Bank of Albania SWIFT/BIC code

What STANALTR means for a payment to Bank of Albania

The 8-character code STANALTR and the 11-character code STANALTRXXX refer to the same bank: Bank of Albania. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank should receive the money, much like a postcode for banks. It comes up mostly when dealing with payments that cross a border and payments in foreign currencies.

On this page you will find what the code means, when it matters and what else a transfer to or from Bank of Albania requires. Remember that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the person: the account number or IBAN does that part.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

One of the most common tricks goes like this: you receive a request claiming that a contact now has new bank details and asking you to pay there from now on. The fact that STANALTR exists is no guarantee that the account is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Never rely on a phone number from the same email that announces the change. Be suspicious of time pressure, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Acted too fast? Call the bank you paid from without delay and have them try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

Fraud also target the receiver: someone sends too much and asks you to refund the difference via a different route. A payment confirmation from the sender proves nothing – check your own account.

About this information

We collect bank codes using public sources and update our list from time to time. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. The figures on this page reflect what is in our directory.

Treat our data as a reference, not as the final word: the recipient’s bank details come first. We are an independent comparison site and not part of Bank of Albania. If you notice a mistake, we welcome a message.

How long does an international transfer to Bank of Albania take?

A SWIFT payment usually needs anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country can add a day or more to the journey. Extra checks by one of the banks may also add some delay.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact the sending bank for the status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Money transfer services often show tracking in their app so you can see where the money has got.

A missing payment has to be investigated from the sending side on the basis of the transfer details. Request from the sender the payment receipt with the date and reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Sending money abroad from Bank of Albania

What you pay for an international transfer is made up of more than one component – not just the fee on your screen. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly charges from correspondent banks in between and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate if the currency changes.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the largest cost. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites.

Specialised transfer providers frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay we compare the amount that arrives with different providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can always use your account at Bank of Albania as the source of the money, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

What to give a sender who pays you at Bank of Albania

For an international payment into your account at Bank of Albania, the sender has to have not just the BIC. The basics are: your name, account number or IBAN, STANALTRXXX or STANALTR and in many cases your postal address.

The sender’s bank might request the bank address of Bank of Albania; the head office in Tirana is usually fine. Double-check the details before you share them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

An incoming payment does not always arrive in full. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. On invoices, you can agree who bears the costs.

Is STANALTR still correct? How to check

The most reliable source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient. Check it against STANALTR on this page and ask if anything does not match.

With a wrong code, the payment might be delayed, bounce back or cost extra, and tracing it can take weeks. A mistake in the account number can be more serious.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN – that confirms the format, not the owner. More and more banks check the name with the account before you confirm. When you pay someone new, some people start with a small amount first and wait for confirmation.

Why Bank of Albania has an 8- and an 11-character code

The structure of every SWIFT code is always the same: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. Combined, those parts make up STANALTR – the version you usually see online.

Most payment forms work with either length. If yours requires eleven characters, enter STANALTRXXX.

Enter the code as one block, in upper case and without spaces. A wrong character can send the money to a different institution, so copy it carefully.

Head office or branch code at Bank of Albania?

Having 8 codes in 6 locations, Bank of Albania belongs to the banks that register individual codes for branches and departments. The main code is STANALTRXXX.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code STANALTRXXX is the right choice. Just use a branch code when the recipient gives you that exact code, for example on an invoice or in their bank details.

The safest approach is to copy the code directly from the recipient’s invoice. Branch codes can change when banks reorganise, so do not rely on old paperwork.