An ABA bank routing number is a nine-digit code that identifies a US financial institution under the system created by the American Bankers Association. It belongs to the US side of your payment; Malaysian banks don’t have one.
If you sell on TikTok Shop or Shopee, a US client, platform, or supplier might request US bank details. The code’s role depends on which payment leg involves the US.
Key Takeaways
- An ABA routing number, also called a routing transit number, identifies a US financial institution using nine digits.¹
- Malaysian banks use SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) codes, also called BICs (Bank Identifier Codes), for international wires, not a US bank routing number.¹,²
- A routing number identifies the institution; a bank account number identifies the individual account receiving or sending the money.¹
- US domestic ACH (Automated Clearing House) and Fedwire payments use routing numbers, so the payment method matters when collecting instructions.³
- The American Bankers Association routing-number system is separate from ABA Bank in Cambodia.¹,⁴
You can open a World Account to manage MYR conversion and USD supplier payments, separately from US routing details.
How does a US bank routing number fit into your USD payments?
The number identifies the US financial institution on the other side of your payment. A USD payment doesn’t automatically require an ABA number: the receiving account’s location and transfer method determine which details you need.¹,³
Nine digits that point to one US financial institution
The American Bankers Association’s routing-number system identifies institutions involved in US domestic transactions. Federal Reserve Bank payment services use routing numbers for ACH transfers and Fedwire, including ACH activity such as direct deposit.¹,³
The nine positions have three parts:¹
- First four digits: the Federal Reserve routing symbol.
- Next four digits: the institution identifier.
- Final digit: a check digit that helps validate the number’s structure.
Read an illustrative format sample as 1234 | 5678 | 0. This ABA number example shows the grouping only, not a validated routing number or payment instruction.
You can identify the institution associated with a routing number through the Federal Reserve Financial Services E-Payments Routing Directory or the ABA routing-number lookup tool. The Federal Reserve directory separates FedACH and Fedwire searches, so match your search to the payment method.¹,³
ABA Bank in Cambodia is a separate institution, not the organisation behind US routing numbers. Its name doesn’t connect it to the American Bankers Association system.¹,⁴
Which of your payment legs actually need an ABA number?
Treat each movement of money separately rather than applying one set of details to the whole supplier-payment cycle.
- Receive USD from a US client or platform: Share the receiving instructions for your specific account and payment method. A domestic US payment can require an ABA routing number; an international payment uses different instructions.²,³
- Convert MYR to USD: Separate the currency-conversion step from the beneficiary-routing instructions. Don’t enter an ABA number simply because you’re converting into USD.
- Pay an overseas supplier: Ask for instructions for the destination and transfer route. Don’t request a US ABA number from a Chinese supplier merely because their invoice uses USD. A US supplier’s international wire instructions can include SWIFT/BIC and US routing details.²,³
- Withdraw to your Malaysian bank: Use the Malaysian beneficiary details for that route, not a US routing number. Local transfers and international receipts follow different instructions.²,⁷
WorldFirst’s guidance on setting up receiving details helps you separate collection instructions from supplier-payment instructions. Keep your downloaded account statements alongside invoices to reconcile each leg.
How to get the correct routing number from a US client or supplier
Ask your counterparty for written, transfer-specific instructions. Request instructions obtained through their bank’s website, online banking, mobile banking app, or bank branch, rather than a number copied from an old invoice.
A bank can have multiple routing numbers, and an ACH number isn’t necessarily its wire number. Don’t assume previously saved details still apply after a merger or acquisition.¹,³
Use the transfer-details checklist for Malaysia when collecting the remaining beneficiary information. A routing-directory match identifies an institution, not the owner of the destination account.¹,³
- Ask for the routing number specific to the intended wire.
- Confirm the bank name, beneficiary name, and account number.
- Check the routing number in the Federal Reserve directory.
- Confirm the SWIFT/BIC and any intermediary instructions for an international wire.
- Verify the instructions through a second known channel, or arrange a small test before a large payment.
Which bank code does each USD or MYR transfer use?
