## Syntax
```mermaid
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flowchart LR
start((START)) --> UTC_DATE[UTC_DATE]:::quoted
UTC_DATE --> parenthesis["()"]:::quoted
start((START)) --> GETUTCDATE[GETUTCDATE]:::quoted
GETUTCDATE --> parenthesis["()"]:::quoted
start((START)) --> NOWUTC[NOWUTC]:::quoted
NOWUTC --> parenthesis["()"]:::quoted
start((START)) --> SYSDATEUTC[SYSDATEUTC]:::quoted
SYSDATEUTC --> parenthesis["()"]:::quoted
parenthesis --> utc_end((END))
```
## Purpose
The `UTC` SQL function returns the time of the system clock in UTC time at the device where Invantive UniversalSQL runs.
See also [[NOW]] and [[UTCOFFSET]].
Returns: current date/time.
## Examples
The following example retrieves the current system date/time in UTC as text; the actual value differs per invocation:
```sql
select to_char(sysdateutc, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS')
-------------------
2026-07-03 07:15:27
```
The following example retrieves the current system date in UTC as text using the `UTC_DATE` synonym; the actual value differs per invocation:
```sql
select to_char(utc_date(), 'YYYY-MM-DD')
----------
2026-07-03
```