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SWIFT Codes and BIC Codes

SWIFT Codes (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) and BIC Codes (Bank Identifier Code) are codes used to identify financial institutions globally in order to facilitate international money transfers.

They are 8 or 11 alphanumeric characters codes that are used to uniquely identify a bank and its location for both sending and receiving international wire transfers. The difference between a SWIFT code and a BIC code is that the former refers to the original name of the system, while the latter is the standard term used for the identifier.

SWIFT code example

AAAA BB CC DDD

• First 4 characters - AAAA: Bank code (only letters)
• Next 2 characters - BB: Country code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2, only letters)
• Next 2 characters - CC: Location code (letters and digits)
• Last 3 characters - DDD: Branch code (letters and digits, optional)

SWIFT Codes - FAQs

What is a SWIFT code?

A SWIFT code is a unique identifier used to identify financial institutions globally, in order to facilitate international money transfers. It is also known as a SWIFT BIC (Bank Identifier Code), which stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication Bank Identifier Code. It is a standard format of Business Identifier Codes (BICs), which are used to identify banks and financial institutions in a standardized way for international wire transfers.

A SWIFT code consists of 8 or 11 characters and is used to uniquely identify a bank and its location for both sending and receiving international wire transfers.

What is BIC code?

BIC stands for Bank Identifier Code. It is a unique identifier used to identify financial institutions globally for the purpose of facilitating international money transfers. It is also known as a SWIFT code, which is the original name of the system used for these codes. A BIC code is a standard format of Business Identifier Codes (BICs) and is used to identify banks and financial institutions in a standardized way for international wire transfers. A BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters and is used to uniquely identify a bank and its location for both sending and receiving international wire transfers. The terms BIC and SWIFT code are often used interchangeably.

What is the difference between SWIFT and BIC codes?

The terms SWIFT code and BIC code refer to the same thing. SWIFT stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication and BIC stands for Bank Identifier Code. Both are unique identifier codes used to identify financial institutions globally for the purpose of facilitating international money transfers.

There is no difference between a SWIFT code and a BIC code, but the term "SWIFT code" is more commonly used, while "BIC code" is used as the standard term in the financial industry. The code consists of 8 or 11 characters and is used to uniquely identify a bank and its location for both sending and receiving international wire transfers. Both terms refer to the same identifier code used for international wire transfers.

How do I find my SWIFT code?

You can find your SWIFT code in the following ways:

• Bank statement: Your SWIFT code may be listed on your bank statement.
• Online banking: Log in to your online banking account and check the information about your bank. Your SWIFT code should be listed there.
• Bank website: Check the "Contact Us" or "About Us" section of your bank's website for the SWIFT code.
• Contact your bank: Call or visit your bank and ask a representative for your SWIFT code.
• SWIFT Code lookup websites: There are several websites, such as bankswiftcode.info, where you can search for a bank's SWIFT code by providing the bank name, country, and city.

How can I check a SWIFT code?

It's important to double-check the accuracy of your SWIFT code with your bank before using it for an international wire transfer, as a small error can cause the transfer to be sent to the wrong bank

Do I need an IBAN or a SWIFT code?

Both an IBAN (International Bank Account Number) and a SWIFT code (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication Bank Identifier Code) are used to facilitate international money transfers, but they serve different purposes.

An IBAN is a unique identifier for a bank account that is used in many countries around the world, especially in Europe. It helps to ensure that international money transfers are accurately routed to the correct bank account by providing a standardized format for bank account numbers.

A SWIFT code, on the other hand, is used to identify a specific financial institution for international wire transfers. It is not a unique identifier for an individual bank account, but rather for a bank and its location.

In summary, you need both an IBAN and a SWIFT code if you are making an international wire transfer. The IBAN is used to identify your bank account, while the SWIFT code is used to identify the bank and its location that your money is being sent to or received from.

SWIFT codes are assigned to financial institutions by SWIFT and are used to identify the institution globally for international wire transfers and their headquarters is located in La Hulpe, Belgium. SWIFT is the registered trademark of S.W.I.F.T. SCRL with a registered address at Avenue Adèle 1, B-1310 La Hulpe, Belgium