Is KTT Legal?
Short answer: a “Key Tested Telex” (KTT) message is not illegal by itself. It is a relic from the telex era. The problem is simple. Modern banks do not settle funds off a telex-style note. Anyone with a telex gateway and an offshore shell can blast a message that claims to move hundreds of millions. Those messages are not backed by cash or correspondent balances, so they never post as cleared money.
KTT might be legal to send. It is obsolete in banking practice. Real cross-border settlement rides on correspondent accounts and authenticated messages that move actual balances. Telex-style messages do not.
What KTT Was Meant To Be
KTT refers to key-tested telex instructions used decades ago to communicate between banks. Operators compared a short authentication code book to verify a message. It worked when volumes were small and counterparties knew each other. Today, global banking uses authenticated networks and straight-through processing. Telex is museum tech.
Why Telex-Style “Transfers” Don’t Settle
What a message can do
- Say “we sent 500,000,000”
- Attach seals, PDFs, and “bank officer” names
- Reference old-school terms like KTT, IPIP, IPID, L2L
What settles money
- Cleared balances in correspondent accounts
- Authenticated instructions on accepted rails
- Bank compliance, KYC, and sanctions clearance
A telex-style note does not move balances between banks. It is just text. Without real balances and proper authentication, nothing lands in a usable account.
How Cross-Border Money Actually Moves
| Concept |
Plain explanation |
| Nostro account |
Our bank’s money held at another bank in their country and currency. Think “our funds with you.” Debited when we send out. |
| Vostro account |
Your bank’s money held with us. Think “your funds with us.” Credited when you receive from us. |
| Correspondent banking |
Two banks keep accounts with each other. Cross-border wires move by debiting one side’s nostro and crediting the other side’s vostro, then crediting the end customer. |
| Authentication |
Banks use approved formats and cryptographic authentication. Messages trigger ledger entries on real balances. Compliance checks run before posting. |
If a transfer cannot be reconciled to a debit of the sender’s correspondent balance and a credit of the receiver’s balance, it is not a transfer. It is a note with no cash behind it.
Why Scammers Push KTT, IPIP, IPID, L2L, MT103 “One Way”
- Anyone can send or mock up a telex-style message
- No proof of lawful wealth creation or tax history
- Claims of “hundreds of billions” with zero underwriting
- Push for advance fees or identity documents, then vanish
Brokers sometimes believe these files are real. Our experience is the opposite. They fail KYC immediately and there are no funds behind the claims.
Legal To Send vs. Capable Of Settlement
Potentially legal
- Sending a telex-style note that claims something
- Owning an offshore company and a telex gateway
- Talking about KTT in general terms
Not capable of settlement
- Claimed transfers with no correspondent balances
- Unverified messages with no compliant authentication
- Files that cannot pass KYC, source of funds, and sanctions checks
How To Protect Yourself
- Ask for bank-verifiable proof of funds tied to correspondent accounts, not PDFs.
- Refuse “one way” or “fast lane” claims. Real transfers can be reconciled on both ledgers.
- Never send identity documents to unknown intermediaries.
- Require underwriting for any proposed investment. No underwriting means no deal.
Where We Can Help
We form SPVs, open accounts at regulated banks, and support legitimate capital raises and payments. We do not attempt to receive or clear KTT or similar messages and we do not promise the arrival of funds that do not exist.
Need real banking work
If you need an SPV, a regulated account, or support on a legitimate raise, we can help. If your plan relies on KTT, IPIP, IPID, L2L, or MT103 “One Way,” do not send it.
Contact Us
We act as arranger and advisor through regulated partners. We do not hold client funds. All services are subject to KYC, AML, and sanctions screening. We do not attempt to receive or clear KTT, IPIP, IPID, L2L, or MT103 “One Way” messages.