The settlement amount is the sum of money that actually changes hands when a payment, trade or batch of transactions is settled. It often differs from the original transaction amount. In card payments, the settlement amount between issuer and acquirer is the transaction value in the settlement currency, net of interchange; for a merchant, it is the day's sales minus refunds, chargebacks, fees and any reserve held back, the figure that reaches its bank account.
In foreign exchange, the settlement amount is the quantity of each currency to be delivered on the settlement date, calculated from the traded amount and rate. In net settlement systems, participants settle only the net amount owed after offsetting payments in both directions, which can be much smaller than the gross value. Comparing expected and actual settlement amounts is a core step in settlement reconciliation, and differences are investigated as exceptions.