State Bank of India SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of State Bank of India

The 8-character code SBINDEFF and the full code SBINDEFFXXX refer to one and the same institution: State Bank of India in Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. The code has a single purpose: it ensures that a cross-border transfer ends up at the right bank. In daily life you usually come across it on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and on the account details that State Bank of India provides.

On this page you can read how the code is put together, when you need it and which other details you need for a transfer to or from State Bank of India. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

What a transfer from State Bank of India abroad really costs

The price of an international transfer has more than one component, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. There is the transfer fee, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Banks rarely show their exchange rate markup as a 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 many currency pairs, a transfer service is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. Next time you send money, it is worth comparing what arrives via GoldexPay. Choosing a specialist does not mean leaving State Bank of India: you simply pay the service from your account.

Tracking a transfer to or from State Bank of India

How quickly a payment arrives at State Bank of India is determined by a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later. Sometimes a bank asks what the payment is for before releasing it.

If the money seems late, ask your bank about the tracking status or the UETR so they can trace it along the chain. Money transfer services usually show tracking in their app showing how far the payment is.

The bank that sent the money can request a trace or a recall; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. On the receiving end, it helps to look at your statements to see a partial amount because fees can reduce the amount.

About this information

The details on this page are taken from publicly available data that we update regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. Figures such as the number of codes are from our own dataset and may differ from what State Bank of India publishes.

Treat this page as a starting point, not as the final word: the recipient’s bank details come first. GoldexPay is independent of State Bank of India, we only compare transfer services. Should you notice a mistake, we welcome a message.

Choosing between the 2 SWIFT codes of State Bank of India

Our directory lists 2 SWIFT/BIC codes for State Bank of India in 1 cities. Next to the head office code SBINDEFFXXX, you will find codes for branches, departments or specific services.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: transfers addressed to SBINDEFFXXX reach State Bank of India without problems. Only use a branch code when your contact explicitly asks for it.

When in doubt, check with the recipient for the exact BIC in their bank details. Branch codes are more likely to change than SBINDEFFXXX.

Receiving money from abroad at State Bank of India

For an international payment at State Bank of India, the sender has to have more than the SWIFT code. In practice that means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC SBINDEFFXXX and sometimes your postal address.

Certain sending banks want the name and address of State Bank of India; it does no harm to include it. A mistake in your account number can be more trouble than it looks.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

Is SBINDEFF still correct? How to check

The safest source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. When the code you were given does not match SBINDEFF or SBINDEFFXXX, stop and ask: check with the recipient or with State Bank of India directly.

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

A validity check by your bank merely confirms that the IBAN is valid – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. If your bank offers it, a payee name check before sending adds an extra layer of safety. A small test payment can be a sensible step for large sums.

Paying State Bank of India in euros within SEPA

Because Germany is in the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to State Bank of India from another SEPA country usually requires just an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC in that case.

The BIC does matter when the currency is not euros, and for transfers from outside SEPA. A few banks and apps also show a field for the BIC; in that case, fill in SBINDEFF or SBINDEFFXXX.

Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day. As long as no currency is converted, the transfer tends to be inexpensive.

Why State Bank of India has an 8- and an 11-character code

A BIC is made up of fixed blocks: characters one to four stand for the bank, characters five and six give the country and characters seven and eight mark the location. The result is SBINDEFF for State Bank of India.

XXX at the end of SBINDEFFXXX does not stand for a placeholder or a mistake: it indicates the main office of State Bank of India. Some banking apps insist on 11 characters, and then you can enter XXX behind SBINDEFF.

Leave out spaces, dots when you enter SBINDEFF; the code is always written in one block. Look out for O versus 0 and the letter I and the digit 1, a common source of typos.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Fraudsters often use payment requests with new bank details. That SBINDEFF is a real code is no guarantee that the account is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Check changed bank details via a separate channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract, never via the email that asked for the change. Urgency or requests to keep it quiet are warning signs. Acted too fast? Call your bank straight away and have them start a recall; also report it to the police.

People receiving money are targeted too: one known trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to refund the difference. A payment confirmation from the sender proves nothing – check your own account.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Accounts at State Bank of India are usually held in EUR, the local currency of Germany. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into EUR on its way to State Bank of India. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. Check how much EUR the recipient gets with different services before choosing one.

Exchange rates change all the time. For regular payments, small differences in the rate make a real difference over time.