SWIFT/BIC codes in Cuba

Finding a SWIFT code in Cuba

Here you will find codes for 10 institutions in Cuba, 14 codes in all. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mostly when making international transfers.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through for the full list of codes and what else a transfer requires. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes.

How SWIFT codes from Cuba are built

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two give the location.

In every code from Cuba, letters five and six show the ISO country code of Cuba. When the country letters do not match Cuba, you are looking at a bank in another country – worth double-checking.

If the last three are XXX, it refers to the head office and the short version works just as well. Use a branch code only when the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

About our data and how to check a code

The most reliable place for the right code is paperwork issued by the bank. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or extra fees.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from publicly available data and check them regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Use our data as a starting point: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Be wary of payment requests with changed bank details – a common fraud method. Always verify a change of bank details through a separate channel on a number you know.

International payments to Cuba and the BIC

Because Cuba does not belong to SEPA, a transfer from abroad is usually sent as a SWIFT payment. That means you always need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

Not all countries use the IBAN – where there is none, the local account number is enough. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for payments from abroad; banks often publish instructions for this. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Receiving money in Cuba from abroad

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Share your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Your bank’s code is in the list on this page but always compare it with your own bank details. You can add the name and city of your bank as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Sending money to Cuba for less

An international bank payment to Cuba can cost more than you think. You pay the transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

The markup on the rate is often the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. An easy check: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialised transfer providers often use rates closer to the mid-market rate. Before your next transfer to Cuba, it is worth comparing what arrives on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

When does money sent to Cuba arrive?

There is no single delivery time for transfers to Cuba: some arrive the same day or the next, others take several business days. Bank holidays in either country can add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact their own bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Money transfer services often provide a status online so you can follow the payment.

Banco Central de Cuba and its SWIFT codes

In our data, Banco Central de Cuba holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Cuba. Its head office code is BCCUCUHHXXX.

Many codes usually reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code BCCUCUHHXXX works for transfers to this bank.