Banco de Chile SWIFT/BIC code

Banco de Chile SWIFT code: BCHICLRM

Whether a recipient gives you BCHICLRM or BCHICLRMXXX, it is the identical identifier for Banco de Chile in Chile. Banks worldwide use these codes to direct international transfers to the right institution. In practice you mostly come across the code on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that Banco de Chile provides.

This page is meant to help people who receives money at an account at Banco de Chile. The SWIFT code alone does not identify an individual account holder; that is what the account number or IBAN is for.

What a transfer from Banco de Chile abroad really costs

An international bank payment costs rather more than the listed fee. On top of a fixed fee, banks in between may take a cut, and when currencies are converted, the bank usually applies a rate below the real market rate.

Banks do not list the margin on the rate separately – you only notice it if you compare. An easy check: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the exchange rate. GoldexPay lists these services next to each other, showing what actually arrives for the same amount sent. You can still use your account at Banco de Chile; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

When will the money arrive at Banco de Chile?

How quickly a transfer arrives at Banco de Chile depends on a few things: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country can add a day or more to the journey. Sometimes a bank wants to know what the payment is for.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask your bank for the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it for any trace request.

A delayed transfer has to be traced from the sending side on the basis of the transfer details. Request from the sender the payment receipt.

Watch out for payment fraud

Scammers regularly use payment requests with changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. A valid SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine.

Verify changed bank details via a separate channel, never via the email that asked for the change. Be suspicious of urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Already paid? Contact your bank without delay and ask them to try to recall the payment.

Scams can also work the other way: someone claims to have sent too much and wants you to return the difference via a different route. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing – check your own account.

Why Banco de Chile has an 8- and an 11-character code

The structure of a BIC is always the same: a bank code of four letters, two for the country and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. In this case, that core is BCHICLRM.

The 11-character version adds three more characters that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office.

In practice the code is written in capitals and without spaces. Pasting the code is safer than typing it by hand, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

About this information

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on public sources and we update it periodically. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Counts and locations come from our own dataset and may differ from what Banco de Chile publishes.

Before any payment of any size, always check the BIC with Banco de Chile or the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service and not part of Banco de Chile. If you notice something that is out of date, we welcome a short note.

Banco de Chile: head office code versus branch codes

We have 15 SWIFT/BIC codes for Banco de Chile. Besides the head office code BCHICLRMXXX, there are codes for regional offices and specialised units.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, go with BCHICLRMXXX or its short form BCHICLRM. Branch codes are only needed if the recipient’s bank explicitly asks for it.

Unsure which code applies? Ask the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Banco de Chile. Codes are sometimes changed or retired over time.

How to check BCHICLRM before you pay

Have the recipient send you their account details directly from a recent statement. When the code you were given differs from BCHICLRM or BCHICLRMXXX, stop and ask.

With a wrong code, the payment may get stuck, be returned or end up costing more. Remember the account number: a mistake there is harder to correct than a wrong code.

A format check in your banking app only tells you that the code exists – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. Where available, a payee name check before sending gives an extra layer of safety. For a first payment, many people send a small amount first.

Getting paid from abroad into a Banco de Chile account

For a transfer from abroad at Banco de Chile, the sender needs more than the BIC. What they need is: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, BCHICLRMXXX or BCHICLRM and often your home address.

Their bank might request the address of your bank; the head office in Santiago is usually fine. A typo in your account number is more trouble than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank. On invoices, it is common to state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.