Gulf International Bank, B.s.c. SWIFT/BIC code

What GULFBHBM means for a payment to Gulf International Bank, B.s.c.

GULFBHBM and GULFBHBMXXX are two spellings of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both point to Gulf International Bank, B.s.c. in Manama. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a payment which institution is meant to get the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. It comes up mostly when dealing with payments that cross a border and payments in foreign currencies.

Further down you will find the practical questions: money coming in from abroad, paying someone in another country and how to check a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. A SWIFT code identifies an institution, not a specific account; the IBAN or account number does that.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Fraudsters often use payment requests containing changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. That GULFBHBM is a real code does not mean that the account is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Verify changed bank details through a separate channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract. Be suspicious of urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. If a payment has already gone to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Recipients are targeted too: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to refund the difference. Do not act before the money has really arrived and check with Gulf International Bank, B.s.c. if anything seems off.

Tracking a transfer to or from Gulf International Bank, B.s.c.

An international transfer typically needs anywhere from one to several business days. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country can add extra days. Sometimes a bank wants to know what the payment is for.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Specialist transfer services often provide a status online so you can see where the payment has got.

The bank that sent the money is able to start an official trace; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation with the date and reference.

A note on our data

The codes here are taken from publicly available data that we update regularly. Still, banks merge or retire codes. The number of codes on this page reflect our own data.

Treat our directory here as a helpful check and rely on the recipient or Gulf International Bank, B.s.c. for the final confirmation. GoldexPay is independent of Gulf International Bank, B.s.c., we only compare transfer services. If you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a message.

Paying someone abroad from your Gulf International Bank, B.s.c. account

If you send money to another country via Gulf International Bank, B.s.c., the visible fee is rarely all of the cost. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between can deduct a fee, and if currencies are converted the bank usually uses a rate below the real market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest cost, and it is easy to miss. A simple test: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares transfer providers next to each other so you can see what actually arrives for the same amount sent. You can still use your account at Gulf International Bank, B.s.c.; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Head office or branch code at Gulf International Bank, B.s.c.?

Gulf International Bank, B.s.c. uses 3 different SWIFT/BIC codes across 1 cities. Only one is the head office code, GULFBHBMXXX; the rest belong to branches or departments, and sometimes specific services.

In most cases there is no need to look up a branch: transfers sent to GULFBHBMXXX reach Gulf International Bank, B.s.c. without problems. A branch code only makes sense if the account holder specifically mentions it.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient which code their bank gave them. Codes for branches are more likely to change than the head office code.

Incoming international payments to Gulf International Bank, B.s.c.

If you expect a payment from another country, give the sender everything they need in one go. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC GULFBHBMXXX and your address, which some banks require.

The sender’s bank may also ask for the address of your bank, in which case the Manama head office is the usual answer. Check the details before you send them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

Verifying the SWIFT code of Gulf International Bank, B.s.c.

The most reliable place for the correct BIC is a document from the bank itself. When the code you were given differs from GULFBHBM or GULFBHBMXXX, do not guess.

If the code is wrong, the transfer may be delayed, bounce back or end up costing more – sometimes after weeks of searching. A mistake in the IBAN or account number is more serious; check it just as carefully.

A validity check in your banking app only tells you that the IBAN is valid. More and more banks check the payee name against the account; take any warning seriously. For a first payment, some people send a small test amount before sending the rest.

8 or 11 characters: GULFBHBM versus GULFBHBMXXX

A BIC is built from fixed blocks: characters one to four stand for the bank, the next two give the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. Together, these eight characters form GULFBHBM.

XXX at the end of GULFBHBMXXX is not a missing value or a mistake: it indicates the main office of Gulf International Bank, B.s.c.. Some banking apps ask for 11 characters, and then you can enter XXX behind GULFBHBM.

Type the code as one block, in capitals and without spaces, exactly as shown here. Copying the code beats retyping it: a typo can point to another bank.