Introduction
If you're setting up international payment collections on Xflow, VBANs are the foundation of how money finds its way to you. Understanding how they work will save you time and help you avoid a few common mistakes.
Before a VBAN is issued, it helps to know what is xflows onboarding process like.
What is a VBAN Account?
VBAN stands for Virtual Bank Account Number. It's the receiving account address that your international senders use to route payments to you. Think of it as the account number you share with your overseas buyers or partners when you want to collect funds, except it's virtual, which means it's purpose-built for how Xflow manages and reconciles incoming transfers.
In Xflow's API, the VBAN is represented as the xflow_receive address category. VBANs are the technical backbone of Xflow’s broader receiving accounts, which pair this collection layer with mid-market conversion and automated eFIRA.
For a broader look at how businesses structure the accounts behind this kind of setup, see our overview of business banking accounts.
How VBANs are assigned
Each VBAN is unique to a specific currency and partner combination. This is intentional because it's how Xflow keeps your incoming funds correctly attributed and reconciled. Using the wrong VBAN for a transaction can result in money landing in the wrong place. If that happens, reach out to support@xflowpay.com immediately and the team will help resolve it.
The key thing to remember: every VBAN serves a specific purpose, and sharing the right one with the right sender matters.
Since each VBAN maps to one currency, it helps to understand the wider case for holding funds this way; read our guide on multi currency account benefits for more.
No VBAN, no incoming funds
Without a VBAN, Xflow has no way to receive deposits on your behalf. Setting up your VBAN correctly is a prerequisite to collecting any international payments through the platform.
Other address types you'll come across
As you explore the platform, you'll encounter a few related address categories alongside xflow_receive:
user_payout— your actual bank account, where outgoing payouts are sentpartner_payment— tracks the origin of a partner's incoming payment
Each serves a distinct function, so understanding which address type applies to your use case will help you navigate the API more confidently.
Support along the way
If you're still evaluating whether Xflow is the right fit for your business, we'd encourage you to sign up and explore the platform. VBANs are set up as part of the onboarding process, and you'll see exactly how they work once you're in. And if you have questions before you get there, write to us at support@xflowpay.com , we're always happy to help.
If you are weighing us as a longer-term partner, you might also like our look at the xflow culture primitives that guide how we work.
