SWIFT/BIC codes in Finland: banks starting with S

Bank SWIFT codes for Finland

For Finland we have 602 SWIFT/BIC codes from 569 banks. You will need such a code mainly when making international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Look for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through for the full list of codes and the details a transfer needs. The rest of this page explain how the codes work, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes.

What a sender needs to pay you in Finland

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details from you. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page. Some sending banks also ask for your bank’s address.

The amount you receive is often lower than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

Tracking a payment to Finland

How fast money arrives in Finland depends on a few things: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Bank holidays in Finland or in the sending country add extra days.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each payment carries a unique reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Specialist transfer services often show tracking in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

The structure of a Finland SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC codes use the same format worldwide: 8 characters plus an optional three-character extension. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

For banks in Finland, letters five and six are the two-letter ISO code of Finland – that is the quickest way to spot one. A code with other letters in that position come from another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

If the last three are XXX, it means the main office and the short version works just as well. For most transfers the head office code is fine.

Euro payments to Finland: is a BIC needed?

Inside SEPA, euro payments to Finland use the same rules. A field for the BIC is often optional for those payments.

You will still need the BIC when sending non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. Instant euro transfers have become increasingly supported across SEPA. Costs stay low as long as no currency is converted.

Suomen Pankki - Finlands Bank and its SWIFT codes

Suomen Pankki - Finlands Bank leads our list of Finland banks in SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is SPFBFIHHXXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

A large number of codes often means separate codes for branches, departments or services, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Making a payment to Suomen Pankki - Finlands Bank? Go with SPFBFIHHXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Check the code before you pay

The best place to find the right code remains paperwork issued by the bank. An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges – compare it with the code in our list.

We gather bank codes from publicly available data and check our list from time to time. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use our data as a reference, not as the final word. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Be wary of invoices with a new account. Always confirm changed details by phone.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Most accounts in Finland are usually held in EUR, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into EUR, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Which bank converts the payment makes a difference. In many cases you pay less if you send EUR straight away via a transfer service with a good rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Exchange rates move during the day – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Bank or transfer service for Finland?

An international bank payment to Finland often costs more than you think. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks can take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. A simple test: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. Before you send money to Finland, take a minute to compare the total cost on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Banks in Finland beginning with the letter :letter

This page shows only the banks in Finland beginning with :letter in alphabetical order. The totals mentioned above still refer to the whole country.

Cannot find the bank? Its official name might start with a different letter. Try the full list for Finland when you are not sure how the name is spelled.