Identifiers

Bank identifier intelligence

BIC lookup

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Enter a BIC8 for the primary office or a full BIC11 for an exact branch.

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Understand the codebehind the institution.

Structure of a Business Identifier Code (BIC).

ISO 9362 is an international standard for Business Identifier Codes (BIC), a unique identifier for business institutions, approved by the International Organization for Standardization. BIC is also known as SWIFT-BIC, SWIFT ID, or SWIFT code, after the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), which is designated by ISO as the BIC registration authority.

BIC was defined originally as a Bank Identifier Code and is most often assigned to financial organizations; when it is assigned to a non-financial organization, the code may also be known as a Business Identifier Code. There are over 7,500 "live" codes (for partners actively connected to the SWIFT network) and an estimated 10,000 additional BIC codes which can be used for manual transactions.

These codes are used when transferring money between banks, particularly for international wire transfers, and also for the exchange of other messages between banks. The codes can sometimes be found on account statements. There is overlap between ISO 9362 and ISO 13616.

BUSINESS IDENTIFIER
ABNANL2AXXX

BIC8 · optional branch

Business partyFirst 4 characters
CountryNext 2 letters
LocationNext 2 characters
BranchOptional final 3 characters

What BIC can - and cannot - tell you.

A BIC identifies a registered business party, with an optional suffix for a branch, department or service. It is separate from a customer’s account identifier.

What BIC can indicate

  • The registered business party, financial or non-financial
  • The country specified by its two-letter country code
  • A branch, department or service when a suffix is present
  • The institution or unit addressed in financial messaging

What BIC cannot determine

  • An individual account number or its owner
  • Account validity, balance or transaction history
  • Current Swift connectivity or payment reachability from the code alone
  • Whether a payment will be accepted or settled

BIC FAQ

Is a BIC the same as a SWIFT code?

In everyday banking language, yes. BIC is the ISO 9362 Business Identifier Code; 'SWIFT code' is the common name associated with Swift's role as registration authority and network operator.

What is the difference between BIC8 and BIC11?

BIC8 contains the party, country and location. BIC11 adds a three-character branch identifier. An eight-character input should not be read as a specific branch.

Does a valid BIC mean it is connected to Swift?

No. Swift publishes connected and non-connected BICs. Check current directory and connectivity data before using a code to address a message.

Is a BIC an account number?

No. It identifies a business party or branch. An IBAN or domestic account number identifies an account and is separate from the BIC.