Locate or Verify a SWIFT BIC Code
SWIFT is the industry-owned co-operative supplying secure, standardised messaging services to financial institutions worldwide. SWIFT members are identified by a Bank Identifier Code (BIC).
To find a SWIFT BIC, or to verify an existing BIC, use the SWIFT BIC Search page:
| Source | Reference |
|---|---|
| SWIFT BIC Search | https://www.swiftref.com/en/bicsearch |
- Enter the institution details and click Search.
- The City and Country fields are usually not required unless the city name could exist in more than one country.
- Select the matching result to view the bank's SWIFT BIC.
The search results have returned a SWIFT BIC code of CIBBMYKLXXX
A SWIFT BIC code is comprised of three or four segments. Using CIBBMYKLXXX as an example, these are:
| Segment | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bank code | CIBB | 4 character bank code |
| Country code | MY | 2 character country code |
| Location code | KL | 2 character city/location code |
| Branch code | XXX | 3 character branch code (optional) |
SWIFT BIC codes can be quoted without the "XXX" at the end. The "XXX" indicates that the BIC code is valid for all branches of that bank in that region or country.
The 8-character BIC code is the minimum that must be used. If a branch code is quoted in the fourth segment, this should be used if appropriate.
This code can be used in fields 10 or 14 of an IMT payment in the CommBiz import file.