Royal Bank of Canada SWIFT/BIC code

Royal Bank of Canada SWIFT code: RBDOAUB1

RBDOAUB1 and RBDOAUB1XXX are two spellings of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Royal Bank of Canada in Sydney. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to direct international transfers to the right bank. In practice you mostly come across it on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details of Royal Bank of Canada customers.

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

How long does an international transfer to Royal Bank of Canada take?

An international transfer typically needs one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later. Compliance checks by one of the banks can also cause a delay, regardless of the details.

If a transfer is delayed, contact the sending bank for the status or the UETR so they can trace it along the chain. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it for any trace request.

The bank that sent the money can start an official trace – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. On the receiving end, it helps to look at your account to see a partial amount.

Sending money abroad from Royal Bank of Canada

When you transfer money to another country from Royal Bank of Canada, the visible fee is only part of what you pay. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly charges from correspondent banks in between and, above all, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Many banks do not list the margin on the rate as a cost. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before your next transfer, it is worth comparing what arrives on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank. Using a transfer service does not mean leaving Royal Bank of Canada: you simply pay the service from your account.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is compiled from public sources. It can happen that information here is no longer current after a merger or reorganisation. Counts and locations are from our directory and are not confirmed by Royal Bank of Canada.

For a payment of any size, always confirm the code with Royal Bank of Canada or with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service and not part of Royal Bank of Canada. If you notice something that is out of date, we welcome a message.

8 or 11 characters: RBDOAUB1 versus RBDOAUB1XXX

The layout of every SWIFT code never changes: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code, plus an optional branch code. For Royal Bank of Canada, that core is RBDOAUB1.

Many banks and apps work with either length. If a form requires eleven characters, use RBDOAUB1XXX, otherwise RBDOAUB1 is fine.

Leave out spaces or dashes when you type RBDOAUB1; the code is always written in one block. A single letter can send a payment to another bank, so copy it carefully.

Head office or branch code at Royal Bank of Canada?

Royal Bank of Canada uses 2 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code, RBDOAUB1XXX; the rest identify branches.

For most payments to a private or business account, the head office code RBDOAUB1XXX is what you need. If you have been given a specific code, stick to it rather than replacing it for the head office code.

The best way is to copy the code directly from the recipient’s invoice. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

Watch out for payment fraud

Criminals often send payment requests containing changed bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. That RBDOAUB1 is a real code does not mean that the account is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Never trust a phone number from the same email that contains the change. Urgency and requests to keep it quiet tend to be red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. If money has already gone to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately.

Fraud can also work the other way. Someone claims to have sent too much and asks you to refund the difference to a new account. Do not act before the money has really arrived.

Australian Dollar (AUD) and conversion costs

The currency in Australia is the Australian Dollar (AUD). Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into AUD – and the bank that does it picks the rate. You rarely see a separate charge for the conversion; it is built into the rate.

Who converts the payment matters, because each party uses its own rate. Compare how much AUD the recipient gets via several services.

Rates for AUD move all the time, and some providers let you lock in a rate. On larger amounts, a seemingly small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

Verifying the SWIFT code of Royal Bank of Canada

The most reliable place for the correct BIC is a document from the bank itself. Check that code with RBDOAUB1 here.

Mistakes in the SWIFT code are costly rather than disastrous – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. Do not forget the IBAN: a mistake there can be harder to undo than a wrong BIC.

Many banking apps check the format of IBANs. More and more banks check the name with the account before you confirm; take any warning seriously. For a first payment, some people send a small amount first.

Getting paid from abroad into a Royal Bank of Canada account

For a transfer from abroad into your account at Royal Bank of Canada, the person paying you has to have not just the SWIFT code. Share your name as the bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC RBDOAUB1XXX and your address, which some banks require.

The sender’s bank may request the address of your bank. Double-check the details before you send them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

Expect that the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank; check the price list of Royal Bank of Canada. On invoices, you can agree who bears the costs.