SWIFT/BIC codes in Canada: banks starting with A

SWIFT/BIC codes in Canada

Our directory covers 395 banks and other institutions in Canada and 613 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mostly when making payments across borders, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Search for the bank you need below and click through to see all codes we have and the details a transfer needs. Below the list you can read how a code from Canada is put together, how to send money to Canada without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Canada

Every SWIFT/BIC code has eight or eleven characters, always in the same order. First comes four letters for the bank, then a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

Whatever the bank, every code from Canada have the same country code in positions five and six, namely the ISO code of Canada. A code with a different country code come from another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

If the last three are XXX, it means the head office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. Choose a branch code just if the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

Bank or transfer service for Canada?

What you pay for a payment to Canada is made up of more than one component – not only the fee you see. You pay a transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest cost item 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 difference is your real cost.

Specialised transfer providers frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares these providers next to each other, showing the amount that reaches the recipient before you commit.

Paying a bank in Canada from abroad

To pay into Canada you usually need the BIC. Without the BIC, most banks will not process the payment at all.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. The receiving bank often has a list of required details for incoming international payments, and it is worth following them to the letter. International transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks.

Which bank in Canada has the most codes?

Of the 395 banks in Canada, Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp has the most codes. Its head office code is FMCCCATMXXX.

The number of codes tells you something about how it organises its payments than about its size. Paying someone at Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp? Use FMCCCATMXXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Receiving money in Canada from abroad

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

Look up the bank in the list on this page to check its code, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. You can add your bank’s name and city, since some payment forms ask for it.

What lands in your account is often lower than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

When does money sent to Canada arrive?

A SWIFT payment to Canada usually takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made late in the day or on weekends and holidays often start the next business day.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi. Each payment gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services usually provide tracking online, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

About our data and how to check a code

The most reliable place for the right code is a document from the bank itself. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, stop and ask: check with the recipient or the bank.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update them regularly. Banks reorganise, close branches and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. For a payment of any size, check the BIC with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests carrying changed bank details that look completely genuine. Before paying, verify a change of bank details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Filter: banks in Canada with :letter

Here you see a selection: just institutions in Canada with a name starting with :letter. The figures for Canada mentioned here cover every bank we list and not only this letter.

Many institutions appear under their legal name. Use the full list for Canada when you do not know the exact name.

The Canadian Dollar (CAD) and conversion costs

Canada uses the Canadian Dollar (CAD). A payment in a foreign currency is converted into CAD, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. In many cases it is cheaper if you send CAD straight away via a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Rates for CAD move all the time, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.