Deutsche Postbank AG SWIFT/BIC code

Deutsche Postbank AG SWIFT code: PBNKDEFF

The short code PBNKDEFF and the full code PBNKDEFFXXX identify the same bank: Deutsche Postbank AG. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain which institution should receive the money. In practice you mostly see the code on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that Deutsche Postbank AG provides.

We wrote this page to help people who pays into an account at Deutsche Postbank AG. The SWIFT code alone does not identify an individual account holder; for that you need the IBAN or account number .

Do you need PBNKDEFF for a SEPA transfer?

Since Germany is part of SEPA, a euro payment to Deutsche Postbank AG from within the SEPA area usually requires just an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC for these payments.

You will still need PBNKDEFFXXX when sending non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. Some banks and apps still ask for the BIC out of habit; if so, fill in PBNKDEFF.

Instant euro transfers have become increasingly supported within SEPA. Provided no currency is converted, the transfer tends to be inexpensive; it is the conversion that costs money.

The Euro and what conversion costs you

The currency of Germany is the Euro (EUR). Money sent in a different currency is converted into EUR, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases it is cheaper if you send EUR straight away via a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate.

Exchange rates change during the day. If you pay regularly, small differences in the rate add up over time.

Before you send: check the Deutsche Postbank AG code

Ask the recipient to send you the bank details straight from their online banking. Compare it against PBNKDEFF on this page and ask if anything does not match.

Errors in the SWIFT code are costly rather than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. A mistake in the account number is more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

Many banking apps check the structure of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC. If your bank offers it, a name check before sending gives extra certainty. When you pay someone new, many people send a small amount first before sending the rest.

About this information

The details on this page are taken from public sources which we refresh regularly. It can happen that information here is no longer current, for example after a merger. The number of codes we show are based on what is in our directory and not on information from Deutsche Postbank AG itself.

Before any payment that matters, confirm the BIC with Deutsche Postbank AG or the recipient. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers and not part of Deutsche Postbank AG. Spotted outdated information? Tell us through the contact page and we will look into it.

Which of the 55 codes of Deutsche Postbank AG do you need?

Deutsche Postbank AG uses 55 separate SWIFT/BIC codes across 51 locations. One of them is the head office code; the rest belong to branches.

In most cases you do not need to pick a branch: transfers addressed to PBNKDEFFXXX are routed within Deutsche Postbank AG without problems. When you receive a specific code, stick to it instead of swapping it with the head office code.

Not sure which code to use? Check with the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Deutsche Postbank AG. Branch codes are more likely to change than PBNKDEFFXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

What the XXX in PBNKDEFFXXX means

A BIC is built from a few fixed parts: characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six show the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. The result is PBNKDEFF for Deutsche Postbank AG.

Many banks and apps work with either length. If a form requires eleven characters, use PBNKDEFFXXX; if it wants eight, use PBNKDEFF.

Leave out spaces, dots when you type PBNKDEFF; the code is always written in one block. Pasting the code is safer than retyping it.

How long does an international transfer to Deutsche Postbank AG take?

How fast a payment reaches Deutsche Postbank AG is determined by several factors: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Transfers sent late in the day or just before weekends and holidays often start the next business day. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived.

The bank that sent the money is able to start an official trace or a recall; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. Ask the sender for the payment receipt including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

What a transfer from Deutsche Postbank AG abroad really costs

When you transfer money abroad via Deutsche Postbank AG, the visible fee is rarely all of what you pay. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate if the currency changes.

Many banks do not show the margin on the rate as a cost – you only notice it if you compare. Compare their rate with the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay lists these services side by side so you can see what actually arrives. You can always use your account at Deutsche Postbank AG to fund the transfer, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

A common scam goes like this: an email arrives with a request claiming that a contact now has a new bank account and asking you to pay there from now on. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine – scammers simply use real codes.

Check changed bank details via a different channel, never via the email that asked for the change. Be suspicious of time pressure, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. When a payment was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to refund the difference abroad. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof – check your own account.

Incoming international payments to Deutsche Postbank AG

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Share the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, the BIC PBNKDEFFXXX and your address.

It helps to include the bank name and its city as well. Double-check every detail before you send them.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.