We investigate 1-year interest rate swaps on USD, EUR, JPY and GBP between 2005 and 2020 utilising a quantile connectedness model. This approach allows for a nuanced investigation of connectedness and adds to understanding the monetary policy transmission mechanism within a highly integrated international financial system. Substantial interest rate changes (in either direction) matter for connectedness in financial markets. The results also indicate which currency drives developments depending on the direction of the change in interest rates. The full implementation and replication code — based on R, is available at: https://github.com/GabauerDavid/ConnectednessApproach. •We study connectedness in IRS markets and include a magnitude dimension.•Large positive or negative interest rate changes increase connectedness.•Substantial variations are observed across major markets and over time.•The results have implications for the monetary transmission mechanism.