Wo finde ich BIC oder SWIFT?

Die IBAN ist eine internationale Konto-Nummer. Sie enthält den nationalen Bankcode, die Bankleitzahl und die Kontonummer. Mit der IBAN wird der internationale Zahlungsverkehr weitestgehend automatisch elektronisch verarbeitet.

Mit dem BIC, dem Business Identifier Code, wird eine Bank weltweit eindeutig zugeordnet.

IBAN (International Bank Account Number)
Die IBAN besteht aus bis zu 27 alphanumerischen Zeichen innerhalb der EU und aus bis zu 34 Zeichen in den Ländern außerhalb der EU. Sie umfasst folgende Komponenten:

- Länderschlüssel: 2-stelliger ISO-Alphacode (zum Beispiel DE für Deutschland)
- Prüfziffern: 2-stellige, gemäß ISO 7064 berechnete Prüfziffer (im Beispiel: x)
- Nationale Bank-/Kontoidentifizierung (zum Beispiel die 8-stellige deutsche Bankleitzahl (im Beispiel: y) und die 10-stellige Kontonummer (im Beispiel: z) ggf. mit vorangestellten Nullen aufgefüllt)

In Deutschland setzt sich die IBAN also nach folgendem Muster zusammen:
DExxyyyyyyyyzzzzzzzzzz

Durch die einheitliche Prüfziffernberechnung ist es allen Beteiligten möglich, die Richtigkeit der IBAN zu kontrollieren.

BIC (Business Identifier Code)/SWIFT-Code

Der BIC besteht aus 8 oder 11 Buchstaben und Zahlen und ist ein Teil des SWIFT-Code.

SWIFT-Code
International standardisierter Bank-Code, mit dem weltweit jedes direkt oder indirekt teilnehmende Kreditinstitut eindeutig identifiziert werden kann. Der SWIFT-Code findet weltweit Verwendung bei grenzüberschreitenden Zahlungen und beim internationalen Austausch von Nachrichten zwischen Kreditinstituten.

Der BIC oder SWIFT-Code besteht aus 8 oder 11 Buchstaben und Zahlen und ist wie folgt aufgebaut:

BBBBCCLLbbb

BBBB = 4-stelliger Bankcode, nur Buchstaben, vom Geldinstitut frei wählbar
CC = 2-stelliger Ländercode nach ISO 3166-1, nur Buchstaben
LL = 2-stellige Codierung des Ortes, Buchstaben und Zahlen
bbb = 3-stellige Kennzeichnung der Filiale oder Abteilung, optional, Standard: "XXX"

Auslands-Zahlungsverkehr
Wenn Sie Zahlungen aus dem Ausland erhalten, teilen Sie vorab dem Absender Ihre IBAN und den BIC (auch SWIFT-Code genannt) Ihrer Sparkasse mit.

Den BIC/SWIFT-Code finden Sie unter "Impressum" im Internet-Auftritt Ihrer Sparkasse und auf jedem Konto-Auszug.

Für Überweisungen ins Ausland (Auslands-, SEPA- und Europa-Überweisungen) geben Sie bitte die IBAN und BIC des Empfängers an (falls vorhanden).

What is a SWIFT code?

Let’s begin by getting a bit of background information.

SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

An organization set up in 1973, whose purpose is to enable banks and other financial institutions to process international payments securely between themselves.

The SWIFT network has more than 10,000 members located in 212 countries, making it the largest international payment network worldwide.

Members of the SWIFT network use SWIFT codes to move money securely between accounts that are located in different countries.

Each SWIFT code consists of standardized information your bank needs to make sure that your money reaches the bank account of your beneficiary safely.

A good analogy to understand the utility of SWIFT codes is to think of zip/postal code in an address.

If this international postal code is incorrect or missing, any letter sent to this address will never arrive.

The same thing applies if your money is transferred using the wrong SWIFT code.

What does a SWIFT code look like?

SWIFT codes may be constituted of only a few letters and numbers, but they tell banks within the SWIFT network everything they need to know to execute international payments correctly.

These codes all follow the same format, they are 8 or 11 characters long.

As demonstrated here, we used different colors to define the combination of letters within a SWIFT code:

• AAAA – 4-character bank code that looks like a shortened version of the bank’s name.
• BB – 2-character country code specifying the bank's country.
• CC – 2-character location code expressing where the bank’s head office is located.
• DDD – 3-character branch code (optional) representing the branch code are an optional addition that can supplement the main 8-character SWIFT.

Your transfer will be directed and channeled through the relevant bank’s head office if you leave the branch code off.

In this example, we can see our own Statrys SWIFT/BIC Code: STYSHKHH

What is a BIC code?

A BIC code is exactly the same as SWIFT code.

Using the term SWIFT code is actually somewhat inaccurate as what we call a SWIFT code is, in reality, a BIC code.

Again, let’s have a look at some background information that will help us better understand why BIC and SWIFT are the same things.

When the SWIFT network was established, their members determined it was necessary to identify each of them in a standardized manner to facilitate international payments.

And to achieve that goal, they created the Bank Identifier Code, which is most commonly known as its abbreviated form “BIC”.

So essentially, SWIFT, the organization, technically appoints a BIC to each bank member of the SWIFT network

As the SWIFT network has kept on growing, their invention, i.e. the BIC, eventually gets referred to by the name of the organization, i.e. SWIFT.

The same way Kleenex, Escalator, and Thermos were originally the name of companies and have become generic terms to refer to the products they invented.

So, don’t get confused by BIC and SWIFT as they mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably.

In many cases, you will see the same code referred to as BIC, SWIFT, BIC/SWIFT code, SWIFT/BIC code, or SWIFT ID.

For more information about the BIC code, refer to this guide provided by SWIFT.

Where can you find BIC and SWIFT codes?

To make things easy, banks include your BIC/SWIFT code on your account statements, both online and offline.

If you are searching for a SWIFT code to send money to someone else, the simplest way to retrieve their SWIFT code is by using an online SWIFT/BIC tool.

Put in details such as the country, bank, and location, and then the online SWIFT code tool will identify the correct one for you.

To be 100% safe, triple-check the code you have found with the recipient.

You can use one of these trustworthy SWIFT/BIC tools to do your search:

• IBAN
• The SWIFT Codes
• Bank Codes

When do you use a BIC/SWIFT code?

You will need a SWIFT/BIC code each time you receive or make a cross-border payment to ensure the funds will reach their destination safely and timely.

So, you should keep the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank account handy so you may give it, with other bank account details, to the persons you are expecting payment from.

Vice versa, you should always ask your recipients to provide their SWIFT/BIC code before you instruct payment to them.

Keep in mind that fees and exchange rates will apply to any transfers made using the SWIFT/BIC network.

One of the drawbacks of using this system is that it is often difficult to know exactly what these costs are at the time you place the transfer.

Before making an international transfer, check our international payment guide for more details as you may need additional bank codes for some countries.

If your business is incorporated in Hong Kong, Singapore, or the BVI, using Statrys for your overseas payment will give you full transparency on applicable fees and exchange rates and can get you savings compared to your usual bank.

Wo finde ich mein Swift BIC?

Ist SWIFT das gleich wie BIC?