SWIFT Codes and BIC Codes

The term « SWIFT Code » is borrowed from the name of a bank association named SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication).

This association has established standard identification rules to facilitate international transfers within or between countries.

The SWIFT association manages the BIC Codes records. The BIC Code is often assimilated into the SWIFT Code and vice versa. You can always find your BIC (or SWIFT code) on your RIB Information page, in different formats. For example, for Crédit Agricole and Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP), with two different formulations :

• BIC Code (Bank Identification Code) – SWIFT Code: AGRIFRPP847,
• BIC: BNPAFRPPTAS.

In France, and most generally in Europe, the BIC code is rarely used for transfers. The IBAN is the identifier used, and this has been reinforced by the introduction of SEPA standards, which now make the IBAN mandatory.

The BIC code contains either eight characters (Bank Code, Country Code, Location Code) or 11 characters (with Branch Code):

• Bank Code: 4 characters uniquely defining the bank,
• Country Code: 2 characters constituting the ISO country code (ISO 3166),
• Location Code: 2-digit location code (alphabetical or numerical) to distinguish banks in the same country,
• Branch Code: 3 optional characters define the bank branch (‘ XXX’ for the head office,’ NAN’ for a unit in Nantes, etc…).

When the code contains only eight characters, it is the bank’s national central office.

BIC Codes (Bank Identification Code) samples:

• BIC CODE de la BANQUE POPULAIRE VAL DE FRANCE: CCBPFRPPVER,
• BIC CODE BOURSORAMA (head office): BOUS FRPP XXX,
• BIC CODE – SOCIETE GENERALE (Headquarters): SOGEFRPP,
• BIC Credit Agricole Ille et Vilaine (35) department : AGRIFRPP836,
• CREDIT LYONNAIS (Headquarters): CRLYFRPP.

Note the particular case of the 12-digit BIC codes to identify endpoints in its network. These 12-character BIC codes are derived from the 11-character BIC of a financial institution, adding one character between the location code and the branch code, which designates the logical terminal (or local destination).

The SWIFT association’s website address, responsible for BIC codes, is Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. On our site, we will reference all BIC codes, French, and worldwide.

SWIFT and BIC Codes by continent:

• European bank Swift Codes and BIC Codes,
• Asian Bank Swift Codes and BIC Codes,
• African Bank Swift Codes and BIC Codes,
• American Bank Swift Codes and BIC Codes,
• Oceania Bank Swift Codes and BIC Codes.

We’d love your feedback :

Please let us know in the comments. THANK YOU.