Pax-Bank EG SWIFT/BIC code

PAXBDE51 – the SWIFT/BIC code of Pax-Bank EG

The short code PAXBDE51 and the full code PAXBDE51XXX refer to one and the same institution: Pax-Bank EG in Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a payment exactly which bank is meant to get the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. In practice you usually see it on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details of Pax-Bank EG customers.

Further down we go through the practical side: receiving money at Pax-Bank EG, paying someone in another country and how to verify the code before you hit send. The SWIFT code alone does not identify a personal account; that is what the IBAN or account number is for.

8 or 11 characters: PAXBDE51 versus PAXBDE51XXX

The layout of a BIC is always the same: a bank code of four letters, a two-letter country code and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. In this case, that core is PAXBDE51.

The 11-character version adds a three-character extension that identify a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, they simply mean the head office, so PAXBDE51XXX and PAXBDE51 are interchangeable.

Leave out spaces, dots when you enter PAXBDE51; the code is always written in one block. Watch for the letter O and the digit 0 or I versus 1; they are easy to mix up.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

The currency of Germany is the Euro (EUR). Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into EUR. Each conversion eats into the amount – usually through the rate rather than a fee.

Where the conversion happens affects the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Often it is cheaper if you send EUR straight away via a transfer service with a good rate, so that the receiving bank does not need to convert again.

Rates for EUR change all the time – some services let you fix a rate in advance. On larger amounts, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

When will the money arrive at Pax-Bank EG?

A SWIFT payment usually needs anywhere from one to several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually start the next business day. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments can also cause some delay.

If the money is late, ask your bank about the tracking status or the UETR so they can trace it along the chain. Money transfer services usually provide a status online showing how far the payment is.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the sender needs to contact the bank that sent it, not the receiving bank. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference.

Choosing between the 9 SWIFT codes of Pax-Bank EG

With 9 codes, Pax-Bank EG belongs to the banks that register individual codes for parts of the organisation and departments. The head office code is PAXBDE51XXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with PAXBDE51XXX. When you receive a specific code, stick to it rather than replacing it for the head office code.

The safest approach is to take the code directly from the account holder’s bank details. Codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Receiving money from abroad at Pax-Bank EG

For an international payment into your account at Pax-Bank EG, the sender has to have not just the SWIFT code. What they need is: your name, IBAN or account number, PAXBDE51XXX or PAXBDE51 and often your home address.

Their bank might also ask for the bank address of Pax-Bank EG, in which case the Heilbad Heiligenstadt head office is the usual answer. A typo in your account number can be harder to fix than it looks.

The amount you receive is often less than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. On invoices, it is common to agree who bears the costs.

What a transfer from Pax-Bank EG abroad really costs

The price of an international transfer is made up of more than one component – not just the fee on your screen. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent or intermediary banks can deduct a fee, and when the money changes currency the bank usually applies a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: many banks convert using an exchange rate that includes a margin. Compare their rate with the mid-market rate.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is less expensive than a bank. Before your next transfer, it is worth comparing what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank. Using a transfer service does not mean closing your account at Pax-Bank EG: you simply pay the service from your account.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

One of the most common tricks goes like this: you receive a message claiming that a company has a new bank account and that the next payment should go there. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine – scammers simply use real codes.

Before paying, verify changed bank details through a phone call, using a number you already had. Watch out for urgent requests, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. If money was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Fraud can also target the receiver: someone sends too much and wants you to return the extra to a new account. A payment confirmation from the sender proves nothing.

How up to date is this code?

We collect bank codes from public sources and check our list from time to time. Still, banks merge or change codes and our data may lag behind. Counts and locations are from our own dataset.

Treat our data as a starting point, not as the final word: the recipient’s bank details come first. GoldexPay is a comparison service for money transfers and not part of Pax-Bank EG. Spotted outdated information? Tell us through the contact page so we can correct it.

Do you need PAXBDE51 for a SEPA transfer?

Because Germany is part of the SEPA zone, a euro payment into Pax-Bank EG from another SEPA country normally requires just an IBAN. Many banks no longer ask for the BIC for these payments.

You still need PAXBDE51XXX for payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. If a payment form asks for the BIC regardless, entering PAXBDE51 is fine.

Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day. Fees for SEPA transfers are generally low, as long as no currency conversion is involved.

How to check PAXBDE51 before you pay

Ask the recipient to send you the bank details directly from their online banking. If the code you have differs from PAXBDE51 or PAXBDE51XXX, do not guess.

An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees. Remember the IBAN: a mistake there is harder to correct than a wrong code.

Most online banking apps check the structure of an IBAN and sometimes look up the BIC automatically, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. If your bank offers it, a name check on the recipient adds an extra layer of safety. A small test payment can be worth it for a large first payment despite the extra fee.