SWIFT/BIC codes in Ecuador: banks starting with E

SWIFT/BIC codes in Ecuador

Here you will find codes for 467 institutions in Ecuador – 612 codes altogether. Every code points to an institution or a specific branch or department.

Pick 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 we explain how a code from Ecuador is put together, how to send money to Ecuador without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Paying in USD: what conversion costs you

The national currency of Ecuador is the US Dollar (USD). Money sent in a different currency is converted into USD before it reaches the account.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Often you pay less to send USD straight away through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Rates for USD change during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

Paying a bank in Ecuador from abroad

To pay into Ecuador you will almost always need the BIC, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, your bank cannot process the transfer.

In some countries, the account is identified by a local account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. Check with the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments – many banks give clear instructions for this. SWIFT payments can pass through correspondent banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

Transfer times to Ecuador

A SWIFT payment to Ecuador usually needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Public holidays in Ecuador or in the sending country can add a day or more to the journey.

If a transfer seems delayed, ask the sender to contact their own bank and ask for the status or the UETR – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Money transfer services usually provide tracking online.

Banco Pichincha C.a. and its SWIFT codes

Of the 467 banks we list for Ecuador, Banco Pichincha C.a. is listed with the largest number of SWIFT codes. Its main office uses PICHECEQXXX.

Many codes often reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services. Making a payment to Banco Pichincha C.a.? Go with PICHECEQXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Banks in Ecuador starting with :letter

The letter filter limits the list to banks in Ecuador starting with :letter to make searching quicker. The counts in the introduction still refer to all banks in Ecuador.

Some banks are listed under their official name. Use the full list for Ecuador when you are not sure the exact name.

Incoming international payments in Ecuador

When you expect money from abroad in Ecuador, 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, often, your postal address.

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

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Ecuador

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. A wrong code may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

The directory on GoldexPay is compiled from publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Institutions reorganise, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Treat this list as a reference: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is a comparison service, not a bank.

Watch out for payment requests with changed bank details, especially when they come by email. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine.

What the letters in a Ecuador BIC mean

Bank identifier codes follow one international format: eight characters. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can recognise a bank code from Ecuador from the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of Ecuador. When the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank in another country – worth double-checking.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code – XXX stands for the head office. Use a branch code only when the recipient explicitly gives you one.

Bank or transfer service for Ecuador?

The price of a payment to Ecuador has more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. Besides the fee, intermediary banks can take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in Ecuador across providers.