SWIFT/BIC codes in Gibraltar

Finding a SWIFT code in Gibraltar

Our directory lists 27 banks and financial institutions in Gibraltar. You will need such a code mostly for international transfers.

Every bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and, where available, branch codes. Further down you can read how a code from Gibraltar is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Sending money to Gibraltar for less

An international bank payment to Gibraltar can cost more than you think. There is the transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Check the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Gibraltar receive with different providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

SWIFT transfers to Gibraltar

Since Gibraltar does not belong to SEPA, an international payment is usually sent as a SWIFT payment. That means you always need the SWIFT/BIC code of the receiving bank, together with the account number or IBAN.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for incoming international payments. International transfers sometimes go via correspondent banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient copy the account details directly from their banking app. An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather bank codes from publicly available data and check them from time to time. Banks merge, close branches and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. For any payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. We are an independent comparison service.

Be wary of payment requests with changed bank details. A valid BIC says nothing about who owns the account.

The largest SWIFT network in Gibraltar: Barclays Bank PLC

Barclays Bank PLC leads the list for Gibraltar in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Barclays Bank PLC has BARCGIGIXXX.

How many codes a bank has says something about how it registers branches and services than about its size. If not a branch code is given, BARCGIGIXXX is fine for a payment to Barclays Bank PLC.

How SWIFT codes from Gibraltar are built

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and the next two mark the location.

Whatever the bank, all Gibraltar codes have the same fifth and sixth letters. A code with other letters in that position belong to a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the head office. Use a branch code just when the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

Receiving money in Gibraltar from abroad

If you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Gibraltar, send the payer all details at once. Share your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

Your bank’s code appears in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. You can add your bank’s name and city as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

What lands in your account is often lower than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

Tracking a payment to Gibraltar

There is no fixed delivery time for transfers to Gibraltar: some arrive the same day or the next. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays often go out the next business day.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi. Each payment carries a unique reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived.