SWIFT/BIC codes in Australia: banks starting with A

Bank SWIFT codes for Australia

This overview covers 608 banks and financial institutions in Australia, with 1063 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank is meant to get an international payment.

Search for the bank you need below and open its page to see the full list of codes. Further down you can read how a code from Australia is put together, how to send money to Australia without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Tracking a payment to Australia

An international transfer to Australia typically takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually start the next business day.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Most SWIFT codes in Australia: BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch)

Among the 608 institutions we list, BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch) holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Australia. Its head office code is PARBAUS1066 – the code most transfers need.

The number of codes says more about how it registers branches and services than about its size. Paying someone at BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch)? Go with PARBAUS1066 unless a specific branch code is requested.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Australia

If you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Australia, give the sender a complete set of details. Share your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. It helps to add your bank’s name and city as well.

The amount you receive is often lower than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. On invoices, agree how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

How SWIFT codes from Australia are built

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. It starts with four letters for the bank, then a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

You can spot a code from Australia from the fifth and sixth characters. When those two letters do not match Australia, you are looking at a bank somewhere else, so check again.

The long version ends in three characters for a branch. In most cases the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Bank or transfer service for Australia?

When you send money to Australia through a regular bank, the fee you see is rarely all of the cost. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank usually uses a rate below the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate. A simple test: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For many currency pairs, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares transfer services next to each other so you can see what actually arrives in Australia before you commit.

SWIFT transfers to Australia

Because Australia is outside SEPA, an international payment normally goes through SWIFT. That means you always need the SWIFT/BIC code of the recipient’s bank in addition to the account details.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number instead of an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Check with the recipient which details their bank needs for incoming international payments – many banks give clear instructions for this. International transfers can pass through correspondent banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

Check the code before you pay

The most reliable place for the right code remains a document from the bank itself. A wrong code may lead to a delay, a returned payment or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

We collect bank codes using public sources and update them from time to time. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Treat our data as a reference rather than the last word. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Be wary of payment requests with a new account – a common fraud method. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

SWIFT codes in Australia: banks under :letter

Here you see a filtered list: only institutions in Australia with a name starting with :letter. The totals on this page apply to all 608 banks and not only this letter.

If a bank does not appear here, check the full list: banks are often registered under their full legal name. The full overview for Australia is available when the letter filter does not help.

Australia and the Australian Dollar

Australia uses the Australian Dollar (AUD). Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into AUD before it reaches the account.

Which bank converts the money matters. Check what AUD the recipient gets with different services; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. On larger amounts, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.