By: Money Navigator Research Team
Last Reviewed: 04/02/2026
FACT CHECKED
Quick Summary
Tide’s “EUR SEPA” is built for euro transfers to and from SEPA-participating accounts using IBAN-based beneficiary details. It tends to work smoothly when the payment is in EUR, the IBAN is valid, and the recipient bank can accept SEPA credit transfers; most problems trace back to incorrect beneficiary details, cut-off timing, or bank/compliance checks.
Tide publishes practical timing expectations (including a same-day cut-off) and explains how EUR SEPA is initiated in-app and on web: see How long do SEPA payments take? and How do I send euro payments via EUR SEPA?.
This article is educational and not financial advice.
What “EUR SEPA” means in Tide
SEPA is the framework for standardised euro payments across participating countries and territories. In practice, most business users mean SEPA Credit Transfer (a “bank transfer” in EUR), where payments use an IBAN to route funds.
The European Payments Council describes SEPA Credit Transfer as a scheme for moving EUR between payment accounts under common rules across SEPA. (See SEPA Credit Transfer.)
An IBAN is the internationally standardised account identifier used for many cross-border and domestic payments in SEPA countries. SWIFT publishes the ISO 13616 IBAN registry and describes how IBAN formats are defined and maintained. (See IBAN standard and registry.)
What it is not
“EUR SEPA” is not a catch-all label for every “international transfer”. It is not the same thing as sending USD via ACH or sending non-EUR currencies via SWIFT.
If the payment needs to be sent in a currency other than EUR, or to a destination outside SEPA participation, it often falls outside SEPA’s scope and may require a different rail (covered in our broader rail comparison guide: international transfers: SWIFT vs SEPA vs ACH).
When SEPA works well in Tide
SEPA tends to “just work” when the payment matches the scheme’s basic constraints and both banks/PSPs handle SEPA consistently.
Scenario 1: Receiving EUR into Tide
Receiving works best when the payer uses your EUR SEPA details (IBAN/BIC where requested) and sends EUR as a SEPA credit transfer (not as a card payment, not as a non-EUR transfer).
Tide’s help materials describe requesting EUR SEPA details inside the app and then sharing them with payers. (See How do I send euro payments via EUR SEPA?.)
Scenario 2: Sending EUR from Tide to a SEPA beneficiary
Sending works best when the beneficiary’s details are complete and correctly formatted (name, IBAN, and any additional fields requested), and when the payment is created with enough time before published processing cut-offs.
Tide also highlights that the in-flow and out-flow experience includes FX display and fees at confirmation for EUR SEPA. (See Are there any fees to send or receive euro payments via EUR SEPA?.)
Scenario 3: Payments that look like SEPA, but fail anyway
Some failures are “scheme-level” (invalid beneficiary details), while others are “bank-level” (recipient bank rejects, accounts closed, internal bank rules, or additional checks). If the payment is flagged for review, the practical impact is operational rather than technical (timelines and certainty change).
For how “held for review” scenarios typically affect cross-border payments, see international payments held for review.
Typical timings in practice: submission, cut-offs, and settlement
There are usually three clocks running at once:
When the payment is submitted and approved (your side).
When it is processed (provider cut-offs and internal controls).
When the recipient bank posts it (beneficiary-side processing).
Tide publishes concrete expectations that combine these stages. In summary (based on Tide’s published guidance): incoming EUR SEPA payments often arrive quickly but can take up to 3 business days; outgoing payments may arrive same day if created before a stated cut-off on a working day, otherwise next working day, with delays possible due to checks or the recipient bank. (See How long do SEPA payments take?.)
“If you’re receiving a payment sent to you via EUR SEPA, it will usually take a few minutes to arrive in your account. However, sometimes this may take up to 3 business days.
If you send a payment via EUR SEPA by 1:50pm GMT on a working day, it’ll arrive in the recipient’s account on the same day. Delays are possible sometimes due to regulatory checks or your recipient’s bank.”
Why “same day” can still vary
“Same day” usually means “same working day, subject to cut-off and recipient processing”, not “instant”. Even when the sending side completes quickly, the beneficiary bank may post at intervals (batch posting), apply internal filters, or require additional information before releasing funds.
