What is the difference between BLOC and SBLO?

BLOC is a block on the account or party: nothing settles over it. SBLO is a block on the securities, for example during a corporate action, while the account itself works.

Settlement status codes

BLOC: Account Blocked

Written and maintained by ZagTrader. Last reviewed 21 October 2026. How this page is sourced and checked

BLOC tells you that the account used by your instruction is blocked, so nothing can settle over it until the block is lifted. It concerns the account, not the security.

Code: BLOC
Kind: Reason (24B)
Used with: PEND, PENF, PPRC

What BLOC means

An account servicer or CSD can block a securities or cash account, or a party, for legal, regulatory or operational reasons: a court order, sanctions screening, an insolvency, missing account documentation, or a restriction set up by the CSD.

Under PEND the instruction can still settle on its date if the block is lifted in time; under PENF it is failing. Under PPRC the custodian has not processed the instruction because of the block.

A block on the security itself, rather than the account, is reported as SBLO or FROZ.

When you see it

In an MT548 or sese.024 from the CSD or custodian. In T2S, BLOC results from intraday restrictions on a party, securities account or cash account; when several restrictions apply, T2S repeats BLOC with a different additional reason text for each rule (ECB T2S multiple-status reporting).

What to do next

Read the narrative (:70D::REAS// or AddtlRsnInf) to see which account or rule is blocking, then contact your account servicer.
If the block will last, consider cancelling and reinstructing over another account, in agreement with the counterparty.

Where it appears in MT and ISO 20022

MT (ISO 15022)

MT548 sequence A2a (REAS), :24B::PEND//BLOC, :24B::PENF//BLOC or :24B::PPRC//BLOC.
MT537 sequence B1 or C3a, :24B::PEND//BLOC or :24B::PENF//BLOC.

MX (ISO 20022)

sese.024 SttlmSts/Pdg/Rsn/Cd/Cd = BLOC or SttlmSts/Flng/Rsn/Cd/Cd = BLOC; one Rsn per restriction, each with its own AddtlRsnInf.
sese.024 PrcgSts/PdgPrcg/Rsn/Cd/Cd = BLOC for pending processing.

Questions

What is the difference between BLOC and SBLO?: BLOC is a block on the account or party: nothing settles over it. SBLO is a block on the securities, for example during a corporate action, while the account itself works.