Understanding Sender & Receiver Relationships
When creating a beneficiary and initiating a transaction, it’s essential to accurately specify the relationship between the sender and the receiver. This information is required for compliance, regulatory reporting, and fraud prevention purposes.The relationship between the beneficiary and sender is mandatory for processing transactions. Providing accurate relationship information helps ensure smooth transaction processing and compliance with international financial regulations.
Relationship Categories
Relationships are categorized based on whether the sender and receiver are businesses or individuals:- B = Business entity
- I = Individual person
- B2I - Business to Individual
- B2B - Business to Business
- I2B - Individual to Business
- I2I - Individual to Individual
Business to Individual (B2I)
When a business is sending funds to an individual, use one of the following relationship types:| Relationship | Description |
|---|---|
EMPLOYEE | For payments to employees such as salaries, wages, bonuses, or reimbursements |
FREELANCER | For payments to independent contractors or freelance workers for services rendered |
GIG_WORKER | For payments to gig economy workers (e.g., delivery drivers, task-based workers) |
AFFILIATE | For payments to affiliate marketers or partners in your affiliate program |
CUSTOMER | For payments to customers such as refunds, rewards, or cashback |
FAMILY_MEMBER | When a business owner is sending funds to their family member |
FRIEND | When a business owner is sending funds to a friend |
SELF | When a business owner is transferring funds to their personal account |
OTHER | For any relationship not covered by the above categories |
B2I Use Cases
Payroll & Compensation
Payroll & Compensation
Use
EMPLOYEE for regular payroll, bonuses, commissions, or expense reimbursements to full-time or part-time employees.Contract Work
Contract Work
Use
FREELANCER for payments to independent contractors, consultants, or freelance professionals. Use GIG_WORKER for platform-based or task-specific workers.Customer Transactions
Customer Transactions
Use
CUSTOMER for refunds, loyalty rewards, cash-back payments, or settlement of customer disputes.Marketing & Partnerships
Marketing & Partnerships
Use
AFFILIATE for commission payments to affiliate partners, referral bonuses, or performance-based incentives.Business to Business (B2B)
When a business is sending funds to another business entity, use one of the following relationship types:| Relationship | Description |
|---|---|
SUPPLIER | For payments to suppliers for goods or raw materials |
VENDOR | For payments to vendors for products or inventory |
SERVICE_PROVIDER | For payments to service providers (e.g., SaaS, consulting, professional services) |
MERCHANT | For payments to merchants or retailers |
CONTRACTOR | For payments to business contractors or contracting firms |
CUSTOMER | For payments to business customers (e.g., refunds, rebates) |
SUBSIDIARY | For transfers to a subsidiary or controlled entity |
PARENT_COMPANY | For transfers to the parent company or holding company |
AFFILIATE_BUSINESS | For payments to affiliated businesses or sister companies |
BANK_ACCOUNT | For transfers to your own business bank account |
OTHER | For any business relationship not covered by the above categories |
B2B Use Cases
Supply Chain & Procurement
Supply Chain & Procurement
Use
SUPPLIER for raw materials, VENDOR for finished goods or inventory, and MERCHANT for retail purchases.Professional Services
Professional Services
Use
SERVICE_PROVIDER for payments to consultants, agencies, SaaS platforms, or any professional service organization.Corporate Structure
Corporate Structure
Use
SUBSIDIARY for transfers to owned entities, PARENT_COMPANY for transfers to your holding company, and AFFILIATE_BUSINESS for sister companies or partnerships.Internal Transfers
Internal Transfers
Use
BANK_ACCOUNT when moving funds between your own business accounts.Individual to Business (I2B)
When an individual is sending funds to a business entity, use one of the following relationship types:| Relationship | Description |
|---|---|
MERCHANT | For payments to merchants for purchases of goods or services |
SERVICE_PROVIDER | For payments to service providers (e.g., utilities, subscriptions, professional services) |
SUPPLIER | For payments to suppliers (typically for small business owners) |
VENDOR | For payments to vendors for products |
BROKER | For payments to brokers (e.g., insurance, real estate, investment) |
EXCHANGE | For payments to currency exchanges, crypto exchanges, or trading platforms |
WALLET | For payments to digital wallets or payment service providers |
BANK_ACCOUNT | For transfers to your own business bank account |
OTHER | For any relationship not covered by the above categories |
I2B Use Cases
Commerce & Purchases
Commerce & Purchases
Use
MERCHANT for online or retail purchases, SERVICE_PROVIDER for subscription services, utilities, or professional services.Financial Services
Financial Services
Use
BROKER for insurance premiums or investment services, EXCHANGE for currency or crypto trading, and WALLET for loading digital wallets.Small Business Operations
Small Business Operations
Individual business owners may use
SUPPLIER or VENDOR when purchasing inventory or supplies, or BANK_ACCOUNT when funding their business account.Individual to Individual (I2I)
When an individual is sending funds to another individual, use one of the following relationship types:| Relationship | Description |
|---|---|
FAMILY_MEMBER | For transfers to family members (e.g., spouse, children, parents, siblings) |
FRIEND | For transfers to friends or acquaintances |
SELF | For transfers between your own accounts |
OTHER | For any relationship not covered by the above categories |
I2I Use Cases
Family Support
Family Support
Use
FAMILY_MEMBER for remittances, allowances, gifts, or financial support to immediate or extended family members.Personal Transfers
Personal Transfers
Use
FRIEND for splitting bills, repaying loans, or sending gifts to friends. Use SELF for transfers between your own accounts.The OTHER Relationship Type
The OTHER relationship type serves as a catch-all for legitimate relationships that don’t fit into the predefined categories. However, using OTHER requires additional documentation.
Requirements When Using OTHER
When you specify OTHER as the relationship type, you must include the relationship_remarks field in your API request. This field should contain:
- Clear description - Explain the actual relationship in plain language
- Sufficient detail - Provide enough context for compliance review
- Legitimate purpose - Ensure the relationship and transaction purpose are lawful
Examples of Valid relationship_remarks
Quick Reference Table
Here’s a consolidated view of all relationship types across categories:| Category | Available Relationships |
|---|---|
| B2I (Business to Individual) | EMPLOYEE, FREELANCER, GIG_WORKER, AFFILIATE, CUSTOMER, FAMILY_MEMBER, FRIEND, SELF, OTHER |
| B2B (Business to Business) | SUPPLIER, VENDOR, SERVICE_PROVIDER, MERCHANT, CONTRACTOR, CUSTOMER, SUBSIDIARY, PARENT_COMPANY, AFFILIATE_BUSINESS, BANK_ACCOUNT, OTHER |
| I2B (Individual to Business) | MERCHANT, SERVICE_PROVIDER, SUPPLIER, VENDOR, BROKER, EXCHANGE, WALLET, BANK_ACCOUNT, OTHER |
| I2I (Individual to Individual) | FAMILY_MEMBER, FRIEND, SELF, OTHER |
Remember: All ENUM values must be provided in ALL CAPS as shown in the table above.
Need Help?
If you’re unsure which relationship type to use for your specific use case:- Review the descriptions and examples provided in this guide
- Choose the most accurate predefined relationship type whenever possible
- Use
OTHERonly when no predefined type accurately describes the relationship - When using
OTHER, provide detailed and honest information inrelationship_remarks - Contact our support team if you need clarification on specific scenarios