The term represents a routing transit number (RTN) associated with a financial institution. It is a nine-digit code used by banks in the United States to identify specific financial institutions when transferring funds electronically. For example, this specific numerical sequence would be utilized when setting up direct deposit or initiating a wire transfer.
The use of routing numbers streamlines electronic transactions, ensuring that funds are directed to the correct bank. These numbers play a critical role in the efficiency and accuracy of the US banking system, and their use dates back to the early days of automated check processing. The Federal Reserve System manages and assigns these numbers to financial institutions.