Belarusbank SWIFT/BIC code

Belarusbank SWIFT code: AKBBBY2X

AKBBBY2X and AKBBBY2XXXX are two spellings of the same bank identifier, and both point to Belarusbank in Minsk. The code has a single purpose: it makes sure that money from abroad ends up at the right bank. In daily life you usually come across the code on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that Belarusbank provides.

Below we go through the practical side: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to check a SWIFT code before you hit send. Keep in mind that the BIC just identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number takes care of that.

8 or 11 characters: AKBBBY2X versus AKBBBY2XXXX

A BIC is built from a few fixed parts: characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six show the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. Together, those parts form AKBBBY2X, the code most people search for.

XXX at the end of AKBBBY2XXXX does not stand for a placeholder or an error: it indicates the main office of Belarusbank. Some forms ask for 11 characters, and then you can enter XXX after AKBBBY2X.

Enter the code in one piece, in capitals and without spaces, exactly as shown here. Pasting the code is safer than typing it by hand.

Verifying the SWIFT code of Belarusbank

Ask the recipient to copy the bank details directly from their online banking. Check it with AKBBBY2X on this page and ask if anything does not match.

An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees. Do not forget the IBAN: an error there can be more difficult to correct than a wrong code.

A format check by your bank merely confirms that the code is valid – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. Where available, a name check on the recipient gives extra certainty. A small test payment is a sensible step for a large first payment, even if it costs an extra fee.

What a transfer from Belarusbank abroad really costs

A bank transfer abroad costs rather more than the listed fee. You pay the fee for the transfer itself, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate if the currency changes.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: many banks convert using an exchange rate with a margin built in. Check their rate with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

For many currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives across services. You can still use your account at Belarusbank to fund the transfer; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Head office or branch code at Belarusbank?

Belarusbank has 30 different SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code; the rest identify branches, and sometimes internal departments.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, use AKBBBY2XXXX or its short form AKBBBY2X. Just use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient for the exact BIC in their bank details. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Scammers regularly send fake invoices with new bank details. That AKBBBY2X is a real code does not mean that the account is genuine.

Always verify changed bank details through a phone call. Watch out for time pressure, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Already paid? Call your bank straight away and have them try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

Scams can also work the other way: someone claims to have sent more than agreed and asks you to return the difference to a new account. Do not act before the money is actually in your account.

Receiving money from abroad at Belarusbank

For an international payment into your account at Belarusbank, the sender needs not just the BIC. The basics are: your name, IBAN or account number, AKBBBY2XXXX or AKBBBY2X and in many cases your postal address.

It helps to include the bank name and Minsk as well. A mistake in the IBAN can be more trouble than you might think, so copy the details from your online banking.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of Belarusbank. For business payments, you can agree how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

How long does an international transfer to Belarusbank take?

How fast a payment arrives at Belarusbank depends on several factors: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Bank holidays in either country can add a day or more, since banks do not process on those days. Sometimes a bank asks what the payment is for before releasing it.

If the money seems delayed, contact your bank about the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Save the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms – you will need it for any trace request.

A missing payment has to be investigated by the sending bank, using the payment confirmation. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation with the date and reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

About this information

The codes on this page come from publicly available data that we update regularly. Even so, banks merge or retire codes and our data may lag behind. Figures such as the number of codes come from our own dataset and are not confirmed by Belarusbank.

Use this page as a starting point, not as the last word – the bank details from the recipient are leading. GoldexPay has no connection to Belarusbank; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Found outdated information? Let us know via our contact form so we can correct it.