SWIFT/BIC codes in China: banks starting with H

Finding a SWIFT code in China

Our directory lists 668 banks and financial institutions in China, with 2652 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. Each code identifies an institution or a specific branch or department.

Choose a bank below to view its head office code and its other codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before a payment.

Tracking a payment to China

An international transfer to China usually needs one to a few business days. Public holidays in China or in the sending country add a day or more to the journey.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each payment carries a unique reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often provide tracking online so you can follow the payment.

Paying in CNY: what conversion costs you

Bank accounts in China are usually held in CNY, the local currency. When you pay another currency, the amount gets converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Which bank converts the money makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. In many cases it is cheaper to send CNY straight away through a provider with a good rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. On larger amounts, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Recognising a SWIFT code from China

SWIFT/BIC codes use one international format: eight characters, sometimes followed by three more. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

For banks in China, characters five and six are the two-letter ISO code of China, which makes these codes easy to recognise. Codes with other letters in that position belong to another country.

The last three characters, if present, identify a branch or department; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is what you need.

Banks in China starting with :letter

Here you see a filtered list: just institutions in China with a name starting with :letter. The totals mentioned here cover all 668 banks, not just the ones under :letter.

Bank not listed? The registered name may start with a different letter. The full overview for China remains available when you cannot find the bank here.

Paying a bank in China from abroad

To pay into China you will almost always need a SWIFT/BIC code, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without the BIC, your bank will not process the payment at all.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. Ask the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for incoming international payments – many banks give clear instructions for this. Before it arrives, a payment may go through intermediary banks that take a fee.

Sending money to China for less

When you transfer money to China with your bank, the stated fee is only part of what you pay. There is the transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest part of the cost. An easy check: set the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate. Before your next transfer to China, it is worth comparing what arrives via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Verifying a SWIFT code from China

Ask the recipient to send you their bank details straight from their banking app. 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 publicly available data and update our list regularly. Banks reorganise, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use this list as a starting point, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers, not a bank.

Fraudsters regularly use fake invoices with changed bank details that look completely genuine. Always verify changed details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Incoming international payments in China

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank appears in the list on this page but always compare it with your own bank details. Some banks also ask for your bank’s address.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

The largest SWIFT network in China: Bank of Communications

Bank of Communications tops the list of China banks in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office uses COMMCNSHXXX and that code covers most payments.

How many codes a bank has says more about how it organises its payments than about its size. If not a branch code is given, COMMCNSHXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.