SWIFT/BIC codes in Brazil

Finding a SWIFT code in Brazil

In Brazil our database holds 410 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 264 institutions. Every code identifies an institution or a specific branch or department, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Choose the bank below to view the head office code and any branch codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. The sections below explain how the codes work, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

Most SWIFT codes in Brazil: Banco Bradesco S.A.

In our directory, Banco Bradesco S.A. has the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Brazil. Its head office code is BBDEBRSPXXX.

How many codes a bank has tells you more about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. Paying someone at Banco Bradesco S.A.? Go with BBDEBRSPXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

The structure of a Brazil SWIFT/BIC code

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. First comes a four-letter bank code, then two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

For banks in Brazil, characters five and six are the ISO country code of Brazil, which makes these codes easy to recognise. If those two letters do not match Brazil, you are looking at a bank somewhere else.

The last three characters, if present, stand for a branch or department; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine.

Sending BRL to Brazil

Brazil uses the Brazilian Real, with the currency code BRL. Money sent in a different currency is converted into BRL before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Where the conversion happens affects the final amount. In many cases it is cheaper if you send BRL straight away through a provider with a good rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Exchange rates change during the day.

Receiving money in Brazil from abroad

If you expect money from abroad in Brazil, send the payer a complete set of details. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your address.

Look up the 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. Certain sending banks may also want the name and address of your bank.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Fees for incoming transfers differ per bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

What a transfer to Brazil really costs

When you transfer money to Brazil with a regular bank, the stated fee is rarely all of the cost. You pay a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

The markup on the rate is often the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares transfer services side by side, showing what actually arrives in Brazil for the same amount sent.

Check the code before you pay

Have the recipient copy their bank details directly from their online banking. A wrong code can cause delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges.

This list is compiled from public sources and is updated regularly. Still, banks merge or retire codes. Treat our data as a reference rather than the last word. We are an independent comparison site, not a bank.

Fraudsters often use payment requests with changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Paying a bank in Brazil from abroad

Brazil is outside the SEPA area, the European zone for uniform euro payments. International transfers to Brazil normally go through the SWIFT network.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Check with the recipient which details their bank needs for incoming international payments. On the way to Brazil, a transfer can go through correspondent banks.

Transfer times to Brazil

There is no fixed delivery time for payments to Brazil: some land within a day while others need several business days. Public holidays in either country add extra days to the journey.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services usually provide tracking in their app.