Travel rule
Also called funds travel rule, crypto travel rule.
A rule that requires details of the sender and the recipient to travel with certain transfers of money or crypto-assets between financial institutions.
Last updated
What it is.
In the US, 31 CFR 1010.410(f) requires a transmittor's financial institution to include information such as the sender's name, account number, address, the amount and the recipient's details in transmittal orders of $3,000 or more, and to pass it along the chain.
In the EU, Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 requires crypto-asset service providers to send information on the originator and beneficiary with transfers of crypto-assets, including names and wallet or account details. It has applied since 30 December 2024.
Why it matters
For crypto exchanges, wallets and money transmitters, the travel rule means exchanging data with other institutions before or alongside each transfer, checking what arrives, and handling transfers where the information is missing. That is a real integration project, not a policy line.
In a product build
In a crypto wallet or payments build, the travel rule adds data fields to transfers, a message exchange with other providers and rules for what to do when details are missing.
Common mistakes.
- 01
Assuming it only applies to large transfers everywhere. Thresholds differ by country and asset type.
- 02
No process for incoming transfers that arrive without the required data.
- 03
Storing the shared personal data without the same protection as other customer data.
Read the official text.
Primary sources this definition is based on.
- 31 CFR 1010.410, Records for funds transfers (eCFR)checked 2026-10-25
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 on information accompanying transfers of funds and crypto-assetschecked 2026-10-25
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Related terms.
- AML (anti-money laundering)The laws, checks and controls that stop criminals from moving or hiding illegal money through financial services.
- Sanctions screeningChecking customers, counterparties and payments against government sanctions lists before letting money move.
- KYC (know your customer)The checks a regulated business runs to confirm a customer is who they say they are and to judge the risk they pose.
- Settlement (payments)The point when money for a payment actually moves into the receiver's account, after the payment was approved and cleared.
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