---
title: "Manage multi-currency accounts"
metaTitle: "Manage multi-currency accounts"
order: 2
showPageMenu: true
---

import EndpointBlock from "src/components/endpoint-block";
import WebhookPlaceholder from 'src/components/webhook-placeholder'
import WebhookSummary from 'src/components/webhook-summary'

## Real MCCY accounts

A multi-currency account is a real account held with ClearBank and can be used to send and/or receive payments. The balance of a multi-currency account is also held by ClearBank.

**Before creating an account, please ensure that you know which [account type](./multi-currency-account-types) you need to create.** If you are unsure, please get in touch.

You can use a multi-currency account to hold multiple non-GBP currency balances under the same IBAN, which can be specified at the time of creating the account via our API. Prior to assigning your desired IBAN to the account, we will validate it to ensure that the IBAN format is acceptable and not already in use.

At this time, you cannot open or hold GBP balances in a multi-currency account. GBP payments to and from a multi-currency account are not currently allowed either and would be rejected and returned automatically.

If you already hold a GBP account with ClearBank, your new multi-currency account will be opened under a sort code that is different to the one associated with your existing GBP account. ClearBank will set up the non-GBP currency sort code for you as part of onboarding.

For more information about currencies supported by ClearBank multi-currency accounts, please speak to your Relationship Manager.

<EndpointBlock
  type="post"
  title="Create a new account (real)"
  endpoints={[
        {
      path: "/mccy/v2/Accounts",
      version: "2.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-account-created-webhook-v1'
      ]
    },
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-account-created-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>


<WebhookPlaceholder render='mccy-account-created-webhook-v1' />

<EndpointBlock
  type="get"
  title="Get all accounts (real)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-Transactions"
    }
  ]}
/>

<EndpointBlock
  type="get"
  title="Get information for an account (real)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts/{accountId}",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-Transactions"
    }
  ]}
/>

<EndpointBlock
  type="patch"
  title="Amend the properties of an account (real)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts/{accountId}",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-account-updated-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>

<WebhookPlaceholder render='mccy-account-updated-webhook-v1' />

<EndpointBlock
  type="patch"
  title="Update the status of an account (real)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts/{accountId}/status",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-account-updated-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>

<EndpointBlock
  type="post"
  title="Add a currency to an existing account (real)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts/{accountId}/currencies",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC"
    }
  ]}
/>

<EndpointBlock
  type="get"
  title="Get the balance of an account (real)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts/{accountId}/balances",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC"
    }
  ]}
/>

<EndpointBlock
  type="delete"
  title="Close an existing account (real)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/Accounts/{accountId}",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-account-updated-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>

## Virtual MCCY accounts

Multi-currency virtual accounts are publicly addressable accounts with their own IBAN. Also known as shadow accounts, multi-currency virtual accounts are linked to real accounts and are used to separate out funds held in real accounts for the purposes of improved reconciliation and liquidity management. Additionally, the responsibility of managing and reconciling virtual accounts rests with you, giving you complete control of such accounts.

Multi-currency virtual accounts are only compatible with General Client Accounts and General Segregated Accounts, and can be created, suspended or activated and closed via the ClearBank API. 

Multi-currency virtual accounts are enabled for balances of the same currencies as their associated real accounts. For example, if a real multi-currency account is enabled for CHF, EUR and USD, all virtual accounts opened under that real account are also automatically enabled for the same currencies.

To comply with the Funds Transfer Regulation, it is important that the naming of virtual accounts reflects the legal name of the customer.

<EndpointBlock
  type="post"
  title="Create an account (virtual)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/VirtualAccounts",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-virtual-account-created-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>

<WebhookPlaceholder render='mccy-virtual-account-created-webhook-v1' />

<EndpointBlock
  type="get"
  title="Get information for an account (virtual)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/VirtualAccounts/{virtualAccountId}",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC"
    }
  ]}
/>

<EndpointBlock
  type="patch"
  title="Amend the properties of an account (virtual)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/VirtualAccounts/{virtualAccountId}",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-virtual-account-updated-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>

<WebhookPlaceholder render='mccy-virtual-account-updated-webhook-v1' />

<EndpointBlock
  type="patch"
  title="Update the status of an account (virtual)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/VirtualAccounts/{virtualAccountId}/status",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-virtual-account-updated-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>

<EndpointBlock
  type="delete"
  title="Close an account (virtual)"
  endpoints={[
    {
      path: "/mccy/v1/VirtualAccounts/{virtualAccountId}",
      version: "1.0.MCCY-ACC",
      webhooks: [
        'mccy-virtual-account-updated-webhook-v1'
      ]
    }
  ]}
/>