SWIFT/BIC codes in Cape Verde

Cape Verde: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

This overview lists 11 banks and financial institutions in Cape Verde, with 13 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. Every code points to an institution or a specific branch or department, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Pick the bank below to view the head office code and any branch codes. Below the list we explain how codes from Cape Verde are built, how to send money there without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to send you the account details directly from their online banking. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a returned payment or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather bank codes using public sources and check our list regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. Use our data as a reference, not as the final word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Fraudsters often use fake invoices carrying changed bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Paying a bank in Cape Verde from abroad

Cape Verde is not part of the SEPA area, so European euro rules do not apply. International transfers to Cape Verde normally travel over the SWIFT network, and the BIC of the receiving bank is required.

Not every country uses IBAN numbers. Ask the recipient which details their bank needs for payments from abroad. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Which bank in Cape Verde has the most codes?

Banco Comercial do Atlantico tops the list for Cape Verde when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Banco Comercial do Atlantico uses BCATCVCVXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

How many codes a bank has says something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Making a payment to Banco Comercial do Atlantico? Go with BCATCVCVXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

How SWIFT codes from Cape Verde are built

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. Characters one to four stand for the bank, characters five and six are the country code and the next two give the location.

For banks in Cape Verde, characters five and six are the ISO country code of Cape Verde. If the country letters do not match Cape Verde, you are looking at a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

The last three characters, if present, identify a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. Use a branch code just when the recipient explicitly gives you one.

Sending money to Cape Verde for less

An international bank payment to Cape Verde can cost more than you think. On top of the fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank usually uses a rate below the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee. An easy check: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in Cape Verde across providers.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Cape Verde

When you expect a payment from another country on an account in Cape Verde, give the sender all details at once. Give them your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

Find the bank in the list on this page to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. Certain banks may also ask for your bank’s address; it does no harm to include it.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. 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 applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Tracking a payment to Cape Verde

There is no fixed delivery time for payments to Cape Verde: many land within a day. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday often go out a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank for a trace. Specialist transfer services usually provide tracking online, which makes it easier to see where the money is.