SWIFT/BIC codes in Belgium: banks starting with W

Finding a SWIFT code in Belgium

Here you will find codes for 333 banks in Belgium – 651 codes altogether. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly when making international transfers.

Look for the bank you need in the list and click through to see the full list of codes and what else a transfer requires. Below the list you can read how codes from Belgium are built, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Most SWIFT codes in Belgium: BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium

Of the 333 banks we list for Belgium, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium is listed with the largest number of SWIFT codes. Its main office uses PARBBEBZXXX and that code covers most payments.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes, so the count is not a ranking of size. Paying someone at BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium? Use PARBBEBZXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

Incoming international payments in Belgium

A sender in another country will ask for several details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Share the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. You can add your bank’s name and city as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

What a transfer to Belgium really costs

What you pay for a transfer to Belgium has more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest part of the cost. Compare the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Belgium receive with different providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Belgium

Every SWIFT/BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters. Characters one to four stand for the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

In every code from Belgium, characters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Belgium, which makes these codes easy to recognise. If those two letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank in another country, so check again.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the head office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. For most transfers the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

How long does a transfer to Belgium take?

How fast a payment arrives in Belgium is determined by a few things: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Public holidays in Belgium or in the sending country add a day or more.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it if something goes wrong.

Sending EUR to Belgium

The national currency of Belgium is the Euro (EUR). A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into EUR.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives. Compare what EUR the recipient gets with several providers. Exchange rates change during the day.

Banks in Belgium starting with :letter

You are looking at a selection: just institutions in Belgium whose name begins with :letter. The totals mentioned here cover all 333 banks.

Bank not listed? The registered name might start with a different letter, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. Try the full list for Belgium when you are not sure how the name is spelled.

About our data and how to check a code

The best place to find the right code remains a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. If the code you have does not match the code listed here, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

This list is compiled from public sources and is updated regularly. Still, banks merge or retire codes. Treat our data as a starting point; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Watch out for payment requests with changed bank details – a common fraud method. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Euro payments to Belgium: is a BIC needed?

Since Belgium is in the SEPA zone, a euro payment to an account in Belgium normally only needs the IBAN. Many banks no longer ask for the BIC for these payments.

You will still need the BIC for payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA normally land by the next business day or faster with instant payments. As long as the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be inexpensive.