SWIFT/BIC codes in Australia: banks starting with O

Bank SWIFT codes for Australia

This overview contains 608 banks and other institutions in Australia. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get an international payment.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through for the full list of codes and what else a transfer requires. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes.

Tracking a payment to Australia

A SWIFT payment to Australia usually needs one to a few business days. Transfers sent late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday often start the next business day.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi. Every payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep the payment confirmation until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Sending money to Australia for less

An international bank payment to Australia can cost rather more than the fee suggests. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks and, above all, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer. On GoldexPay we compare the amount that arrives in Australia with different providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.

Which bank in Australia has the most codes?

BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch) leads our list for Australia when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office uses PARBAUS1066.

Many codes often reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. Unless a branch code is given, the head office code PARBAUS1066 works for a payment to BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch).

Why a transfer to Australia needs a SWIFT code

For Australia you will almost always need the BIC – Australia is not a SEPA country. Without it, most banks will not send the transfer.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN. The receiving bank usually has a list of required details for payments from abroad – follow them exactly. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks.

Incoming international payments in Australia

A sender in another country needs several details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. Share the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Look up the bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details – your bank statement is the final word. Certain sending banks may also ask for the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

The amount you receive is often lower than the amount sent. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. For business payments, agree how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

The structure of a Australia SWIFT/BIC code

Bank identifier codes follow one international format: 8 characters. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can spot a code from Australia by the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of Australia. Codes with other letters in that position belong to another country.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code. For most transfers the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Check the code before you pay

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself. If the code you have does not match the code listed here, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and check our list from time to time. Institutions reorganise, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use this list as a reference rather than the last word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers, not a bank.

Scammers regularly use fake invoices carrying changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine: criminals use real codes too.

Australia and the Australian Dollar

The currency in Australia is the Australian Dollar (AUD). A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into AUD on its way to the recipient, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Which bank converts the money matters: every bank has its own margin. Check what AUD arrives via several services. Rates for AUD change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

SWIFT codes in Australia: banks under :letter

This page shows only banks in Australia beginning with :letter. The totals mentioned above always refer to all banks in Australia.

Some banks are listed under their official name, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The complete list is available if the letter filter does not help.