ISO 9362 (also known as BIC code or SWIFT code) is a standard format of Bank Identifier Codes approved by the International Organization for Standardization. It is the unique identification code of a particular Bank. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards bodies. ...

It can be found on the Account Statements. It is necessary for sending money across foreign countries. It may be found on currency. These codes are used when transferring money between banks, particularly international transfers.

The overlapping issue between ISO 9362 and ISO 13616 is discussed in the article International Bank Account Number. The International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is an international standard for numbering bank accounts. ...

The code is 8 or 11 characters, made up of:

• 4 characters - bank code
• 2 characters - ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code
• 2 characters - location code
• 3 characters - branch code, optional ( 'XXX' for primary office)

Where an 8-digit code is given, you may assume that it refers to the primary office. ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are two-letter country codes in the ISO 3166-1 standard to represent countries and dependent areas. ...

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) handles the registration of these codes. For this reason, Bank Identifier Codes (BICs) are often called SWIFT addresses or codes. SWIFT logo For other meanings of the word swift, see swift (disambiguation). ...

There are over 7,500 "live" codes (for partners actively connected to the BIC network) and an estimated 10,000 additional BIC codes which can be used for manual transactions.

Examples

As an example, Deutsche Bank is an international bank; its head office is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Its SWIFT code for its primary office is DEUTDEFF: Deutsche Bank AG NYSE: DB (German for German Bank) is a multinational bank operating worldwide and employing more than 67,500 people (December, 2005). ...

• DEUT identifies Deutsche Bank
• DE is the country code for Germany
• FF is the code for Frankfurt

Using an extended code of 11 digits (if the receiving bank has assigned branches or processing areas individual extended codes) allows the payment to be directed to a specific office. For example, DEUTDEFF500 would direct the payment to an office of Deutsche Bank in Bad Homburg.

See also

• Bank Identification Number (BIN)
• Value transfer system
• Bankleitzahl (BLZ)

A Bank Identification Number (BIN) is the first six digits of a credit card, debit card, charge card, etc. ... A value transfer system refers to any system, mechanism, or network of people that receives money for the purpose of making the funds or an equivalent value payable to a third party in another geographic location, whether or not in the same form. ... Sort codes (Germany/Austria: Bankleitzahl (BLZ); Australia: Bank-State-Branch (BSB)) are a unique identifier to the particular office (branch) of a bank which holds bank accounts. ...

External links

• Bank Identifer Code SWIFT.com home page
• Official SWIFT search tool for bank names and Bank Identifier Codes
• Bank Identifer Codes and IBANs An IBAN calculator and validator that shows Bank Identifier Codes and Bankleitzahlen for British, German, Austrian, Estonian, Dutch, Hungarian, Swiss, Greek, and Belgian bank accounts