SWIFT/BIC codes in Belgium: banks starting with A

Finding a SWIFT code in Belgium

Here you will find codes for 333 institutions in Belgium – 651 codes altogether. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get an international payment.

Choose the bank below to view the head office code and its other codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. The sections below covers how the codes work, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing before you send money.

SWIFT codes in Belgium: banks under :letter

The letter filter narrows the list down to banks in Belgium starting with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The counts in the introduction always cover all banks in Belgium, not just this letter.

Cannot find the bank? The registered name may begin with another word – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. The full overview for Belgium is one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient send you the account details straight from their banking app. When the code you were given differs from the code listed here, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is compiled from public sources and is updated regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes. Treat our data as a reference, not as the final word. We are an independent comparison site, not a bank.

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests carrying changed bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC says nothing about who owns the account – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Belgium and the Euro

The national currency in Belgium is the Euro (EUR). Money sent in a different currency is converted into EUR before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often it is cheaper to send EUR straight away via a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Rates for EUR change during the day.

Belgium and the SEPA area

Belgium is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. For a regular euro transfer from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN; many banks no longer ask for the BIC.

The BIC still come into play when the currency is not euros and for transfers from outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive within one business day or faster with instant payments. Fees are generally low as long as everything stays in euros.

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. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

Find your bank in the list above, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to add your bank’s name and city as well.

The amount you receive is often less than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium and its SWIFT codes

In our data, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Belgium. Its main office uses PARBBEBZXXX.

Many codes usually means separate codes for branches, departments or services. If not a branch code is given, the head office code PARBBEBZXXX works for transfers to this bank.

How SWIFT codes from Belgium are built

Bank identifier codes use the same format worldwide: eight characters. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

You can spot a code from Belgium from letters five and six: they always show the ISO country code of Belgium. A code with a different country code belong to another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the main office. For most transfers the head office code is fine.

Tracking a payment to Belgium

A SWIFT payment to Belgium typically needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays often go out a business day later.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every payment gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services usually show tracking in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

What a transfer to Belgium really costs

When you transfer money to Belgium via your bank, the stated fee is rarely all of what you pay. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a rate below the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. A simple test: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. On GoldexPay you can compare the amount that arrives in Belgium with different services, so you can pick the cheapest route.