SWIFT/BIC codes in China: banks starting with O

Bank SWIFT codes for China

For China we have 2652 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 668 institutions. A BIC tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank is meant to get the money.

Pick a bank from the list to view the head office code and its other codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. Below the list you can read how codes from China are built, how to send money to China without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Check the code before you pay

Have the recipient send you the account details straight from their banking app. If the code you have does not match our list, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

The directory on GoldexPay is based on public sources and is updated regularly. Banks merge, close branches and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Use our data as a reference, not as the final word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is a comparison service, not a bank.

Watch out for payment requests containing a new account – a common fraud method. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

SWIFT codes in China: banks under :letter

This list only shows the banks in China beginning with :letter in alphabetical order. The counts in the introduction still cover the whole country and not only this selection.

If a bank is missing here, try the full list. Try the full list for China when you are not sure the exact name.

The Chinese Yuan (CNY) and conversion costs

China uses the Chinese Yuan, with the currency code CNY. If you send another currency, the amount has to be converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Check how much CNY arrives with different providers; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. With bigger transfers, even a small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

Bank or transfer service for China?

The price of a payment to China has more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. An easy check: set the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate. Before you send money to China, it is worth to compare what arrives on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

What a sender needs to pay you in China

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details about your account. Give them the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Find your bank in the list on this page to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. You can add the name and city of your bank as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

What lands in your account is often less than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. On invoices, agree how the fees are split.

Transfer times to China

There is no single delivery time for payments to China: many arrive within a day while others need several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually go out the next business day.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every payment carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it if something goes wrong.

Which bank in China has the most codes?

Of all banks we list for China, Bank of Communications has the largest number of SWIFT codes. Its head office code is COMMCNSHXXX – the code most transfers need.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes. Making a payment to Bank of Communications? Go with COMMCNSHXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

Why a transfer to China needs a SWIFT code

Since China is outside SEPA, an international payment normally goes through SWIFT. That means the payment always needs the BIC of the receiving bank, together with the account number or IBAN.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN. Ask the recipient which details their bank needs for payments from abroad. International transfers sometimes go via correspondent banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Recognising a SWIFT code from China

A BIC is either 8 or 11 characters long. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can spot a bank code from China by letters five and six: they always show the ISO country code of China. Codes with other letters in that position belong to a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the head office and the short version works just as well. For most transfers the head office code is what you need.