Bpostbank-Bpostbanque SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Bpostbank-Bpostbanque

The short code BPOTBEB1 and the full code BPOTBEB1XXX refer to one and the same institution: Bpostbank-Bpostbanque, with its head office in Brussels. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to direct payments between countries to the right bank. You will need it mostly for transfers between countries or a currency.

Below you will find the practical side: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to verify a SWIFT code before you hit send. Remember that the BIC just identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number takes care of that.

8 or 11 characters: BPOTBEB1 versus BPOTBEB1XXX

The layout of every SWIFT code is always the same: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code, plus an optional branch code. In this case, the 8-character core is BPOTBEB1.

The full version has a three-character extension that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office.

Type the code in one piece, in capitals and without spaces, exactly as shown here. Pasting the code beats typing it by hand: a typo can point to another bank.

How long does an international transfer to Bpostbank-Bpostbanque take?

There is no fixed delivery time: some land the same day or the next, others take several business days. Payments made late in the day or on weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later. Extra checks by one of the banks can also add a delay, regardless of the details.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask your bank for the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services usually show a status in their app showing how far the money is.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the person who paid needs to start with the bank that sent it. As a recipient, it helps to look at your account for a slightly lower amount because fees can reduce the amount.

What to give a sender who pays you at Bpostbank-Bpostbanque

To receive a transfer from abroad at Bpostbank-Bpostbanque, the person paying you has to have not just the SWIFT code. The basics are: your name, IBAN or account number, BPOTBEB1XXX or BPOTBEB1 and in many cases your home address.

The sender’s bank might also ask for the bank address of Bpostbank-Bpostbanque; the head office in Brussels is usually fine. A mistake in the IBAN can be more trouble than you might think; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin comes on top. For business payments, it is common to state how the fees are split.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Criminals often send fake invoices with changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account – scammers simply use real codes.

Before paying, confirm a change of bank details through a phone call on a number you know, not one from the message. Pressure or requests to keep it quiet are red flags; a genuine business can wait for you to check. When a payment was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away.

Fraud also target the receiver. Someone sends too much and wants you to return the difference via a different route. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing; only your own account shows what has arrived.

Bpostbank-Bpostbanque: head office code versus branch codes

Bpostbank-Bpostbanque uses 2 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code, BPOTBEB1XXX; the others identify branches or departments.

Usually there is no need to look up a branch: transfers sent to BPOTBEB1XXX are routed within Bpostbank-Bpostbanque without problems. Only use a branch code when the recipient gives you that exact code, for example on an invoice or in their bank details.

The safest approach is to take the code straight from the recipient’s bank details. Codes for branches are more prone to be retired than the head office code.

SEPA payments and the Bpostbank-Bpostbanque BIC

Belgium is a member of the SEPA area. When you send euros within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough; many banks no longer ask for the BIC.

You still need BPOTBEB1XXX for payments in other currencies or money from outside the SEPA area. If your banking app has a field for the BIC anyway, adding BPOTBEB1 does no harm.

Euro payments within SEPA normally land by the next business day. As long as no currency is converted, the transfer tends to be inexpensive.

International transfers from Bpostbank-Bpostbanque: the real cost

If you transfer money to another country via Bpostbank-Bpostbanque, the visible fee is only part of the cost. Besides the transfer fee, banks in between may take a cut, and when currencies are converted, the bank usually uses a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest cost because it is hidden in the rate. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay compares what recipients receive across providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. Choosing a specialist does not require closing your account at Bpostbank-Bpostbanque – you pay the provider from your own account.

A note on our data

The codes here are taken from publicly available data. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. The number of codes on this page reflect what is in our directory and not on information from Bpostbank-Bpostbanque itself.

Treat our directory here as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or Bpostbank-Bpostbanque have the final say. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site for money transfers and not affiliated with Bpostbank-Bpostbanque. Spotted outdated information? Tell us through the contact page and we will look into it.

Sending EUR to Bpostbank-Bpostbanque

Accounts at Bpostbank-Bpostbanque are usually held in EUR, the national currency of Belgium. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into EUR on its way to Bpostbank-Bpostbanque, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who converts the money makes a difference. Sending the amount directly in EUR usually avoids an extra conversion – as long as your own rate is good.

The EUR rate changes throughout the day. On larger amounts, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Is BPOTBEB1 still correct? How to check

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account details in online banking. If the code you have differs from BPOTBEB1 or BPOTBEB1XXX, do not guess.

Errors in the SWIFT code are annoying rather than disastrous: often the payment comes back, minus fees. An error in the IBAN or account number can be a bigger problem because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC. Some banks now check the payee name with the account – do not ignore a mismatch warning. Sending a small amount first can be worth it for a large first payment.