Tracking an inbound payment

Exactly which reference number to ask your sender for on each payment rail, typical return timelines when details are wrong, and what to include in a support ticket.

First: confirm the basics with your sender

Has the payment actually been sent (not just scheduled)?
Do the account details they used exactly match your Echlon deposit details — account number, name, and any reference/memo required?
Was it sent within the rail's operating hours? Instant rails such as PIX operate 24/7, but ACH, wires, SWIFT, standard SEPA, and other bank rails only process on banking days and may be delayed if sent after cutoff times, on weekends, or on public holidays.

What to ask the sender for, per rail

Rail	Reference to request	Where the sender finds it
US ACH	ACH trace number (15 digits)	From their bank, after the ACH is submitted.
US Fed wire	IMAD (Input Message Accountability Data)	On the wire confirmation from their bank.
US RTP	RTP transaction/payment ID	From their bank; RTP settles in seconds, so a missing RTP payment usually means wrong details.
SWIFT (international wire)	MT103 copy and/or UETR (a 36-character GPI reference)	The MT103 is the wire's official record; any sending bank can provide it. The UETR enables end-to-end GPI tracking.
SEPA (EUR)	SEPA end-to-end ID / transaction reference	On the sender's payment confirmation.
PIX (Brazil)	End-to-end ID (E2E) — starts with "E"	On the PIX receipt (comprovante) in the sender's banking app.
SPEI (Mexico)	Clave de rastreo	On the SPEI receipt (CEP) — verifiable on Banxico's CEP site.
Colombia ACH	Transaction reference / approval number	On the sender's transfer confirmation.
Argentina (CBU/CVU)	Transfer reference / ID de transacción	On the sender's transfer receipt.

Why this happens

The most common causes of a "missing" inbound payment, in order:

It hasn't settled yet. ACH and SWIFT can take multiple business days; intermediary banks add time on SWIFT.
Wrong or mismatched details. A name or account mismatch sends the payment into manual repair or an automatic return.
Missing reference/memo. Some deposit methods require a reference to route the funds to your account.
Compliance review on the sending or receiving side. See Why is my payment under review?

Banking days, weekends, and cutoff times

Not all payment rails operate around the clock. Before investigating a missing inbound payment, it's important to understand whether the payment was sent through an instant rail or a banking-day rail.

Instant rails

The following rails typically settle within seconds and operate 24/7, including weekends and public holidays:

PIX (Brazil)
SPEI (Mexico)
RTP (United States)

If a payment sent through one of these rails hasn't arrived, the most common causes are incorrect payment details, a compliance review, or an issue at the sending institution.

Banking-day rails

The following rails only process on banking days and may be subject to daily cutoff times:

ACH (United States)
Fed wires (United States)
SWIFT international wires
Standard SEPA transfers
Colombian ACH
Other local bank-transfer networks

Payments sent after the sending bank's cutoff time, on weekends, or on public holidays generally begin processing on the next banking day.

Cross-border payments

For international payments, more than one banking calendar may apply. For example, a USD-to-BRL payment may depend on both US and Brazilian banking schedules. A public holiday in either country can add an additional processing day.

Typical return timelines when details are wrong

ACH: returns for invalid account details typically come back within a few business days of the settlement attempt.
Wires/SWIFT: there's no automatic return — the sender must request a recall through their bank, which can take one to several weeks depending on intermediaries.
PIX / SPEI / RTP: instant rails generally reject invalid details immediately, so funds usually never leave the sender, or bounce back the same day.
SEPA: rejected payments typically return within a few business days; recalls of completed payments take longer and need the sender's bank.

Important: returned funds go back to the sender, not to your Echlon account. The sender should watch their own account for the return, correct the details, and resend.

When to open a ticket — and what to include

Open a ticket if the payment has exceeded the rail's normal settlement time and the sender confirms it was sent with correct details. Include:

The rail used (ACH, wire, PIX, SPEI, SEPA, SWIFT…)
The trace reference from the table above (this is essential)
Amount and currency
Date and time sent
Sender's name and bank

Without the trace reference, neither Echlon nor the partner banks can locate a payment among millions — getting it from the sender first saves days.

Common questions

The sender's bank says the money "left their account." Doesn't that mean it arrived?

No — it means the first leg completed. On SWIFT especially, funds pass through intermediary banks; the MT103/UETR shows where it currently sits.

Can Echlon call the sender's bank?

No. Banks only discuss a payment with their own customer. The sender must request traces or recalls from their bank; we trace from the receiving side with the reference number.

The sender says they sent the payment on Friday. Why hasn't it arrived?

If the payment was sent through ACH, wire, SWIFT, standard SEPA, or another banking-day rail, processing may not begin until the next banking day. Weekends, bank holidays, and cutoff times can add one or more business days to the timeline.

Still need help?

If this article didn't resolve your issue, see our support channels, message us on WhatsApp at +1 (787) 468-5842, or open a support ticket — we typically respond within 24 hours.