SWIFT/BIC codes in Belgium: banks starting with C

Belgium: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

On this page you find codes for 333 institutions in Belgium – 651 codes altogether. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Look for the bank you need in the list and open its page for the full list of codes and the details a transfer needs. The rest of this page explain how the codes work, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing.

What a transfer to Belgium really costs

What you pay for a transfer to Belgium has more than one component – not only the fee you see. There is a transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate. Before your next transfer to Belgium, take a minute comparing the total cost via GoldexPay.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Most accounts in Belgium are typically held in EUR. A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into EUR on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Compare how much EUR arrives with several services. Rates for EUR move during the day – some providers let you lock in a rate.

When does money sent to Belgium arrive?

An international transfer to Belgium usually takes anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Bank holidays in Belgium or in the sending country add extra days.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank and ask for the status or the UETR; only the sending side can start an official trace. Specialist transfer services often show a status online.

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium and its SWIFT codes

Of the 333 banks we list for Belgium, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium is listed with the largest number of codes. Its main office has PARBBEBZXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes. If not a branch code is given, PARBBEBZXXX is fine for a payment to BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium.

Paying in euros to Belgium

Within the SEPA zone, euro payments to Belgium follow the same rules. A field for the BIC is often optional for those payments.

You still need a SWIFT code for payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day or faster with instant payments. Provided the payment stays in euros, the transfer tends to be inexpensive.

How SWIFT codes from Belgium are built

SWIFT/BIC codes follow one international format: 8 characters, sometimes followed by three more. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

For banks in Belgium, characters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Belgium – that is the quickest way to spot one. Codes with a different country code belong to a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the main office. In most cases the head office code is fine, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

SWIFT codes in Belgium: banks under :letter

This page shows only banks in Belgium whose name starts with :letter in alphabetical order. The figures for Belgium mentioned here apply to all 333 banks.

If the bank you need is missing here, check the full list: banks are often registered under their full legal name. Try the full list for Belgium if you do not know how the name is spelled.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to copy their bank details straight from a recent statement. A wrong code can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees.

This list is based on public sources and is updated regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes. Use this list as a reference, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are an independent comparison service and not part of any bank listed here.

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests carrying new bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine.

What a sender needs to pay you in Belgium

If you are waiting for a payment from another country in Belgium, give the sender all details at once. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

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

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. For business payments, state who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.