BNP Paribas Arbitrage SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of BNP Paribas Arbitrage

BNABFRPP and BNABFRPPXXX are two ways of writing the same bank identifier, and both point to BNP Paribas Arbitrage in Paris. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get the money, much like a postcode for banks. You will need it mostly when dealing with payments that cross a border and payments in foreign currencies.

On this page you will find how the code is put together, when it matters and what else a transfer to or from BNP Paribas Arbitrage requires. A SWIFT code identifies a bank or branch, never a single account; the IBAN or account number does that.

Is BNABFRPP still correct? How to check

Ask the recipient to copy their account details straight from a recent statement. Compare it against BNABFRPP here and ask if anything does not match.

Mistakes in the SWIFT code tend to be costly more than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. Remember the IBAN: an error there can be more difficult to undo than a wrong code.

An automatic check in your banking app only confirms that the IBAN is valid, not that it is the right account. Some banks now check the payee name against the account before you confirm. Sending a small amount first is a sensible step for large sums.

BNP Paribas Arbitrage: head office code versus branch codes

Our database contains 11 SWIFT/BIC codes for BNP Paribas Arbitrage in 1 places. Next to the head office code BNABFRPPXXX, you will find codes for individual branches and departments.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with BNABFRPPXXX or its short form BNABFRPP. A branch code only makes sense when the recipient’s bank specifically mentions it, which is more common for business accounts and specialised services.

If you are not sure, ask the person you are paying which code their bank gave them. Branch codes are more likely to be retired than the head office code.

What to give a sender who pays you at BNP Paribas Arbitrage

For a transfer from abroad into your account at BNP Paribas Arbitrage, the sender has to have not just the BIC. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code BNABFRPPXXX and your address, which some banks require.

You can add BNP Paribas Arbitrage and Paris as well, since some forms ask for it. Double-check each detail before you send them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

What lands in your account can be lower than what was sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. For business payments, it is common to state who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

International transfers from BNP Paribas Arbitrage: the real cost

If you transfer money to another country through BNP Paribas Arbitrage, the visible fee is only part of the cost. You pay the fee for the transfer itself, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee: the bank converts using an exchange rate that includes a margin. A simple test: set the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. Next time you send money, take a minute comparing the total cost via GoldexPay. You can always use your account at BNP Paribas Arbitrage, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Criminals regularly send payment requests with new bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Before paying, verify changed bank details by phone. Watch out for urgent requests, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. If money has already gone to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

Fraud also target the receiver. Someone claims to have sent too much and wants you to refund the extra. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

France pays in the Euro, with the currency code EUR. If you send money in a different currency it gets converted somewhere along the way. There is rarely a separate line for the conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Where the conversion happens affects the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Transferring the amount already in EUR usually prevents a second conversion at the receiving end, provided the rate you get is fair.

The EUR rate changes constantly, so the amount you see is usually only valid for a short time. If you pay regularly, small differences in the rate add up over a year.

BNABFRPP or BNABFRPPXXX – which one to use?

A BIC is built from a few fixed parts: the first four letters stand for the bank, the next two show the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. Together, these eight characters form BNABFRPP – the version you usually see online.

XXX at the end of BNABFRPPXXX does not stand for a placeholder or a mistake: it stands for the main office of BNP Paribas Arbitrage. Some forms insist on 11 characters, in which case you can enter XXX after BNABFRPP.

In practice the code is written in capitals and without spaces. Copying the code beats retyping it, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

Do you need BNABFRPP for a SEPA transfer?

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to BNP Paribas Arbitrage follow the same rules, so the IBAN does the job in most cases. The BIC field is usually optional or missing for those payments.

Outside the euro and from non-SEPA countries, BNABFRPPXXX or BNABFRPP remains required. If a payment form has a field for the BIC regardless, adding BNABFRPP is fine.

Instant payments in euros are increasingly supported across SEPA; check with BNP Paribas Arbitrage whether it applies to your account. Fees for SEPA transfers tend to be low as long as everything stays in euros.

Tracking a transfer to or from BNP Paribas Arbitrage

A SWIFT payment typically needs anywhere from one to several business days. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays often start the next business day. Sometimes a bank asks what the payment is for before releasing it.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact the sending bank about the tracking status and the transaction reference. Save your transfer receipt; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

The bank that sent the money can request a trace – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Request from the sender the payment receipt – it helps your own bank look for the money.

About this information

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and check them regularly. Banks merge, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory and may differ from what BNP Paribas Arbitrage publishes.

See our directory here as a handy check, and let the details from the recipient or BNP Paribas Arbitrage have the final say. GoldexPay is a comparison service and not affiliated with BNP Paribas Arbitrage. Spotted outdated information? Let us know via our contact form so we can correct it.