SWIFT/BIC codes in Belarus

Belarus: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

In Belarus we have 113 SWIFT/BIC codes from 33 financial institutions. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers.

Look for the recipient’s bank below and click through to see all codes we have and what else a transfer requires. Below the list we explain how codes from Belarus are built, how to send money to Belarus at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Why a transfer to Belarus needs a SWIFT code

To pay into Belarus you almost always need a SWIFT/BIC code, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, your bank cannot send the payment.

Not every country uses IBAN numbers; in that case the local account number is used instead. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for incoming international payments. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Check the code before you pay

Ask the recipient to copy their bank details directly from a recent statement. An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is based on publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use our data as a reference, not as the final word. GoldexPay is a comparison service, not a bank.

Fraudsters often use payment requests with new bank details. Always confirm changed details by phone on a number you know.

How SWIFT codes from Belarus are built

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

For banks in Belarus, characters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Belarus, which makes these codes easy to recognise. If the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank in another country – worth double-checking.

If the last three are XXX, it means the main office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. In most cases the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Which bank in Belarus has the most codes?

Of all banks we list for Belarus, Belarusbank has the largest number of codes. The head office uses AKBBBY2XXXX.

How many codes a bank has tells you more about how it organises its payments than about its size. Paying someone at Belarusbank? Go with AKBBBY2XXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

The cheapest way to send money to Belarus

What you pay for a transfer to Belarus has several parts, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. On top of the fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a rate below the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before you send money to Belarus, it is worth to compare the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Belarus

To receive an international payment in Belarus, the sender needs not just the SWIFT code. Give them your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Find the bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details. Some banks may also ask for the name and address of your bank.

Expect that the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. On invoices, state how the fees are split.

How long does a transfer to Belarus take?

An international transfer to Belarus typically needs one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out the next business day.

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 see where the money is. Money transfer services often show tracking in their app.