SWIFT/BIC codes in Belgium

Finding a SWIFT code in Belgium

On this page you find codes for 333 banks in Belgium, 651 codes in all. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank should receive the money.

Select a bank below to see the head office code and its other codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. Below the list you can read how a code from Belgium is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Belgium

To receive an international payment in Belgium, the person paying you has to have not just the BIC. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

The code of your bank is in our list. It helps to add the name and city of your bank because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, state who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

SEPA transfers to Belgium

Belgium belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). For a standard euro transfer within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN.

You will still need the BIC when sending payments in other currencies or money from outside the SEPA area. SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day. Costs stay low provided everything stays in euros.

The largest SWIFT network in Belgium: BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium tops the list for Belgium when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office has PARBBEBZXXX and that code covers most payments.

A large number of codes often means that the bank registers branches and departments separately, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, PARBBEBZXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

Sending money to Belgium for less

When you transfer money to Belgium through your bank, the fee you see is rarely all of the cost. There is a transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee. A simple test: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate. Before your next transfer to Belgium, it is worth to compare the total cost on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Check the code before you pay

Have the recipient send you the account details directly from their online banking. When the code you were given does not match our list, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

This list is based on public sources that we update periodically. Institutions merge, change names and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Use this list as a reference: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers, not a bank.

Scammers often use payment requests with changed bank details. Before paying, confirm changed details through a separate channel.

How SWIFT codes from Belgium are built

SWIFT/BIC codes follow the same format worldwide: eight characters plus an optional three-character extension. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and the next two give the location.

Whatever the bank, every code from Belgium share the same fifth and sixth letters, namely the ISO code of Belgium. A code with a different country code belong to another country – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX means the head office. Choose a branch code just if the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Tracking a payment to Belgium

A SWIFT payment to Belgium usually needs anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Public holidays in Belgium or in the sending country can add extra days.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Money transfer services often show a status online, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Belgium pays in the Euro, with the currency code EUR. When you pay money in a different currency, it has to be converted somewhere along the way.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Compare how much EUR the recipient gets via several providers before choosing one. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.