SWIFT/BIC codes in Ecuador: banks starting with C

Finding a SWIFT code in Ecuador

On this page you find codes for 467 banks in Ecuador – 612 codes altogether. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank is meant to get an international payment.

Look for the recipient’s bank below and click through for the full list of codes and the details a transfer needs. Below the list we explain how a code from Ecuador is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Paying a bank in Ecuador from abroad

To pay into Ecuador you almost always need the BIC, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, most banks will not process the payment.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. The recipient’s bank usually provides instructions for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. Before it arrives, a transfer may pass through intermediary banks that charge for their part.

Transfer times to Ecuador

How fast a payment reaches Ecuador is determined by several factors: the currency, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Payments made late in the day or just before weekends and holidays usually go out the next business day.

If a transfer is delayed, ask the sender to contact the sending bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms; a bank needs it to start a trace.

The US Dollar (USD) and conversion costs

The local currency of Ecuador is the US Dollar (USD). When you pay another currency, the amount has to be converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Often you pay less to send USD directly through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. On larger amounts, a seemingly small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

What a sender needs to pay you in Ecuador

When you are waiting for money from abroad on an account in Ecuador, send the payer all details at once. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

Find your bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to add the name and city of your bank as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

What lands in your account can be lower than the amount sent. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank. For business payments, agree how the fees are split.

The largest SWIFT network in Ecuador: Banco Pichincha C.a.

Of the 467 banks in Ecuador, Banco Pichincha C.a. is listed with the most codes. Its head office code is PICHECEQXXX – the code most transfers need.

Banks differ in how many codes they register, so the count is not a ranking of size. Paying someone at Banco Pichincha C.a.? Go with PICHECEQXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

What the letters in a Ecuador BIC mean

SWIFT/BIC codes follow one international format: 8 characters plus an optional three-character extension. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

You can spot a code from Ecuador from letters five and six. Codes with a different country code belong to a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The last three characters, if present, identify a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine.

Bank or transfer service for Ecuador?

An international bank payment to Ecuador can cost more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, intermediary banks may deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. An easy check: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Ecuador receive with different services, so you can pick the cheapest route.

Banks in Ecuador starting with :letter

The letter filter limits the list to banks from Ecuador that begin with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned above always refer to all banks in Ecuador and not only this selection.

If the bank you need does not appear under :letter, check the full list: banks are often registered under their full legal name. Try the full list for Ecuador when you are not sure how the name is spelled.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient send you their bank details straight from their banking app. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

This list draws on public sources and is updated regularly. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Treat this list as a starting point, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site for money transfers, not a bank.

Be wary of payment requests with a new account – a common fraud method. Always verify a change of bank details by phone.