Societe Generale S.A. SWIFT/BIC code

SOGEDEFF – the SWIFT/BIC code of Societe Generale S.A.

SOGEDEFF and SOGEDEFFXXX are two spellings of the same bank identifier, and both point to Societe Generale S.A. in Frankfurt Am Main. A BIC does one job: it makes sure that a cross-border transfer reaches the right bank. It comes up mostly when dealing with payments that cross a border or a currency.

Further down we go through the practical questions: receiving money at Societe Generale S.A., sending money abroad and how to check the code before you confirm a payment. The SWIFT code alone does not identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN .

When will the money arrive at Societe Generale S.A.?

How quickly a transfer reaches Societe Generale S.A. depends on several factors: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Bank holidays in either country add a day or more to the journey. Sometimes a bank wants to know what the payment is for before releasing it.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sending bank for the tracking status or the UETR; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Money transfer services often show tracking in their app showing where the money is.

Only the sending bank can request a trace; 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.

About this information

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update our list 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 own dataset and are not confirmed by Societe Generale S.A..

For a payment that matters, always confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. GoldexPay is independent of Societe Generale S.A.. Spotted an error? Tell us via our contact form so we can correct it.

Why Societe Generale S.A. has an 8- and an 11-character code

A SWIFT code is made up of fixed blocks: characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six show the country and characters seven and eight mark the location. For Societe Generale S.A., the 8-character core is SOGEDEFF.

Many payment forms work with both lengths. If a form requires eleven characters, use SOGEDEFFXXX.

Leave out spaces or dashes when you enter SOGEDEFF. A single letter can send a payment to a different institution, so copy it carefully.

What to give a sender who pays you at Societe Generale S.A.

A sender in another country needs several details about your account – incomplete details often cause delays. What they need is: the account holder’s name, IBAN or account number, SOGEDEFFXXX or SOGEDEFF and in many cases your home address.

You can add Societe Generale S.A. and Frankfurt Am Main too, since some forms ask for it. Double-check each detail before you share them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

Expect that the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, Societe Generale S.A. may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Do you need SOGEDEFF for a SEPA transfer?

Germany is part of the SEPA area, where euro transfers follow common rules. For a standard euro transfer within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

Outside the euro and from non-SEPA countries, SOGEDEFFXXX remains required. A few forms also show a field for the BIC; if so, enter SOGEDEFF or SOGEDEFFXXX.

Instant euro transfers are widely supported across SEPA – whether Societe Generale S.A. offers them for your account is worth checking. As long as no currency is converted, the transfer tends to be cheap.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Stay alert when someone suddenly asks you to pay into another account or a bank in another country. A correct SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Always verify a change of bank details by phone. Be suspicious of urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Already paid? Contact your bank straight away and ask them to start a recall.

Fraud can also work the other way. Someone claims to have sent too much and wants you to return the extra via a different route. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing; only your own account shows what has arrived.

Which of the 7 codes of Societe Generale S.A. do you need?

Our directory lists 7 SWIFT/BIC codes for Societe Generale S.A.. Besides the head office code SOGEDEFFXXX, you will find codes for individual branches and departments.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, go with SOGEDEFFXXX. If you have been given a specific code, stick to it rather than replacing it with the head office code.

The safest approach is to copy the code directly from the account holder’s bank details. Codes for branches are more prone to be retired than SOGEDEFFXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

Is SOGEDEFF still correct? How to check

The best place to find the correct BIC remains paperwork issued by the bank. Check that code with SOGEDEFF here.

Errors in the BIC are annoying more than fatal. An error in the account number can be more serious because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC – that confirms the format, not the owner. If your bank offers it, a payee name check on the recipient adds an extra layer of safety. Sending a small amount first can be worth it for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Germany pays in the Euro. If you send another currency, the amount has to be converted at some point. 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. Check what EUR arrives with different providers before choosing one.

The rate for EUR fluctuates constantly. With bigger transfers, even seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

International transfers from Societe Generale S.A.: the real cost

If you send money to another country through Societe Generale S.A., the visible fee is only part of what you pay. Besides the transfer fee, banks in between can take a cut, and when the money changes currency, the bank often uses a rate below the real market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest cost. Compare their rate against the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. GoldexPay compares what recipients receive with different services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can still use your account at Societe Generale S.A. to fund the transfer; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.