Short Definition
camt.053 (full name: BankToCustomerStatement) is a standardized XML file format banks use to deliver account statements to customers. It belongs to the ISO 20022 message family, adopted by virtually all European banks.
When your accounting software asks to "import bank statement in XML format" — it almost always means camt.053.
Important: November 22, 2025 deadline
Since November 22, 2025, SEPA payments across Europe must use ISO 20022. MT940 (the older SWIFT format) is being phased out. If your bank or business hasn't migrated to camt.053 yet — the time is now.
What does the name "camt.053" mean?
ISO 20022 messages are identified by three components:
- camt — Cash Management (the message family)
- 053 — specific message number (bank statement)
- Sometimes a version suffix, e.g.
camt.053.001.02— meaning camt.053, variant 001, version 02
Other related camt messages:
camt.052— intraday activity reportcamt.054— debit/credit notificationcamt.060— statement request
For accounting, camt.053 is the most important.
camt.053 XML Structure
The file structure is standardized. Key elements:
<Document>
<BkToCstmrStmt>
<GrpHdr> ... general metadata ... </GrpHdr>
<Stmt>
<Acct> ... account IBAN, currency ... </Acct>
<Bal> ... balances (opening, closing) ... </Bal>
<Ntry> ... transaction 1 ... </Ntry>
<Ntry> ... transaction 2 ... </Ntry>
</Stmt>
</BkToCstmrStmt>
</Document>Each <Ntry> (Entry) is a single bank operation containing amount, date, payment details, payer/payee.
Why does accounting need camt.053?
1. Automatic import
Accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, SAP, Rivile, Pragma) reads the XML and creates journal entries without manual keying. 200 transactions imported in seconds.
2. Structured data
Unlike PDF or Excel, XML has unambiguous field definitions. No OCR errors, no format ambiguity.
3. Audit trail
Original bank data is preserved. Auditors can verify the source.
camt.053 vs MT940
| MT940 (legacy) | camt.053 (modern) | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Flat text | XML |
| Standard body | SWIFT | ISO 20022 |
| Fields | Limited, short codes | Rich schema, named elements |
| Unicode support | Limited | Full UTF-8 |
| SEPA compliant | Being phased out | Mandatory |
| Europe post-2025-11-22 | Deprecated | Standard |
Who exports camt.053?
Most European banks, including:
- Swedbank, SEB, Luminor, Šiaulių bankas (Lithuania)
- Nordea, Danske Bank (Nordics)
- Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank (Germany)
- BNP Paribas, Société Générale (France)
- UniCredit, Intesa (Italy)
However, not all financial services providers support camt.053:
- Stripe — CSV only
- Wise — PDF or CSV only
- PayPal — CSV only
- Revolut — CSV or PDF
- PKO Bank Polski, Santander Polska — PDF
Have a PDF or CSV bank statement?
ProBankConvert converts them to a real camt.053 XML. No OCR guesswork — just structured data reading.
Convert for free →Frequently Asked Questions
Is camt.053 the same as ISO 20022?
ISO 20022 is a family of standards. camt.053 is one specific message from that family — for bank statements.
Which camt.053 version should I use?
The most widely supported is camt.053.001.02 (often just labeled "camt.053"). Newer versions (.06, .08) exist but accounting software often only accepts version 02.
What's the difference between camt.053 and camt.052?
camt.053 is a completed daily or period statement. camt.052 is intraday (not yet finalized) activity.
Do all accounting tools support camt.053?
Almost all modern ones — yes. QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, SAP Business One, NetSuite, Rivile, Pragma, Centas, Finvalda, iNFO. When in doubt, check with your software vendor.
Can I generate camt.053 myself?
Technically yes, but the schema is complex and strict XSD validation means one small error breaks the file. In practice — use a converter (like ProBankConvert) or your bank's export.