SWIFT/BIC codes in China: banks starting with Z

China: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

In China our database holds 2652 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 668 banks. You will need such a code mostly for payments across borders and for payments in a foreign currency.

Choose a bank from the list to see the head office code and its other codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. Below the list you can read how a code from China is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Tracking a payment to China

There is no single answer for payments to China: some arrive the same day or the next, others take several business days. Bank holidays in China or in the sending country can add extra days, because banks do not process payments on those days.

If a transfer seems late, ask the sender to contact their own bank and ask for the status or the UETR. Specialist transfer services usually provide tracking online so you can follow the payment.

Which bank in China has the most codes?

Bank of Communications leads the list for China in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is COMMCNSHXXX.

The number of codes says more about how it registers branches and services than about its size. Making a payment to Bank of Communications? Go with COMMCNSHXXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Why a transfer to China needs a SWIFT code

To pay into China you will almost always need the BIC – China is not a SEPA country. Without it, your bank will not process the transfer at all.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. Ask the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments. On the way to China, a transfer can pass through correspondent banks that take a fee.

China and the Chinese Yuan

Bank accounts in China are usually held in CNY – the Chinese Yuan. If you send money in a different currency, the amount has to be converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Compare how much CNY arrives via several providers. Rates for CNY change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Bank or transfer service for China?

What you pay for a payment to China has more than one component – not only the fee you see. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin is often the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. A simple test: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank. On GoldexPay you can compare the amount that arrives in China with different services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.

Receiving money in China from abroad

If you expect a payment from another country on an account in China, send the payer everything they need in one go. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and sometimes your postal address.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. It helps to add your bank’s name and city.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Recognising a SWIFT code from China

Each SWIFT/BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

In every code from China, letters five and six are the ISO country code of China, which makes these codes easy to recognise. Codes with other letters in that position come from a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Filter: banks in China with :letter

The letter filter limits the list down to banks from China that begin with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned above still refer to the whole country, not just this letter.

Many institutions are listed under their legal name, which may start with words like Bank or Banco. The complete list remains available when you cannot find the bank here.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient send you their bank details directly from a recent statement. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a returned payment or additional charges.

We gather bank codes using public sources and update our list regularly. Banks reorganise, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use this list as a reference: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Be wary of invoices with a new account. Always confirm a change of bank details by phone on a number you know.