SWIFT/BIC codes in Australia: banks starting with C

Bank SWIFT codes for Australia

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

Each bank has its own page with the head office code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Australia

Each SWIFT/BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

You can spot a bank code from Australia from the fifth and sixth characters. Codes with other letters in that position come from a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the head office and the short version works just as well. For most transfers the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

How reliable is this list?

The best place to find the right code is paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges – compare it with the code in our list.

The directory on GoldexPay draws on public sources that we update periodically. Institutions merge, change names and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Before a payment that matters, check the code with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service, not a bank.

Scammers often send fake invoices with new bank details from what looks like a familiar address. Before paying, confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Banks in Australia starting with :letter

Here you see a filtered list: just institutions in Australia with a name starting with :letter. The figures for Australia mentioned here cover all 608 banks.

If the bank you need does not appear under :letter, check the full list – the registered name can differ from the name people use. The full overview for Australia remains available if the letter filter does not help.

What a sender needs to pay you in Australia

If you are waiting for a payment from another country in Australia, give the sender a complete set of details. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your postal address.

Look up your bank in the list above to check its code. Certain banks may also ask for your bank’s address; it does no harm to include it.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank. For business payments, agree how the fees are split.

Why a transfer to Australia needs a SWIFT code

Australia is not part of the SEPA area, so European euro rules do not apply. Payments from abroad normally go through the SWIFT network – which is why you need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

Not every country uses IBAN numbers – where there is none, the local account number is enough. Ask the recipient which details their bank needs for incoming international payments – many banks give clear instructions for this. SWIFT payments can pass through correspondent banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Transfer times to Australia

There is no fixed answer for transfers to Australia: many arrive the same day or the next, others take several business days. Public holidays in Australia or in the sending country can add a day or more to the journey.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank. Save your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms.

Bank or transfer service for Australia?

A bank transfer to Australia often costs rather more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a rate below the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate – the bank builds a margin into its rate. A simple test: put the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is less expensive than a bank. Before your next transfer to Australia, take a minute comparing the total cost via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Which bank in Australia has the most codes?

In our directory, BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch) holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Australia. Its main office uses PARBAUS1066; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes – a high count is not a measure of size. Paying someone at BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch)? Use PARBAUS1066 except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

Paying in AUD: what conversion costs you

Australia pays in the Australian Dollar, with the currency code AUD. If you send money in a different currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way.

Which bank converts the payment matters: every bank has its own margin. In many cases you pay less if you send AUD straight away through a transfer service with a good rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Rates for AUD change during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.