What’s the difference between SWIFT and BIC?

“SWIFT” is an acronym that stands for “Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication”. It’s a global network that processes payments between countries.“BIC” stands for “Bank Identifier Code” and is a sequence of letters and numbers that are used to send international transfers.The terms "BIC" and "SWIFT" are often used interchangeably in day-to-day speech about international payments.

What’s the difference between SWIFT/BIC and IBAN?

SWIFT codes and an IBAN are two different identifiers but have a similar function. SWIFT codes and IBANs are both used for international transactions. However, a SWIFT code identifies the location of a specific bank, while an IBAN (International Bank Account Number) identifies the individual account. Also, IBAN can also be used for local transactions.Check your Swift code now with our tool and find out whether your code is valid or not and show what the individual parts of the code stand for.

How do I know if I need a SWIFT/BIC code?

Each country requires a different code to make international money transfers. When transferring to an international bank account, you’ll almost always need a SWIFT/BIC code.Here’s a list of countries for which you can only use a SWIFT/BIC code to transfer money:• Andorra• Bahrain• Denmark• Ghana• Hungary• Japan• Latvia• Sweden

What’s the difference between SEPA and SWIFT/BIC codes?

SEPA stands for “Single Euro Payments Area”. The SEPA protocol lets you transfer money in euros within the eurozone. You’ll usually be asked to provide a SWIFT/BIC code when sending or receiving money as an international transfer using SEPA. It’s important to keep in mind that SWIFT transfers can be made in different currencies, whereas SEPA payments are only for transferring euros within the EU.

Instant SWIFT/BIC code Finder

Make sure your international transfer goes smoothly by checking the SWIFT/BIC code in a flash. A simple step for hassle-free overseas transactions.

Enter a BIC / SWIFT code to find out if it's correct and which bank it belongs to.

SWIFT Code:

AAAA-BB-CC XXX

What is a SWIFT/BIC code? What is a SWIFT/BIC code for? What does a SWIFT/BIC code look like?

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What is a SWIFT/BIC code?

A SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) code is a string of letters and numbers used to identify specific banks and financial institutions around the world. It’s a standardized Bank Identification Code - which is why it’s sometimes called a BIC.

What is a SWIFT/BIC code for?

Universal identification : SWIFT/BIC codes serve as a unique identifier for each bank, ensuring that international transactions reach the correct destination.
Accuracy : SWIFT/BIC codes are primarily used for international wire transfers, helping to identify the recipient’s specific bank and making sure overseas payments are processed smoothly.

What does a SWIFT/BIC code look like?

A SWIFT/BIC code is eight to eleven characters long. It can be used to identify the country, city, bank, and even specific branch an account belongs to.

Bank code :The first four letters represent the name of the bank. Most of the time, this is easy to recognize, as it’s just a shortened version of the bank’s full commercial name.
Country code :The next two letters show the country where the bank is based.
Location code :These two characters are a letter and a number. They point out the location of the bank's headquarters.
Branch code :The last three characters refer to a specific branch. "XXX" means you have the SWIFT/BIC code for the bank's headquarters.