Realdania SWIFT/BIC code

What REKDDKK1 means for a payment to Realdania

The short code REKDDKK1 and the full code REKDDKK1XXX refer to one and the same institution: Realdania in Copenhagen, Denmark. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to route international transfers to the correct bank. You will need it mainly for transfers between countries and payments in foreign currencies.

We wrote this page to help anyone who receives money at an account at Realdania. A SWIFT code names an institution, not a single account; the IBAN or account number does that.

How to check REKDDKK1 before you pay

The most reliable place for the correct BIC remains a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account details in online banking. Compare that code against REKDDKK1 here.

Errors in the SWIFT code are costly rather than disastrous. An error in the IBAN or account number is more serious.

A format check in your banking app merely confirms that the IBAN is valid, not that it is the right account. If your bank offers it, a name check before sending gives extra certainty. Sending a small amount first is a sensible step for large sums.

Euro transfers to Realdania: is a BIC needed?

Denmark is part of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. When you send euros from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You will still need REKDDKK1XXX for non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. Some banks and apps still show a field for the BIC out of habit; in that case, enter REKDDKK1 or REKDDKK1XXX.

Instant euro transfers have become widely supported across SEPA. Provided the payment stays in euros, the transfer is inexpensive; costs rise once a conversion is involved.

8 or 11 characters: REKDDKK1 versus REKDDKK1XXX

Each SWIFT/BIC code has the same eight core characters: four letters for the bank, two letters for the country and two characters for the location. Combined, those parts make up REKDDKK1 – the version you usually see online.

XXX at the end of REKDDKK1XXX is not a missing value or an error: it stands for the main office of Realdania. Some banking apps ask for 11 characters, in which case you simply add XXX after REKDDKK1.

Type the code in one piece, in upper case and without spaces. Copying the code is safer than retyping it: a typo can point to another bank.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Stay wary when someone unexpectedly wants you to send money to another account or a bank in another country. That REKDDKK1 is a real code is no guarantee that the account is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Do not rely on a phone number in the same message that contains the change. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Acted too fast? Call the bank you paid from straight away and have them start a recall; also report it to the police.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to refund the difference to another account. Wait until the money has really arrived – ask Realdania if something looks wrong.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

This directory is compiled from publicly available sources and we update it periodically. Banks reorganise, change names and retire codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory and are not confirmed by Realdania.

For a payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. We are an independent comparison service and not part of Realdania. Found outdated information? Let us know via our contact form so we can correct it.

What to give a sender who pays you at Realdania

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details from you. Share your name as the bank knows it, the IBAN or account number, the BIC REKDDKK1XXX and your address.

Certain banks also ask for the address of Realdania; it does no harm to include it. A typo in the IBAN is harder to fix than it looks; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, it is common to state who bears the costs.

Sending money abroad from Realdania

What you pay for a payment abroad is made up of more than one component, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks can deduct a fee, and if the money changes currency, the bank often applies a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest item even though it is not listed as a fee. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

Money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Next time you send money, take a minute comparing the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. You can always keep your account at Realdania as the source of the money, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Sending DKK to Realdania

Most accounts at Realdania are typically held in DKK, the national currency. A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into DKK on its way to Realdania, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. You rarely see a separate charge for that conversion.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount. Often you pay less if you send DKK straight away via a provider with a good rate.

Exchange rates move all the time, and some providers let you lock in a rate. For regular payments, a slightly better rate make a real difference over a year.

Head office or branch code at Realdania?

Having 10 codes, Realdania belongs to the banks that register individual codes for parts of the organisation and departments. The main code is REKDDKK1XXX.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: transfers sent to REKDDKK1XXX are routed within Realdania correctly. Only use a branch code when the recipient explicitly asks for it, for example on an invoice or in their bank details.

When in doubt, ask the person you are paying which code their bank gave them. Branch codes can change over time.

How long does an international transfer to Realdania take?

There is no fixed delivery time: some land within a day, others take several business days. Weekends and public holidays in either country add extra days, since banks do not process on those days. Compliance checks by one of the banks may also cause some delay, regardless of the details.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sending bank about the tracking status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Money transfer services often show a status online so you can see where the money has got.

A delayed transfer has to be traced from the sending side. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation.