# Routing number
> A US routing number is 9 digits identifying a bank, used only inside the United States. The difference between ABA, ACH and wire routing numbers.
Canonical: https://fasset.com/business/glossary/routing-number/

A routing number is a 9-digit code that identifies a US bank and, for wires, the specific branch. It is used only for domestic US transfers: ACH, wire and check processing all rely on it, but no other country uses the format.

- **Length:** 9 digits
- **Coverage:** United States only
- **ABA routing number:** The general term for the 9-digit bank identifier, assigned by the American Bankers Association
- **ACH routing number:** Used for domestic transfers through the automated clearing house
- **Wire routing number:** Some banks route incoming wires to a different number than ACH, so check both before sending

## What does my US client need to pay me by ACH?

To pay you by ACH, a US client needs a nine-digit routing number, your account number, the account type, and the name exactly as it appears on the account. Wire routing can differ from ACH routing at the same bank, so it is worth confirming which one their payment system is asking for. Fasset issues US account details alongside your other currencies, so your American clients can pay you the way they already pay everyone else, more on the accounts page.

## Related terms

- **IBAN:** The up-to-34-character account number used across Europe, the UK and the Gulf, and why your US client has never seen one.
- **SWIFT:** The messaging network banks use to talk to each other. It does not move money, which is why wires take 1 to 3 days.
- **Mid-market rate:** The real exchange rate, no markup, the one on Google. Banks add 2 to 4% on top before they show you a number.

## Open an account

Fasset Business gives businesses local currency accounts and modern rails. The application runs entirely online.

- Open an account
- See the demo

Client funds are held separately from Fasset’s own.