SWIFT/BIC codes in Germany: banks starting with B

Finding a SWIFT code in Germany

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 2804 institutions in Germany – 8518 codes altogether. Each code identifies a bank or one of its branches and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Every bank has its own page showing its main code and, where available, branch codes. The sections below covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Banks in Germany starting with :letter

Here you see a selection: just banks in Germany with a name starting with :letter. The counts in the introduction always refer to the whole country, not just this letter.

Some banks appear under their official name, which may start with words like Bank or Banco. Use the full list for Germany when you are not sure the exact name.

About our data and how to check a code

The safest source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update them from time to time. Even so, banks merge or retire codes and our data may lag behind. Treat our data as a reference rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Fraudsters often send payment requests carrying new bank details from what looks like a familiar address. Always confirm changed details by phone.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Bank accounts in Germany are typically held in EUR. If you send money in a different currency, the amount has to be converted somewhere along the way.

Who converts the money matters. Check what EUR arrives via different services; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. Exchange rates change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Sending money to Germany for less

The price of a payment to Germany has more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. Besides a fixed fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a rate below the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. A simple test: put the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For many routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a bank. GoldexPay lists transfer services next to each other so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient for the same amount sent.

Paying in euros to Germany

Since Germany is in the SEPA zone, a euro payment to a bank in Germany usually only needs the IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC in that case.

You still need a SWIFT code for non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. Euro payments within SEPA normally land by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. As long as no conversion is involved, the transfer is usually inexpensive.

Deutsche Bank AG and its SWIFT codes

Of the 2804 banks in Germany, Deutsche Bank AG is listed with the largest number of SWIFT codes. The head office uses DEUTDE2HXXX – the code most transfers need.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes – a high count is not a measure of size. Making a payment to Deutsche Bank AG? Go with DEUTDE2HXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

What the letters in a Germany BIC mean

Bank identifier codes follow the same format worldwide: 8 characters plus an optional three-character extension. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and the next two give the location.

No matter which bank, every code from Germany have the same fifth and sixth letters: the ISO code of the country. Codes with other letters in that position belong to another country.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code. For most transfers the head office code is fine.

How long does a transfer to Germany take?

How quickly money arrives in Germany depends on several factors: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Public holidays in either country add extra days.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Save your transfer receipt; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Receiving money in Germany from abroad

To receive a transfer from abroad into a Germany account, the sender needs more than the SWIFT code. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your postal address.

Look up the bank in the list on this page. Certain banks may also ask for the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

What lands in your account can be lower than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.