China Citic Bank SWIFT/BIC code

What CIBKCNBJ means for a payment to China Citic Bank

CIBKCNBJ and CIBKCNBJXXX are two ways of writing the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both point to China Citic Bank in Beijing. The code does one job: it ensures that money from abroad ends up at the right bank. You will need it mainly for payments that cross a border and payments in foreign currencies.

On this page we explain how the code is put together, when it matters and what else a transfer to or from China Citic Bank requires. A SWIFT code identifies a bank or branch, not a specific account.

Head office or branch code at China Citic Bank?

China Citic Bank has 95 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code, CIBKCNBJXXX; the rest identify branches or departments, and sometimes internal departments.

Usually you do not need to look up a branch: payments sent to CIBKCNBJXXX reach China Citic Bank correctly. Only use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code, for example on an invoice or in their bank details.

The safest approach is to take the code directly from the account holder’s bank details. Codes for branches are more prone to be retired than the head office code.

What the XXX in CIBKCNBJXXX means

Every SWIFT/BIC code starts with an 8-character core: a four-letter bank code, two letters for the country and a two-character location code. In this case, the 8-character core is CIBKCNBJ.

XXX at the end of CIBKCNBJXXX does not stand for a missing value or a mistake: it stands for the main office of China Citic Bank. Some forms ask for 11 characters, in which case you simply add XXX after CIBKCNBJ.

As a rule the code is written in capitals. A wrong letter can send a payment to another bank, so check it twice.

About this information

The codes on this page come from public sources that we update regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Counts and locations come from our own dataset and are not confirmed by China Citic Bank.

Use our data as a starting point, not as the last word – the bank details from the recipient are leading. We are a comparison site for money transfers and not affiliated with China Citic Bank. Found outdated information? Tell us via our contact form and we will look into it.

Sending CNY to China Citic Bank

Most accounts at China Citic Bank are typically held in CNY, the local currency of China. If you send money in a different currency has to be converted at some point. Each conversion eats into the amount, even when no fee is shown.

Where the conversion happens affects the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Sending the money already in CNY usually avoids a second conversion by China Citic Bank – as long as your own rate is good.

Rates for CNY change during the day – some services let you fix a rate in advance. On larger amounts, even seemingly small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to China Citic Bank

How fast a transfer reaches China Citic Bank is determined by several factors: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country add a day or more, since banks do not process on those days. Occasionally a bank wants to know what the payment is for.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every payment carries a unique reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often show a status online showing where the payment has got.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid should contact their own bank. On the receiving end, it helps to look at your account to see a slightly lower amount because fees can reduce the amount.

Receiving money from abroad at China Citic Bank

When you expect a payment from another country, send the payer a complete set of details. The basics are: the account holder’s name, IBAN or account number, CIBKCNBJXXX and often your home address.

It helps to add China Citic Bank and Beijing as well, since some forms ask for it. A mistake in your account number is harder to fix than you might think.

Money from abroad does not always land for the full amount. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the currency changes, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

What a transfer from China Citic Bank abroad really costs

If you send money abroad through China Citic Bank, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and if currencies are converted the bank often uses a rate below the real market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest item, and it is easy to miss. A simple test: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

For many routes, a specialist provider is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the exchange rate. On GoldexPay we compare the amount that arrives with different providers. You can still use your account at China Citic Bank to fund the transfer, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Criminals regularly use payment requests with new bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. The fact that CIBKCNBJ exists is no guarantee that the account is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Before paying, confirm a change of bank details through a phone call on a number you know, not one from the message. Be suspicious of time pressure, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. When money was sent to the wrong account, call your bank right away – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

Recipients can be targeted as well: a classic trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to send back the difference to another account. Do not act before the money has really arrived – ask China Citic Bank if something looks wrong.

How to check CIBKCNBJ before you pay

The safest source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. Compare it against CIBKCNBJ here.

Mistakes in the BIC tend to be costly rather than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. A mistake in the account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

Many banking apps validate the format of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC – that confirms the format, not the owner. Some banks now check the name against the account; take any warning seriously. When you pay someone new, many people start with a small test amount and wait for confirmation.