UBS AG Australia Branch SWIFT/BIC code

What UBSWAU2S means for a payment to UBS AG Australia Branch

The short code UBSWAU2S and the 11-character code UBSWAU2SXXX refer to the same bank: UBS AG Australia Branch, with its head office in Sydney. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a payment which institution should receive the money. It comes up mostly for transfers between countries.

Further down we go through the practical side: money coming in from abroad, paying someone in another country and how to check the code before you hit send. Keep in mind that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number does that part.

UBS AG Australia Branch: head office code versus branch codes

UBS AG Australia Branch uses 4 separate SWIFT/BIC codes across 1 cities. Only one is the head office code, UBSWAU2SXXX; the rest identify branches or departments, and sometimes internal departments.

For the vast majority of incoming transfers, the head office code UBSWAU2SXXX is the right choice. Only use a branch code when the recipient gives you that exact code, for example on a letter or invoice.

The safest route is to copy the code straight from the recipient’s invoice. Codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise.

Is UBSWAU2S still correct? How to check

Have the recipient send you the account details straight from a recent statement. If the code you have does not match UBSWAU2S or UBSWAU2SXXX, stop and ask: check with the recipient or with UBS AG Australia Branch directly.

If the code is wrong, the transfer might be delayed, bounce back or end up costing more. An error in the account number can be more serious, so check that just as carefully.

Many banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC. Where available, a payee name check on the recipient adds extra certainty. When you pay someone new, some people send a small test amount before sending the rest.

Paying someone abroad from your UBS AG Australia Branch account

A bank transfer abroad costs more than the listed fee. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and when currencies are converted, the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate: the bank converts at a rate that includes a margin. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialist money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay lists transfer providers side by side so you can see the amount the recipient gets before you commit. Choosing a specialist does not require closing your account at UBS AG Australia Branch: you simply pay the service from your account.

Sending AUD to UBS AG Australia Branch

Australia pays in the Australian Dollar, code AUD. A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into AUD on its way to UBS AG Australia Branch, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. There is rarely a separate charge for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who converts the payment makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Check how much AUD arrives via several services.

The rate for AUD fluctuates throughout the day, so the amount you see is usually only valid for a short time. For recurring payments, small differences in the rate add up over time.

Watch out for payment fraud

Fraudsters often use fake invoices with changed bank details. The fact that UBSWAU2S exists is no guarantee that a request mentioning it is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Always confirm a change of bank details by phone. Urgency or requests to keep it quiet are red flags. Acted too fast? Contact your bank straight away and ask them to try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: one known trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to refund the difference to another account. Do not act before the money is actually in your account.

About this information

The codes on this page are taken from public sources which we refresh regularly. Even so, banks merge or change codes, so information can be out of date. The figures on this page reflect what is in our directory.

See the information here as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or UBS AG Australia Branch have the final say. GoldexPay is independent of UBS AG Australia Branch, we only compare transfer services. If you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a short note via the contact page.

Getting paid from abroad into a UBS AG Australia Branch account

If you expect money from abroad, give the sender all details at once. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code UBSWAU2SXXX (or UBSWAU2S) and sometimes your postal address.

You can include the bank name and its city as well. Double-check the details before you share them.

What lands in your account is often lower than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank; check the price list of UBS AG Australia Branch. On invoices, it is common to agree who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.

8 or 11 characters: UBSWAU2S versus UBSWAU2SXXX

The structure of a BIC is always the same: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code, sometimes followed by a branch code. In this case, that core is UBSWAU2S.

The 11-character version has three more characters for a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office.

As a rule the code is written in capitals and without spaces. Pasting the code is safer than retyping it, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

How long does an international transfer to UBS AG Australia Branch take?

A SWIFT payment usually needs anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually start a business day later. Compliance checks by one of the banks may also cause some delay, even when all details are correct.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

The bank that sent the money is able to start an official trace or a recall – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. As a recipient, you can check your statements for a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.