SWIFT/BIC codes in China: banks starting with S

Finding a SWIFT code in China

Here you will find codes for 668 institutions in China, 2652 codes in all. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer which institution should receive an international payment.

Each bank has its own page with the head office code and, where available, branch codes. Below the list you can read how codes from China are built, how to send money there at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Check the code before you pay

Have the recipient copy the account details directly from their banking app. When the code you were given differs from our list, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

This list is compiled from publicly available sources. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Use our data as a reference; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is not a bank.

Be wary of payment requests containing a new account, especially when they come by email. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Banks in China beginning with the letter :letter

This page shows only the banks in China whose name starts with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The totals mentioned above still refer to all banks in China and not only this selection.

Some banks are listed under their official name rather than the name on their app or website. Use the full list for China when you are not sure the exact name.

The structure of a China SWIFT/BIC code

Bank identifier codes follow one international format: 8 characters, sometimes followed by three more. First comes four letters for the bank, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

You can recognise a code from China from the fifth and sixth characters – those always form the country code of China. When the country letters do not match China, the code belongs to a bank in another country.

The last three characters, if present, stand for a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Use a branch code only when the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

Bank or transfer service for China?

What you pay for a transfer to China is made up of more than one component – not only the fee you see. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

That exchange rate margin is often the largest cost item because it is hidden in the rate. Compare the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate. The difference is your real cost.

Money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists transfer services side by side, showing what actually arrives in China before you commit.

The largest SWIFT network in China: Bank of Communications

Of the 668 banks in China, Bank of Communications has the most SWIFT codes. The head office of Bank of Communications uses COMMCNSHXXX and that code covers most payments.

Many codes usually reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately. Paying someone at Bank of Communications? Go with COMMCNSHXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

Receiving money in China from abroad

For a transfer from abroad into a China account, the sender needs not just the BIC. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your address.

The code of your bank appears in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. It helps to include the name and city of your bank because some forms have separate fields for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

Why a transfer to China needs a SWIFT code

To pay into China you will usually need the BIC, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, your bank will not process the payment at all.

Not every country uses the IBAN. The receiving bank often provides instructions for payments from abroad. SWIFT payments can pass through correspondent banks.

Sending CNY to China

Most accounts in China are typically held in CNY, the local currency. When you pay money in a different currency, it gets converted at some point – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Who converts the payment makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. In many cases you pay less to send CNY straight away through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

Tracking a payment to China

There is no single answer for transfers to China: many arrive the same day or the next, others take several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually start the next business day.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact their own bank for a trace. Specialist transfer services usually show a status in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.