A bank routing number, sometimes referred to as an ABA routing number, is a nine-digit code that identifies a financial institution. It is used to facilitate electronic funds transfers. For example, if you want to send money from your Bank of the West account to someone with an account at another bank, you will need to provide the Bank of the West routing number, which is 121100248.
Bank routing numbers are essential for electronic payments and are essential in processing financial transactions such as wire transfers, direct deposits, and bill payments. The development of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network in the 1970s played a significant role in standardizing and streamlining the use of routing numbers for electronic fund transfers.