Summary Table
| Scenario | Outcome | Practical impact |
|---|---|---|
| Sent in EUR before the published cut-off on a working day | Often reaches the beneficiary the same working day | Lower risk of missing supplier deadlines; still not guaranteed if checks occur |
| Sent after cut-off or on a non-working day | Typically processed for the next working day | “Due today” invoices may miss same-day posting |
| Receiving EUR into Tide from a SEPA payer | Often arrives quickly, but can take longer in edge cases | Cashflow timing can vary; reconciliations may need a wider window |
| IBAN invalid or incomplete beneficiary fields | Payment is rejected or fails early | No successful delivery; time spent tracing and re-sending |
| Recipient bank rejects (closed account / restrictions / local rules) | Payment may return to sender | Delayed cashflow; reconciliation effort increases |
| Payment triggers review or extra checks | Processing time becomes uncertain | Operational planning needs contingencies (payroll, tax, suppliers) |
Common SEPA errors and what they usually mean
Most SEPA problems map to where the payment fails. That “failure point” matters because it influences whether the payment is simply rejected, needs to be returned, or can be recalled.
1) IBAN issues (format, check digits, or wrong country)
An IBAN can be syntactically valid but still wrong for the intended beneficiary (wrong account, wrong bank, wrong country). Because IBAN is the routing key, a single character error commonly causes rejects or misdirection.
SWIFT’s IBAN materials are the primary reference for IBAN formats and registry maintenance. (See IBAN standard and registry.)
2) Currency and rail mismatch
SEPA credit transfers are euro payments. Problems occur when the payer’s bank tries to send the transfer as a non-EUR payment, routes it over a different rail, or requires extra intermediary handling.
This is a common reason a payer sees unexpected prompts or outcomes when trying to “send EUR” but selecting the wrong option in their bank portal.
3) Missing or inconsistent beneficiary details
Some banks require additional beneficiary information (such as address fields or specific formatting). When these are missing or fail validation, the payment can be rejected before it meaningfully moves through clearing, or it can be returned by the beneficiary bank.
4) Recipient-side restrictions or account status
Even with perfect details, the beneficiary bank can reject or return the transfer if the account is closed, restricted, unable to accept SEPA credits, or subject to internal limits. From the sender’s perspective, this is often indistinguishable from “a technical error” until the return/reject message comes back.
5) Reviews and regulatory checks
Cross-border payments can be delayed or queried due to screening and other checks. Tide’s published timing guidance explicitly notes delays can happen due to checks or the recipient bank.
(See How long do SEPA payments take?.) For a deeper operational view of review holds, see our guide on international payments held for review.
Scenario Table
| Scenario-level | Process-level (where it breaks) | Outcome-level (what typically happens next) |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong IBAN entered | Validation / pre-processing | Reject before completion, or rapid failure; funds typically do not settle successfully |
| Payment created after cut-off | Provider processing queue | Execution shifts to the next working day window; beneficiary posting may also batch |
| Beneficiary bank rejects | Beneficiary bank acceptance stage | Return after attempted delivery; reconciliation requires mapping return references |
| Missing required fields (e.g., address format) | Scheme message validation / bank rules | Reject or return depending on when detected; may need re-initiation with corrected fields |
| Payment flagged for checks | Internal control / screening stage | Delay or request for further information; timelines become uncertain |
| Confusion between SEPA and non-SEPA rails | Rail selection / currency handling | Payment may be routed differently than expected; fees, timings, and traceability can change |
Tide Business Bank Account
Tide accounts can be used for day-to-day UK banking and (where enabled) EUR SEPA activity for euro transfers, with plan-based pricing structures and published guidance on EUR SEPA setup, fees, and timings.
For a broader, neutral overview of Tide as a business account (features, pricing considerations, and operational notes), see our main Tide page: Tide business bank account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tide publishes “EUR SEPA” guidance for sending and receiving euro payments, including how to request EUR SEPA details and how to initiate transfers. The operational concept is that euro transfers use SEPA credit transfer mechanics with IBAN-based beneficiary routing. (See How do I send euro payments via EUR SEPA?.)
Support is not the same thing as universal deliverability in every edge case. Even when a provider supports SEPA, the recipient bank’s own acceptance rules (account status, local validation rules, and internal controls) still determine whether a specific payment is accepted, rejected, or returned.
For EUR SEPA payments, the key identifier is the IBAN. Some payer banks also ask for a BIC and beneficiary address fields, depending on their own form requirements and validation rules. Tide’s guidance describes obtaining and sharing EUR SEPA details from within the app once enabled. (See How do I send euro payments via EUR SEPA?.)
It helps to separate “scheme identifiers” from “bank form fields”. The scheme fundamentally routes via IBAN, but banks often require additional fields to reduce downstream exceptions, meet internal policy requirements, or satisfy screening processes.
SEPA participation is defined by scheme membership and jurisdictional scope, not simply “being in Europe”. A bank account can be in Europe but outside SEPA participation, and some non-EU territories are within SEPA scope. The European Payments Council maintains the jurisdictional list for SEPA schemes. (See SEPA Credit Transfer.)
Even inside SEPA scope, delivery still depends on correct beneficiary details and recipient bank acceptance. A valid-looking IBAN is necessary but not sufficient if the beneficiary account is closed, restricted, or the receiving bank applies additional rules that block the credit.
No. SEPA Credit Transfer is a “push” payment (the payer sends funds), while SEPA Direct Debit is a “pull” mechanism (the payee collects under a mandate). Tide’s “EUR SEPA” materials are oriented around euro payments initiated as transfers and received as transfers, which aligns to SEPA credit transfers in day-to-day usage. (See SEPA Credit Transfer.)
This distinction matters operationally because the failure modes differ. Direct debits have mandate and refund mechanics, while credit transfers use exception handling such as rejects, returns, and recalls depending on when an issue is detected.
Tide states that incoming EUR SEPA payments often arrive within minutes, while also noting they can take longer (up to multiple business days) in some cases. (See How long do SEPA payments take?.)
The important nuance is that “arrival” has multiple definitions: when the sending bank releases the payment, when it is settled/cleared, and when it is posted and made available by the receiving side. Delays can appear at any of these steps, and the visible status in each bank’s app may not align perfectly in real time.
Tide publishes a working-day cut-off concept for same-day arrival, with later submissions typically arriving on the next working day, and with potential delays where checks occur or the recipient bank processes more slowly. (See How long do SEPA payments take?.)
In practice, recipient posting time can still be the limiting factor. Some banks post credits immediately, while others post at intervals or apply additional validation checks, especially for first-time beneficiaries or higher-risk patterns.
Wrong details commonly lead to a reject or a return, depending on when the issue is detected. If the payment fails before settlement/clearing completes, it may be rejected early. If it fails after settlement/clearing, it may be returned. This “where it breaks” distinction is part of standard SEPA exception handling.
Even when an IBAN is syntactically valid, it can still be the wrong account. SWIFT’s IBAN materials explain that the registry describes valid national formats; format validity does not confirm the beneficiary identity or account status. (See IBAN standard and registry.)
SEPA credit transfers have established exception handling processes, including recalls, but success depends on timing and the receiving side’s status (for example, whether the beneficiary has already been credited and whether the beneficiary bank can act on the request). As a result, “recall requested” and “recall completed” are not the same operational outcome.
Where a payment sits in the chain matters more than intent. If the payment has already been credited and withdrawn or otherwise irreversibly applied, the practical route becomes dispute handling and beneficiary-side cooperation rather than a guaranteed scheme reversal.
Delays can occur due to screening or other controls and due to the recipient bank’s processing. Tide’s published timing guidance explicitly acknowledges that delays can occur due to regulatory checks or the recipient bank. (See How long do SEPA payments take?.)
From an operations perspective, checks can also create “lumpy” timelines: a payment may appear to move quickly most of the time, then occasionally pause for longer. That is one reason many businesses treat cross-border payment timelines as probabilistic rather than fixed.
Tide states that EUR SEPA fees depend on the plan’s included payments and that an FX markup applies, with different markup levels indicated for different plan tiers. (See Are there any fees to send or receive euro payments via EUR SEPA?.)
The operational implication is that “EUR in / EUR out” can still involve conversion effects depending on how the account balance is held and how the provider credits and debits.
Fee visibility is usually clearest at confirmation (sending) and in transaction details (receiving), but the exact presentation can vary by product design and updates.
SEPA “works” when three layers line up: scheme constraints (EUR-only transfer type), data integrity (IBAN and required beneficiary fields), and institution behaviour (how each bank/PSP validates, screens, posts, and handles exceptions). Most frustration comes from treating SEPA as a single step (“send > receive”), when it is really a chain of validations and hand-offs.
The practical takeaway is not that SEPA is unreliable, but that the same visible symptom (“payment missing”) can mean different underlying states (rejected early, in-flight, posted but pending availability, returned, or delayed for checks). Understanding those states is what turns troubleshooting from guesswork into process.
Sources & References
How do I send euro payments via EUR SEPA? (Tide Help Centre)
Are there any fees to send or receive euro payments via EUR SEPA? (Tide Help Centre)
SEPA Credit Transfer scheme overview (European Payments Council)
Guidance on reason codes for SEPA Credit Transfer R-transactions (European Payments Council)
EPC List of SEPA Scheme Countries (European Payments Council)
International Bank Account Number standard and IBAN Registry (SWIFT)
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