B and Bt NV SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of B and Bt NV

Whether you are given BNDDBE21 or BNDDBE21XXX, it is the identical identifier for B and Bt NV in Belgium. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain 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.

This page is meant to help people who receives money at an account at B and Bt NV without mistakes. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Verifying the SWIFT code of B and Bt NV

The most reliable place for the correct BIC is paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Check it against BNDDBE21 on this page and ask if anything does not match.

An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a returned payment or extra fees for investigation. Remember the account number: an error there is more difficult to undo than a wrong code.

Many banking apps check the format of an IBAN, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. Where available, a payee name check before sending gives extra certainty. For a first payment, some people start with a small amount first and wait for confirmation.

Which of the 2 codes of B and Bt NV do you need?

B and Bt NV uses 2 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the rest belong to branches.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: payments addressed to BNDDBE21XXX reach B and Bt NV without problems. If you have been given a branch code, use it as it is instead of replacing it with the head office code.

Not sure which code applies? Ask the recipient or the bank itself. Branch codes are more prone to be retired than BNDDBE21XXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

The Euro and what conversion costs you

The currency of Belgium is the Euro (EUR). When you pay money in a different currency it has to be converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, by B and Bt NV or by a bank in between. Each conversion costs the amount – usually through the rate rather than a fee.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Sending the amount already in EUR often avoids an extra conversion at the receiving end – as long as your own rate is good.

The rate for EUR fluctuates constantly. On larger amounts, a small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

BNDDBE21 or BNDDBE21XXX – which one to use?

A BIC is made up of 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. That gives you BNDDBE21, the short form of the code.

XXX at the end of BNDDBE21XXX is not a missing value or a mistake: it indicates the main office of B and Bt NV. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, in which case you can enter XXX behind BNDDBE21.

Type the code as one block, in upper case and without spaces. Watch for the letter O and the digit 0 or I versus 1, a common source of typos.

Paying B and Bt NV in euros within SEPA

Because Belgium is part of the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to B and Bt NV from within the SEPA area usually requires just an IBAN. Most banking apps do not require the BIC for these payments.

You still need BNDDBE21XXX for payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Some banks and apps still show a field for the BIC; in that case, fill in BNDDBE21 or BNDDBE21XXX.

Instant payments in euros have become increasingly available across SEPA – whether B and Bt NV offers them for your account is worth checking. As long as the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be cheap; it is the conversion that costs money.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Be wary if someone suddenly asks you to send money to a different account or a bank in another country. That BNDDBE21 is a real code is no guarantee that a request mentioning it is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Always verify a change of bank details by phone, using a number you already had. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. When money has already gone to the wrong account, call your bank right away.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: one known trick is an overpayment followed by a request to send back the difference abroad. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof.

What to give a sender who pays you at B and Bt NV

For an international payment at B and Bt NV, the sender needs more than the SWIFT code. The basics are: your name, IBAN or account number, BNDDBE21XXX and often your home address.

Some banks want the bank’s address in Antwerpen; it does no harm to include it. A typo in the IBAN can be harder to fix than you might think, so copy the details from your online banking.

Money from abroad will not always land for the full amount. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank. On invoices, it is common to agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Sending money abroad from B and Bt NV

The price of an international transfer has several parts, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. On top of the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and if currencies are converted the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: the bank converts at a rate that includes a margin. Check their rate with the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

For many routes, a transfer service is cheaper than a bank. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives across providers, so you can pick the cheapest route. You can still keep your account at B and Bt NV to fund the transfer; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is based on publicly available sources. Still, banks merge or change codes and our data may lag behind. Counts and locations are from our directory.

For a payment of any size, always check the BIC with the recipient’s bank or the recipient. GoldexPay has no connection to B and Bt NV, we only compare transfer services. Spotted an error? Let us know through the contact page.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to B and Bt NV

An international transfer usually needs anywhere from one to several 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 often go out the next business day. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every payment carries a unique reference, the UETR. Save your transfer receipt; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

If the money does not arrive within the expected time, the sender needs to contact their own bank, not the receiving bank. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.