Banco Central de Cuba SWIFT/BIC code

Banco Central de Cuba SWIFT code: BCCUCUHH

The short code BCCUCUHH and the full code BCCUCUHHXXX refer to one and the same institution: Banco Central de Cuba in La Habana, Cuba. Banks worldwide use BIC codes to route international transfers to the correct bank. In practice you usually see it on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and in the bank details that Banco Central de Cuba provides.

On this page you will find what the code is put together, when it matters and which other details a transfer to or from Banco Central de Cuba requires. The SWIFT code alone cannot identify a personal account; that is what the IBAN or account number .

Sending money abroad from Banco Central de Cuba

An international bank payment costs more than the fee suggests. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

Banks do not show their exchange rate markup separately – you only notice it if you compare. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate.

For many currency pairs, a specialist provider is less expensive than a bank. GoldexPay compares these services next to each other, showing the amount the recipient gets for the same amount sent. You can still keep your account at Banco Central de Cuba.

Changed bank details? Be careful

One of the most common tricks goes like this: an email arrives with a request saying that a contact has a new bank account and that the next payment should go there. The fact that BCCUCUHH exists is no guarantee that the account is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Before paying, verify changed bank details through a phone call, using a number you already had. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Acted too fast? Call your bank straight away and have them start a recall.

Scams also work the other way: someone claims to have sent too much and asks you to refund the extra to a new account. Do not act before the money is actually in your account.

Before you send: check the Banco Central de Cuba code

The most reliable place for the right code is paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. When the code you were given differs from BCCUCUHH or BCCUCUHHXXX, do not guess.

With a wrong code, the payment might be delayed, be returned or end up costing more. Do not forget the account number: an error there can be harder to correct than a wrong BIC.

A validity check by your bank only tells you that the code is valid – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. Where available, a payee name check on the recipient adds an extra layer of safety. For a first payment, some people start with a small amount first and wait for confirmation.

8 or 11 characters: BCCUCUHH versus BCCUCUHHXXX

Each SWIFT/BIC code starts with the same eight core characters: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code. The result is BCCUCUHH, the short form of the code.

XXX at the end of BCCUCUHHXXX does not stand for a missing value or a mistake: it indicates the head office of Banco Central de Cuba. Certain payment forms insist on 11 characters, and then you simply enter XXX after BCCUCUHH.

Enter the code in one piece, in capitals and without separators. Copying the code is safer than retyping it: a typo can point to another bank.

Getting paid from abroad into a Banco Central de Cuba account

For a transfer from abroad into your account at Banco Central de Cuba, the sender needs not just the BIC. Give them the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, SWIFT code BCCUCUHHXXX and your address, which some banks require.

You can add Banco Central de Cuba and La Habana too. A mistake in your account number is harder to fix than you might think; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, Banco Central de Cuba may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

How up to date is this code?

This directory is compiled from publicly available sources. It is possible that information here is no longer current after a merger or reorganisation. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory.

For a payment that matters, confirm the code with Banco Central de Cuba or the recipient. GoldexPay is independent of Banco Central de Cuba, we only compare transfer services. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page so we can correct it.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Banco Central de Cuba

How fast a payment reaches Banco Central de Cuba depends on several factors: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Transfers sent late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start the next business day. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments can also cause a delay, regardless of the details.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often show a status online showing how far the payment has got.

Only the sending bank can start an official trace or a recall – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Ask the sender for the payment receipt – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Head office or branch code at Banco Central de Cuba?

Banco Central de Cuba uses 3 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the rest belong to branches, and sometimes specific services.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use BCCUCUHHXXX or its short form BCCUCUHH. Only use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

Unsure which code to use? Check with the recipient. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time.