SWIFT/BIC codes in Belgium: banks starting with Z

SWIFT/BIC codes in Belgium

For Belgium we have 651 SWIFT/BIC codes. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get an international payment.

Every bank has its own page showing the head office code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. Further down we explain how codes from Belgium are built, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

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 most SWIFT codes. Its head office code is PARBBEBZXXX – the code most transfers need.

Many codes usually reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately. Unless a branch code is given, PARBBEBZXXX is fine for a payment to BNP Paribas Securities Services, Belgium.

What a sender needs to pay you in Belgium

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details about your account. Share your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank appears in our list, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. It helps to add your bank’s name and city because some forms have separate fields for it.

The amount you receive can be lower than what was sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. For business payments, agree how the fees are split.

Paying in euros to Belgium

Belgium is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). When you send euros within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough; many banks no longer ask for the BIC.

You still need the BIC when sending non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Instant euro transfers are increasingly available within SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. As long as the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be inexpensive.

Sending money to Belgium for less

The price of a transfer to Belgium is made up of more than one component. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

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. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. GoldexPay compares transfer services next to each other so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient before you commit.

Transfer times to Belgium

An international transfer to Belgium usually needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Bank holidays in either country add extra days to the journey.

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

How SWIFT codes from Belgium are built

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

Whatever the bank, every code from Belgium share the same fifth and sixth letters. If those two letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank in another country, so check again.

The optional last three characters identify a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Use a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Belgium

Ask the recipient to send you the account details directly from their banking app. When the code you were given differs from the code listed here, do not guess.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from publicly available data and check our list regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Before a payment of any size, check the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Watch out for invoices with changed bank details. Before paying, confirm a change of bank details by phone, using a number you already had.

Banks in Belgium starting with :letter

Here you see a filtered list: just banks in Belgium whose name begins with :letter. The totals on this page cover every bank we list, not just the ones under :letter.

Bank not listed? Its official name may start with a different letter. The full overview for Belgium is one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Bank accounts in Belgium are usually held in EUR – the Euro. If you send another currency, the amount gets converted at some point.

Who does the conversion has an effect on the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Compare what EUR the recipient gets with several services before choosing one. Exchange rates move all the time, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.