Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft SWIFT/BIC code

What UNBNDE21 means for a payment to Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Whether a recipient gives you UNBNDE21 or UNBNDE21XXX, you are looking at the identical identifier for Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft in Germany. Banks worldwide use these codes to route international transfers to the correct bank. You will need it mostly for payments that cross a border.

This page is meant to help anyone who sends money to an account at Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft without mistakes. The BIC identifies an institution, not a single account, which is why you always need the account number too.

Head office or branch code at Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft?

Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft has 2 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code, UNBNDE21XXX; the others identify branches.

For most incoming transfers, the head office code UNBNDE21XXX is what you need. Only use a branch code when the recipient gives you that exact code, for example on a letter or invoice.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient which code their bank gave them. Codes can change over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

SEPA payments and the Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft BIC

Since Germany is part of the SEPA zone, a euro transfer into Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft from within the SEPA area usually requires just the IBAN. Most banking apps no longer ask for the BIC in that case.

The BIC does come into play for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. If a payment form asks for the BIC regardless, entering UNBNDE21 does no harm.

Instant euro transfers have become widely available within SEPA; check with Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft whether it applies to your account. Provided the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer is cheap; it is the conversion that costs money.

Paying into Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft in EUR

The national currency in Germany is the Euro (EUR). When you pay another currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft itself. Every conversion costs something, even when no fee is shown.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives. Sending the money directly in EUR often prevents a second conversion by Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft – as long as your own rate is good.

The EUR rate fluctuates constantly. On larger amounts, even small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and update our list regularly. It can happen that information here is out of date, for example after a merger. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory and are not confirmed by Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft.

Treat our data as a starting point, not as the last word – the bank details from the recipient are leading. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft. Found outdated information? Let us know through the contact page so we can correct it.

What a transfer from Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft abroad really costs

What you pay for a payment abroad has more than one component. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between may deduct a fee, and when the money changes currency, the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

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

Specialist money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives with different providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can still use your account at Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft.

Is UNBNDE21 still correct? How to check

Ask the recipient to copy the account details straight from their banking app. If the code you have differs from UNBNDE21 or UNBNDE21XXX, do not guess: check with the recipient or with Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft directly.

Errors in the BIC are annoying more than fatal. A mistake in the account number can be more serious.

Many banking apps check the format of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC – that confirms the format, not the owner. More and more banks compare the name against the account before you confirm. For a first payment, many people send a small test amount.

8 or 11 characters: UNBNDE21 versus UNBNDE21XXX

The structure of a BIC is always the same: four characters for the institution, two for the country and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. The result is UNBNDE21 for Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft.

Many payment forms accept both lengths. If yours asks for eleven characters, enter UNBNDE21XXX.

Type the code in one piece, in upper case and without spaces. Watch for O versus 0 or I versus 1.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft

An international transfer usually takes anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out a business day later. Extra checks by one of the banks can also add some delay, even when all details are correct.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

The bank that sent the money is able to request a trace or a recall; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Fraudsters often send payment requests with changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. A correct SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Verify new payment details through a separate channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract, never via the email that asked for the change. Be suspicious of time pressure, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. If money was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away.

Recipients can be targeted as well: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to refund the difference to another account. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof; only your own account shows what has arrived.

What to give a sender who pays you at Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. What they need is: the account holder’s name, IBAN or account number, UNBNDE21XXX or UNBNDE21 and, for some countries, your home address.

Their bank may request the bank address of Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft; the head office in Flensburg is usually fine. Double-check each detail before you share them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

An incoming payment will not always arrive in full. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank – the price list of Union - Bank Aktiengesellschaft tells you what applies. For business payments, you can state who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.