SWIFT/BIC codes in Germany: banks starting with Q

Finding a SWIFT code in Germany

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 2804 banks in Germany – 8518 codes altogether. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Select the bank from the list to see the head office code and its other codes. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes before a payment.

Tracking a payment to Germany

An international transfer to Germany usually needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Bank holidays in either country add extra days to the journey.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank. Specialist transfer services often provide a status online so you can follow the payment.

What the letters in a Germany BIC mean

SWIFT/BIC codes follow the same format worldwide: 8 characters. It starts with a four-letter bank code, then a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

You can recognise a bank code from Germany by the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of Germany. When the country letters do not match Germany, you are looking at a bank in another country, so check again.

The long version adds three characters for a branch, where XXX means the head office. Use a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Deutsche Bank AG and its SWIFT codes

Deutsche Bank AG tops our list for Germany when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Deutsche Bank AG has DEUTDE2HXXX.

How many codes a bank has tells you something about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code DEUTDE2HXXX works for transfers to this bank.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Germany

When you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Germany, give the sender a complete set of details. That means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

Your bank’s code is in our list, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. Certain sending banks may also want your bank’s address, so keep it at hand.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. On invoices, agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

SEPA transfers to Germany

Because Germany is part of SEPA, a euro payment to an account in Germany normally only needs the IBAN. Most banking apps do not require the BIC for these payments.

A SWIFT code still come into play when the currency is not euros. SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day. Provided the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer is usually inexpensive.

Sending money to Germany for less

The price of a transfer to Germany has more than one component – not only the fee you see. There is the transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Compare the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer to Germany, take a minute to compare what arrives on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Germany

Ask the recipient to copy their bank details directly from their online banking. A wrong code can cause a delay, a returned payment or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is compiled from public sources and is updated regularly. Even so, banks merge or retire codes. Treat this list as a starting point. We are an independent comparison service, not a bank.

Fraudsters often send fake invoices with changed bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Banks in Germany beginning with the letter :letter

This filter narrows the list down to banks in Germany starting with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The figures for Germany on this page apply to every bank we list, not just the ones under :letter.

Some banks appear under their official name rather than the name on their app or website. The complete list remains one click away if the letter filter does not help.

Sending EUR to Germany

The currency in Germany is the Euro (EUR). When you pay another currency, it has to be converted somewhere along the way.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often it is cheaper to send EUR directly via a transfer service with a good rate. Rates for EUR move all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.