NTT DATA Launches Generative AI-Powered Address Structuring Service to Support ISO20022 Migration

1.Background

Swift (*2), an organization operating a major international financial telecommunications network that transmits international payment instructions, has announced that by November 2025, it will fully transition to ISO20022, the new global messaging standard for financial communications. While the current MT format will remain available until November 2025, Swift plans to exclusively support the new MX format thereafter. As a result, financial institutions and corporations involved in cross-border payments must update their messaging systems to comply with ISO20022 by the deadline. This includes the migration of address data, which presents a significant challenge due to the lack of standardized address definitions across countries. The definition and components of postal addresses vary greatly from country to country.
The order of house numbers, the treatment of building names, and the positioning of postal codes are deeply rooted in each country's culture and administrative system. Despite this fact, there is no information source that provides comprehensive access to address structures around the world. Swift currently publishes address structuring definitions that comply with ISO20022 for only 33 countries, but for the remaining 200+ countries and regions, there are no clear guidelines on how address information should be structured in a manner that complies with ISO20022. This lack of coverage poses a major obstacle to efficient migration efforts.
In response to this challenge, NTT DATA and NTT DATA Luweave have developed the ISO Address Structuring Service, leveraging advanced data processing technologies and deep expertise in ISO20022 compliance. The service enables accurate and efficient bulk structuring of address data, supporting smooth migration to the new standard.

2. Service Overview

The ISO Address Structuring Service was jointly planned and developed by NTT DATA and NTT DATA Luweave. With STRUCTURIZ™ (*3), which enables address structuring compliant with the fully-structured format (*4), as its core function, the service has been built on NTT DATA's secure cloud infrastructure and is provided to financial institutions and commercial companies as a shared-use service. This architecture enables financial institutions and corporations to adopt the service without the need for individual system development, allowing for cost-effective, rapid, and efficient migration to ISO 20022.

(1) Value Proposition

This service offers two usage methods to meet the diverse needs of companies, enabling it to be used in a variety of scenarios.

a. Pre-Migration Data Structuring
Customer information—including address data—stored in the systems of financial institutions and corporations can be pre-structured in advance of ISO 20022 migration. At the time of remittance, operators can simply refer to the already structured address data, ensuring smooth and compliant message generation.

Example: Pre-structuring a corporation’s ERP system internal data

b. Real-Time Structuring (service launch scheduled for early summer 2025)
Following the pre-migration phase, the service also enables on-demand structuring of address data for newly added counterparties. This allows financial institutions and corporations to consistently perform system registrations and remittance operations using fully structured address information, ensuring continued compliance and operational integrity.

Example: Real-time structuring for non-registered, newly-added counterparties

(2) Structuring Mechanism

Under the legacy MT format, address information was typically entered as a single unstructured field, combining elements such as country, state/prefecture, and city names. However, the new MX format under ISO 20022 requires address data to be structured into separate fields for each component.
This service analyzes the unique address formats of each country using proprietary logic and automatically detects and converts them using AI technologies. It enables automatic input into the granular MX format fields, such as:
Ctry (Country)
CtrySubDvsn (State/Prefecture/Region)
PstCd (Postal Code)
TwnNm (City/Town/Village)
The service is designed for all entities involved in ISO20022 migration, including financial institutions, corporations, and fintech companies. By automating the structuring process, the service significantly reduces the burden of manual investigation, formatting, and correction of inconsistent address entries. Furthermore, future enhancements will include support for hybrid formats (*5), expanding the service’s applicability to even more use cases.

(3) Global Compatibility

Compliance with ISO20022 is not limited to Japan—it is a mandatory requirement for financial institutions and corporations engaged in cross-border payments worldwide. To support global adoption, the service is available in both Japanese and English, enabling seamless use across international markets. NTT DATA and NTT DATA Luweave plan to expand distribution in regions such as Europe, North America, and Asia, in collaboration with local group companies around the world.

Future Development

NTT DATA and NTT DATA Luweave will continue to enhance ISO20022 compliance capabilities by expanding service functionality. Future enhancements will include OpenAPI integration, enabling seamless connectivity with corporate systems and Fintech platforms. These upgrades will further streamline cross-border payment operations and ensure robust ISO20022 compliance.
Beyond the ISO Address Structuring Service, both companies will continue to harness the power of generative AI to tackle evolving regulatory requirements and operational challenges faced by financial institutions and corporations. They will continue to deliver highly efficient and reliable solutions that contribute to digital transformation across the financial industry.