System and methods for international ACH transactions

A method comprising:

• receiving a first ACH (automated clearing house) transaction by a first sponsor bank in a first country from an originating bank in the first country to transfer funds from an account at the originating bank to a recipient's account number at a receiving bank, the first ACH transaction being received by a first domestic ACH system operative in the first country and the received first ACH transaction containing addressing messaging that indicates the receiving bank and the recipient's account number at the receiving bank, with a settlement of the funds transferred from the originating bank in the first country to the first sponsor bank in the first country being independently performed by the first domestic ACH system;
• executing, in response to receiving the first ACH transaction from the first sponsor bank to transfer funds from the account at the originating bank to the recipient's account number at the receiving bank, a second ACH transaction from the first sponsor bank in the first country to a second sponsor bank located in a second country different from the first country, the second ACH transaction including addressing messaging containing the account number to identify the recipient's account and indicating the receiving bank in the second country to receive a third ACH transaction to be executed from the second sponsor bank in the second country to the receiving bank located in the second country to benefit the recipient's account at the receiving bank located in the second country, the second ACH transaction being executed by a second international ACH system different from the first domestic ACH system and operating internationally, with a settlement of the funds transferred from the first sponsor bank in the first country to the second sponsor bank in the second country being independently performed by the second international ACH system;
• and
• executing, in response to the execution of the second ACH transaction to transfer funds from the account at the originating bank to the recipient's account number at the receiving bank, the third ACH transaction from the second sponsor bank in the second country to the receiving bank located in the second country to benefit the recipient's account at the receiving bank, with a settlement of the funds transferred from the second sponsor bank in the second country to the receiving bank in the second country being independently performed by a third domestic ACH system.