrid addresses will still be processed normally.
- What other structured fields are available for use in file payments apart from ‘Town Name’ and ‘Country’?
- Structured postal address definition in ISO 20022 offers the following attributes:
- Country, Town Name, Post Code, Street Name, Building Number, Building Name, Post Box, Country Subdivision, Department, Sub Department, Floor, Room, Town Location Name, District Name
- Some of the listed address attributes are only available in ISO 20022 version 2019 (v9) messages
- Besides the structured elements, ISO 20022 also provides an unstructured field ‘Address Line’ which can be used with the hybrid address.
- Structured postal address definition in ISO 20022 offers the following attributes:
- Can both structured and hybrid address be used in parallel?
- Yes, you are not restricted to using one address structure in a payment file. You can mix both structured and hybrid. Notice that payments with unstructured addresses in cross-border and SEPA payments will be rejected from 15 November 2026.
- Are the address format changes only applicable to beneficiary addresses?
- Address format changes are appliable to both originator/payer and beneficiary/payee addresses for SEPA and cross-border payments. However, it is not mandatory to provide either originator/payer and/or beneficiary/payee addresses for SEPA payments within the EEA.
- If ultimate debtor or ultimate creditor addresses are used in cross-border payments, the addresses must be in hybrid/structured format. Also, beneficiary bank addresses must be in hybrid/structured format if used.
- Will the address changes be applicable to payments initiated in online digital channels?
- Yes. Structured/hybrid address capabilities will be introduced in online digital channels for cross-border payments during Q4 2026.
Regardless of the file channel, all payment message versions will be updated to allow payment processing according to the new structured and hybrid address requirements entering into force on 15 November 2026. Customer and ERP vendors should plan to update their systems according to these address requirements.
- Corporate Access (CA): In November 2025, Corporate Access Payables was updated to support ISO20022 version 2019 aka v9 (pain.001 and pain.002). CA will continue to support ISO 20022 version 2009 (v3) payment and reporting standards. As the future-proof file transfer solution, the remaining Corporate Access file types for payments and reporting will be continuously updated to the new ISO version during 2026 and 2027.
- Corporate Payment Service (CPS): The Finnish payment service CPS will continue to support payment standards in ISO 20022 version 2006 (v2) and ISO 20022 version 2009 (v3). In addition, CPS will also start to support ISO20022 version 2019 (v9) pain.001 message standards from November 2026, which means that customers can start to send pain.001 files in the latest version 2019 standards.
- Corporate eGateway: We will continue to support payment and reporting standards in ISO 20022 version 2009 (v3). Corporate eGateway will not be upgraded to ISO20022 version 2019 (v9).
- Starting Q2 2026, ISO 20022 version 2019 (v9) will be introduced for SEPA Direct Debit flows. Precise timelines will be communicated later to impacted customers.
- The migration will be staggered:
- Until Q2 2026: The current ISO 20022 version 2009 (v3) will be used
- From Q2 to November 2026: Both ISO 20022 version 2009 (v3) and ISO 20022 version 2019 (v9) will be supported
- From 15 November 2026: Only ISO 20022 version 2019 (v9) will be supported for SEPA Direct Debits. From this date, the unstructured address format can no longer be used.
- Until when will Nordea continue to accept the old versions ISO 20022 version 2006 (v2) and 2009 (v3) of pain.001 and pain.008 in different channels?
- While we are upgrading to the latest ISO standards, for credit transfers, Nordea will continue to accept the existing older versions in different channels. A detailed schedule for discontinuation of the older versions will be communicated at a later time.
- Nordea will stop accepting ISO 20022 version 2009 (v3) in November 2026 for SEPA Direct Debits.
- I am satisfied with the current ISO version 2009 (pain.001.001.003) or older versions 2006 (pain.001.001.002). Why should I upgrade to ISO version 2019 (pain.001.001.009)?
- There are many benefits to upgrading to the new version 2019. ISO (International Organization for Standardization) continuously publishes improved versions of the file standard to allow for richer data that improves payment and reconciliation processes and enables improved anti-fraud capabilities. The European Payment Council (EPC) and other regulatory bodies enforce these changes across the financial sector, to establish one common global standard. In addition, the new optional data elements will not be implemented in the old ISO versions.
- When will the updated message implementation guidelines and/or service descriptions be available for all the message versions in use, regardless of the channel?
- The Message Implementation Guidelines and/or service descriptions (including the address related validations) will be updated for all the versions during Q1 2026 or early Q2 2026.
What is changing – and why
From local file formats to a harmonised ISO 20022 standard. Sweden’s payment infrastructure is being modernised with several key changes:
- Legacy Bankgiro formats will be discontinued
- All file traffic will be routed through banks – not Bankgirot
- ISO 20022 XML becomes the only standard for payment and reporting files (excluding Debit Direct SE)
- Alignment with Nordic Payment Council (NPC) frameworks and major European infrastructures (SEPA, T2, SWIFT CBPR+)
From April to November, all Swedish banks will migrate to a new standardised infrastructure based on ISO 20022 and the NPC credit transfer rulebook. The migration will take place in stages, beginning with account‑to‑account transfers in April 2026.
This change delivers
- Consistent and data-rich payment information across markets
- Higher levels of straight-through processing (STP) and reduced manual work
- Better end-to-end visibility, supporting real-time liquidity decisions
- Improved compliance and risk management through structured remittance and address data
The message from European financial institutions, including SWIFT, the ECB, and major European banks such as HSBC, BNP Paribas and Lloyds, is clear: ISO 20022 is now the foundation of modern payments and the platform for future innovation, including instant payments and enhanced cross-border services.
Read more about Sweden’s payment infrastructure transformation.
The financial landscape in Europe is undergoing a significant transformation with the introduction of the Instant Payments Regulation (IPR). By 9 October 2025, both businesses and consumers across the euro countries within the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) will have access to instant payments in euros, 24/7, 365 days a year.
Since the introduction of SEPA payments, euro transfers have been processed based on IBAN only. Starting in October, the payee name will also need to be verified. These fundamental changes to the euro payments system promise to reshape how we conduct transactions, offering not only unprecedented speed and efficiency but also increased security.
Understanding the changes
The new regulation ensures that funds transferred through SEPA Instant Credit Transfers will be available in the recipient’s bank account within 10 seconds after the transaction is processed. This is a significant improvement over traditional SEPA Credit Transfers, which can take considerably longer.
This enables Nordea’s corporate clients to send and receive euro instant payments from all banks in the SEPA area. The current limit of EUR 100,000 for SEPA Instant Credit Transfers outside Finland will be removed in October 2025, opening up possibilities for larger transactions.
Liisa Kanniainen, payments industry leader at Nordea, says: “The Instant Payments Regulation is transforming the European payments market. Corporates will likely see significant efficiency gains by adopting automated, real-time treasury processes.”
