Computer message routing and processing system and method

A computer-implemented method for routing computer messages over a payment processing network, the method implemented using a message routing and processing (MRP) computing device communicatively coupled to a plurality of payment processors and a plurality of financial institutions, wherein the MRP computing device comprises one or more memory devices and one or more processors in communication with the one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing message routing instructions for each of a plurality of account identifiers, the method comprising:

• receiving, from one or more of the plurality of financial institutions, a plurality of electronic messages in a standard electronic data format for financial messages including a first electronic message, each received electronic message associated with a financial transaction initiated by an accountholder and including an account identifier, the account identifier identifying an account issued by an account issuer to the accountholder;
• retrieving, from the one or more memory devices, message routing instructions for the first electronic message of the plurality of received electronic messages, the message routing instructions for the first electronic message retrieved using the account identifier included within the first electronic message;
• and
• routing the first electronic message to an associated payment processor of the plurality of payment processors based upon the retrieved message routing instructions by:
• generating a message header for the first electronic message, the message header including the retrieved message routing instructions formatted using the standard electronic data format for financial messages, wherein the message header includes an address for the associated payment processor;
• modifying the first electronic message by appending the message header to the first electronic message;
• and
• transmitting the modified first electronic message according to the message routing instructions included within the message header.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for routing computer messages over a payment processing network, wherein when executed by one or more processors of a message routing and processing (MRP) computing device, the one or more processors in communication with one or more memory devices that store message routing instructions for each of a plurality of account identifiers, the MRP computing device being communicatively coupled to a plurality of payment processors and a plurality of financial institutions, the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to:

• receive, from one or more of the plurality of financial institutions, a plurality of electronic messages in a standard electronic data format for financial messages including a first electronic message, each received electronic message associated with a financial transaction initiated by an accountholder and including an account identifier, the account identifier identifying an account issued by an account issuer to the accountholder;
• retrieve, from the one or more memory devices, message routing instructions for the first electronic message of the plurality of received electronic messages, the message routing instructions for the first electronic message retrieved using the account identifier included within the first electronic message;
• and
• route the first electronic message to an associated payment processor of the plurality of payment processors based upon the retrieved message routing instructions by:
• generating a message header for the first electronic message, the message header including the retrieved message routing instructions formatted using the standard electronic data format for financial messages, wherein the message header includes an address for the associated payment processor;
• modifying the first electronic message by appending the message header to the first electronic message;
• and
• transmitting the modified first electronic message according to the message routing instructions included within the message header.