ABA numbers support US domestic routing; SWIFT/BIC identifies institutions for cross-border payment instructions. The two codes aren’t substitutes.²,³
ABA, SWIFT/BIC, IBAN and CHIPS side by side
IBAN means International Bank Account Number. CHIPS means Clearing House Interbank Payments System, and UID means unique identifier. These identifiers serve different purposes, as the table shows.⁵,⁶
| Identifier | Format | Scope | Typical use | When you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABA routing number | Nine digits¹ | US¹ | ACH or Fedwire³ | US receiving instructions³ |
| SWIFT/BIC | Eight or 11 characters² | International² | Identify an institution in payment instructions² | Cross-border wire details² |
| IBAN | Up to 34 characters⁵ | Participating countries⁵ | Identify an account⁵ | Supplier instructions in an IBAN country⁵ |
| CHIPS UID | Six digits⁶ | USD clearing⁶ | Identify CHIPS payment participants⁶ | Detailed bank routing instructions⁶ |
| Malaysian bank details | Bank name and account number⁷ | Malaysia⁷ | Local MYR account transfers⁷ | Malaysian beneficiary details⁷ |
Fees checked in October 2026. Pricing, eligibility, and product features may change over time. Always confirm the latest information directly with the provider.
An ABA number alone isn’t a complete international wire instruction. Obtain the US beneficiary bank’s SWIFT/BIC, account details, and any intermediary instructions; include an ABA number when the receiving bank requests it.²,³
IBAN identifies an account rather than replacing SWIFT/BIC. Malaysia and the US don’t have national IBAN formats in SWIFT’s IBAN registry.⁵ CHIPS serves large-value USD clearing, not Malaysian local transfers.⁶
Why your Malaysian bank has a SWIFT code but no ABA number
Your Malaysian bank operates outside the US ABA routing system. Local MYR transfers use Malaysian services such as DuitNow Transfer, which supports transfers using account details or a registered DuitNow ID (an identifier linked to an account).¹,⁷
Incoming international wire instructions instead include the Malaysian bank’s SWIFT/BIC and beneficiary account details.² Keep those instructions separate from any US routing details you collect.
Marketplace collection instructions also need to match the platform. Consult WorldFirst’s eBay receiving guidance separately from your supplier’s payment instructions.
Routing number or bank account number: which does what?
The routing number identifies the institution; the account number identifies the account. A correct routing number doesn’t establish that you’ve entered the correct beneficiary account.¹
“ABA SWIFT code” combines two different identifiers. A US bank can have both; your Malaysian bank’s international instructions use SWIFT/BIC, not an ABA number.¹,² Ask which code the payment form requires rather than putting one in the other’s field.
Getting USD supplier payments right from Malaysia
Your US counterparty’s ABA routing number covers US routing, while Malaysian bank details and SWIFT/BIC serve other payment legs.¹,² Keep each set of instructions tied to its intended route.
You can open a World Account to manage MYR conversion and supported USD or CNH (offshore renminbi) supplier payments. WorldFirst is a payment platform, part of Ant International, not a bank.
Rates are indicative and subject to change.
See WorldFirst Malaysia pricing for conversion and payment charges.
WorldFirst’s Malaysia regulatory disclosure identifies AIMY Merchant Services Sdn. Bhd. (Registration No. 201401034334), formerly Alipay Malaysia Sdn Bhd, as an Ant International group company licensed and regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia for money changing and remittance under a Class A licence. Its registered office is at Level 77, Menara Exchange 106, Lingkaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange, 55188 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.⁸
Sources
- https://www.aba.com/about-us/routing-number
- https://www.swift.com/standards/data-standards/bic-business-identifier-code
- https://www.frbservices.org/EPaymentsDirectory/search.html
- https://www.ababank.com/en/about-us/
- https://www.swift.com/standards/data-standards/iban-international-bank-account-number
- https://www.theclearinghouse.org/payment-systems/chips
- https://www.paynet.my/personal-solutions/duitnow-transfer.html
- https://www.bnm.gov.my/regulations/fsp-directory/msb-licensees
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or professional advice. This article should not be regarded as constituting an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any regulated or financial products or services. WorldFirst makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content, and readers are encouraged to consult with legal professionals or other professionals for advice tailored to their specific situation. WorldFirst does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of this article and expressly disclaims any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance on this article.
