Free · Daily basics · 1 min

Why Do Amounts Have No Decimal Point?

The amount in a message (DE4) looks like 000000001000. It has no decimal point — it's an integer in the currency's minor units (e.g. cents). How much it actually is depends on how many decimals the currency code (DE49) has.

Same digits, different currencies

Raw DE4	Currency (decimals)	Actual amount
`000000001000`	SGD / USD (2)	10.00
`000000001000`	JPY (0)	1000
`000000001000`	BHD (3)	1.000

Formula: actual = raw ÷ 10^decimals. The decimal count comes from the ISO 4217 currency (most are 2; JPY is 0; some Middle-East currencies are 3).

Remember: the amount is an integer in minor units — don't read it as major units. Check DE49's decimals before converting, or you'll be off by 100×.

👉 The parser tool auto-converts the amount by currency. Related: field reference (DE4/DE49).