A SWIFT code — sometimes also called a BIC number — is a standard format for Business Identifier Codes (BIC). It’s used to identify banks and financial institutions globally. It says who and where they are — a sort of international bank code or ID.
These codes are used when transferring money between banks, in particular for international wire transfers or SEPA payments. Banks also use these codes to exchange messages between each other.
A SWIFT/BIC is an 8-11 character code that identifies your country, city, bank, and branch.
4 letters representing the bank. It usually looks like a shortened version of that bank's name.
2 letters representing the country the bank is in.
2 characters made up of letters or numbers. It says where that bank's head office is.
3 digits specifying a particular branch. 'XXX' represents the bank’s head office.
If you’re sending or receiving money internationally between banks, particularly international wire transfers or SEPA payments, you may be asked for a SWIFT code. SWIFT codes help banks to process transfers from abroad.
You can usually find your bank’s SWIFT/BIC code in your bank account statements. You also can use our SWIFT/BIC finder to get the right code for your transfer.
