Kaerntner Sparkasse AG SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Kaerntner Sparkasse AG

KSPKAT2K and KSPKAT2KXXX are two ways of writing the same bank identifier, and both point to Kaerntner Sparkasse AG in Klagenfurt. The code has a single purpose: it ensures that money from abroad reaches the right bank. In practice you mostly see the code on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that Kaerntner Sparkasse AG provides.

Further down we go through the practical side: receiving money at Kaerntner Sparkasse AG, paying someone in another country and how to verify a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. The SWIFT code on its own cannot identify an individual account holder; for that you need the IBAN or account number is for.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Be alert when someone unexpectedly wants you to send money to a different account or a bank in another country. The fact that KSPKAT2K exists does not mean that a request mentioning it is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Verify new bank details via a separate channel. Be suspicious of urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. If money was sent to the wrong account, call your bank right away.

Fraud can also work the other way: someone claims to have sent more than agreed and asks you to return the extra. Do not act before the money has really arrived and check with Kaerntner Sparkasse AG if anything seems off.

Choosing between the 6 SWIFT codes of Kaerntner Sparkasse AG

Having 6 codes in 6 cities, Kaerntner Sparkasse AG belongs to the banks that use separate codes for branches. The head office code is KSPKAT2KXXX.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: transfers addressed to KSPKAT2KXXX are routed within Kaerntner Sparkasse AG without problems. When you receive a specific code, stick to it rather than replacing it with the head office code.

The best way is to take the code directly from the recipient’s invoice. Codes for branches are more likely to be retired than the head office code when a bank merges or closes offices.

Why Kaerntner Sparkasse AG has an 8- and an 11-character code

Every SWIFT/BIC code starts with the same eight core characters: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. Combined, those parts make up KSPKAT2K, the code most people search for.

The full version adds three more characters for a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, the code points to the head office.

Do not add spaces when you enter KSPKAT2K; the code is always written in one block. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 or the letter I and the digit 1; they are easy to mix up.

How to check KSPKAT2K before you pay

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. If the code you have differs from KSPKAT2K or KSPKAT2KXXX, do not guess – contact the recipient or Kaerntner Sparkasse AG.

An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges for investigation. Do not forget the account number: an error there is more difficult to correct than a wrong code.

A validity check by your bank merely tells you that the code is valid, not that it is the right account. Where available, a name check on the recipient adds an extra layer of safety. For a first payment, some people start with a small test amount.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Austria pays in the Euro, code EUR. If you send another currency it has to be converted somewhere along the way. There is rarely a separate charge for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Which bank converts the money makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Often you pay less to send EUR straight away through a transfer service with a good rate.

Rates for EUR change during the day, and some providers let you lock in a rate. For regular payments, small differences in the rate make a real difference over a year.

What to give a sender who pays you at Kaerntner Sparkasse AG

To receive an international payment at Kaerntner Sparkasse AG, the person paying you has to have not just the BIC. Share your name as the bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC KSPKAT2KXXX and your address.

It helps to include Kaerntner Sparkasse AG and its city as well. Double-check each detail before you share them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

An incoming payment will not always arrive for the full amount. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the currency changes, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Paying someone abroad from your Kaerntner Sparkasse AG account

The price of a payment abroad is made up of more than one component, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. There is the fee for the transfer itself, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks along the way 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 – you only notice it if you compare. Check their rate against the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists these services side by side, showing what actually arrives before you commit. You can always keep your account at Kaerntner Sparkasse AG.

How up to date is this code?

The codes here come from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. Counts and locations come from our directory and may differ from what Kaerntner Sparkasse AG publishes.

Treat this page as a reference, not as the last word. We are a comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Kaerntner Sparkasse AG. If you notice a mistake, we appreciate a message via the contact page.

Tracking a transfer to or from Kaerntner Sparkasse AG

A SWIFT payment typically takes one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Weekends and public holidays in either country can add extra days to the journey. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments may also add some delay, regardless of the details.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived – you will need it for any trace request.

A missing payment is investigated from the sending side, using the payment confirmation. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

Do you need KSPKAT2K for a SEPA transfer?

Since Austria is in SEPA, a euro payment into Kaerntner Sparkasse AG from within the SEPA area usually requires just an IBAN. Most banking apps no longer ask for the BIC in that case.

You will still need KSPKAT2KXXX for non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. If your banking app has a field for the BIC anyway, entering KSPKAT2K does no harm.

Instant euro transfers have become increasingly supported across SEPA. As long as no currency is converted, a SEPA transfer is inexpensive; costs rise once a conversion is involved.