United Overseas Bank LTD SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of United Overseas Bank LTD

UOVBBNBB and UOVBBNBBXXX are the short and the long form of the same bank identifier, and both point to United Overseas Bank LTD in Bandar Seri Begawan. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to direct international transfers to the correct institution. In daily life you mostly come across it on international invoices, in payment forms and in the bank details of United Overseas Bank LTD customers.

We wrote this page to help anyone who sends money to an account at United Overseas Bank LTD and wants to get the details right. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

How to check UOVBBNBB before you pay

Have the recipient send you the account details directly from their online banking. When the code you were given does not match UOVBBNBB or UOVBBNBBXXX, stop and ask – contact the recipient or United Overseas Bank LTD.

Errors in the SWIFT code tend to be costly rather than disastrous – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. Remember the account number: an error there is more difficult to undo than a wrong BIC.

A format check by your bank merely confirms that the code is valid. If your bank offers it, a payee name check on the recipient adds an extra layer of safety. When you pay someone new, many people start with a small amount first before sending the rest.

Why United Overseas Bank LTD has an 8- and an 11-character code

The layout of a BIC is always the same: a bank code of four letters, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code. Together, these eight characters make up UOVBBNBB.

XXX at the end of UOVBBNBBXXX does not stand for a missing value or an error: it stands for the head office of United Overseas Bank LTD. Some forms ask for 11 characters, and then you simply add XXX behind UOVBBNBB.

Type the code as one block, in capitals and without spaces. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 and I versus 1.

International transfers from United Overseas Bank LTD: the real cost

When you send money to another country from United Overseas Bank LTD, the visible fee is rarely all of the cost. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between may deduct a fee, and if the money changes currency, the bank usually applies a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest cost, and it is easy to miss. Compare the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay lists these services next to each other, showing what actually arrives before you commit. Using a transfer service does not mean leaving United Overseas Bank LTD: you simply pay the service from your account.

Incoming international payments to United Overseas Bank LTD

For a transfer from abroad into your account at United Overseas Bank LTD, the sender has to have more than the SWIFT code. Share the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, SWIFT code UOVBBNBBXXX and your address.

Their bank may also ask for the address of your bank. A mistake in the IBAN is more trouble than it looks; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Changed bank details? Be careful

A common scam works like this: you receive a request claiming that a supplier has new bank details. The fact that UOVBBNBB exists does not mean that the account is legitimate – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Always confirm a change of bank details by phone on a number you know, not one from the message. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. When a payment has already gone to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Scams can also target the receiver. Someone sends more than agreed and wants you to refund the extra via a different route. Do not act before the money has really arrived and check with United Overseas Bank LTD if anything seems off.

Choosing between the 3 SWIFT codes of United Overseas Bank LTD

With 3 codes in 1 locations, United Overseas Bank LTD belongs to the banks that register separate codes for parts of the organisation and departments. The main code remains UOVBBNBBXXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use UOVBBNBBXXX. Branch codes are only needed if the recipient’s bank explicitly asks for it.

The safest approach is to copy the code straight from the account holder’s bank details. Branch codes can change over time.

A note on our data

The codes on this page are taken from public sources which we refresh regularly. Institutions reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. The figures we show reflect what is in our directory and not on information from United Overseas Bank LTD itself.

Before a payment of any size, always check the code with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. We are an independent comparison service and not part of United Overseas Bank LTD. Spotted an error? Let us know through the contact page and we will look into it.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to United Overseas Bank LTD

There is no fixed delivery time for international payments: some arrive within a day while others need several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later. Occasionally a bank asks about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask your bank about the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking in their app so you can see where the money has got.

Only the sending bank is able to request a trace or a recall; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. On the receiving end, you can check your statements for a slightly lower amount because fees can reduce the amount.