SWIFT/BIC codes in Belgium: banks starting with J

Finding a SWIFT code in Belgium

This overview covers 333 banks and financial institutions in Belgium, with 651 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain which institution should receive an international payment.

Every bank has its own page with the head office code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Receiving money in Belgium from abroad

When you are waiting for a payment from another country in Belgium, send the payer everything they need in one go. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your postal address.

Find your bank in the list above to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. It helps to include the name and city of your bank, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

Which bank in Belgium has the most codes?

Of all banks in Belgium, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium is listed with the most SWIFT codes. The head office of BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium has PARBBEBZXXX and that code covers most payments.

The number of codes says more about how it organises its payments than about its size. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code PARBBEBZXXX works for transfers to this bank.

Paying in euros to Belgium

Because Belgium is in the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to a bank in Belgium normally only needs the IBAN. Many banks no longer ask for the BIC in that case.

You will still need a SWIFT code when sending non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. SEPA transfers usually arrive within one business day or faster with instant payments. Fees are generally low as long as everything stays in euros; the conversion is where it gets expensive.

Bank or transfer service for Belgium?

The price of a transfer to Belgium has several parts – not only the fee you see. There is a transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. A simple test: set the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Belgium receive across providers.

Check the code before you pay

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, stop and ask.

The directory on GoldexPay is compiled from publicly available sources that we update periodically. Even so, banks merge or change codes, so information can be out of date. For a payment of any size, confirm the BIC with the recipient. We are a comparison site and not part of any bank listed here.

Fraudsters often use fake invoices carrying new bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Filter: banks in Belgium with :letter

This filter narrows the list down to banks in Belgium starting with :letter to make searching quicker. The figures for Belgium mentioned here cover every bank we list and not only this letter.

Bank not listed? Its official name might begin with another word, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. The complete list is one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Belgium

Bank identifier codes use one international format: eight characters. Characters one to four identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

In every code from Belgium, characters five and six are the ISO country code of Belgium – that is the quickest way to spot one. Codes with a different country code come from a bank abroad.

The last three characters, if present, stand for a branch or department; XXX means the head office. Use a branch code just when the recipient’s bank asks for it.

Sending EUR to Belgium

Bank accounts in Belgium are typically held in EUR – the Euro. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into EUR on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. Check what EUR the recipient gets via several providers; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. With bigger transfers, even a small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

When does money sent to Belgium arrive?

There is no single answer for payments to Belgium: some land the same day or the next. Transfers sent late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out a business day later.

If the money seems late, the sender should contact the sending bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Keep your transfer receipt – you will need it if something goes wrong.