Bank of China International Limited SWIFT/BIC code

Bank of China International Limited SWIFT code: CDFCHKHH

If an invoice shows CDFCHKHH or CDFCHKHHXXX, it is the same identifier for Bank of China International Limited in Hong Kong SAR China. The code has a single purpose: it makes sure that money from abroad reaches the right bank. In daily life you usually come across the code on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and in the bank details of Bank of China International Limited customers.

Further down we go through the practical questions: money coming in from abroad, paying someone in another country and how to verify the code before you confirm a payment. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code just identifies the bank, not the person: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

Bank of China International Limited: head office code versus branch codes

With 2 codes in 1 cities, Bank of China International Limited belongs to the banks that use separate codes for branches. The head office code remains CDFCHKHHXXX.

In most cases there is no need to look up a branch: transfers addressed to CDFCHKHHXXX are routed within Bank of China International Limited correctly. Just use a branch code when your contact explicitly asks for it.

The best way is to copy the code directly from the account holder’s invoice. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

International transfers from Bank of China International Limited: the real cost

What you pay for a payment abroad is made up of more than one component – not just the fee on your screen. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks can deduct a fee, and when currencies are converted the bank usually uses a rate below the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: the bank converts at a rate with a margin built in. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before your next transfer, take a minute to compare what arrives on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank. Using a transfer service does not require closing your account at Bank of China International Limited – you pay the provider from your own account.

Changed bank details? Be careful

One of the most common tricks goes like this: an email arrives with a request claiming that a contact now has a new bank account and asking you to pay there from now on. The fact that CDFCHKHH exists does not mean that the account is genuine.

Verify new payment details via a separate channel, such as a phone number you already know. Urgency or secrecy tend to be warning signs. When a payment has already gone to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

People receiving money are targeted too: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to refund the difference. Wait until the money is actually in your account – ask Bank of China International Limited if something looks wrong.

Is CDFCHKHH still correct? How to check

The most reliable place for the right code remains a document from the bank itself like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Compare that code against CDFCHKHH on this page and ask if anything does not match.

With a wrong code, the payment may be delayed, be returned or cost extra – sometimes after weeks of searching. Remember the IBAN: a mistake there is harder to correct than a wrong BIC.

An automatic check by your bank merely confirms that the code exists, not that it is the right account. If your bank offers it, a payee name check before sending gives extra certainty. A small test payment can be a sensible step for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

The Hong Kong Dollar and what conversion costs you

Hong Kong SAR China uses the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD). Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into HKD, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Each conversion eats into something.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Sending the money directly in HKD usually prevents a second conversion at the receiving end – as long as your own rate is good.

The HKD rate changes throughout the day, so the amount you see is usually only valid for a short time. With bigger transfers, even seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Bank of China International Limited

An international transfer usually needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country add a day or more, since banks do not process on those days. Compliance checks on larger or unusual payments can also add a delay.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Save the payment confirmation – you will need it for any trace request.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the person who paid should contact the bank that sent it, not the receiving bank. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation.

Why Bank of China International Limited has an 8- and an 11-character code

Every SWIFT/BIC code starts with the same eight core characters: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code. For Bank of China International Limited, that core is CDFCHKHH.

The 11-character version adds three more characters that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, they simply mean the head office.

In practice the code is typed in capitals and without spaces. A single letter may route a payment to another bank, so check it twice.

What to give a sender who pays you at Bank of China International Limited

When you are waiting for a payment from another country, give the sender all details at once. Give them your name as the bank knows it, the IBAN or account number, the BIC CDFCHKHHXXX and your address.

Their bank might request the bank address of Bank of China International Limited; the head office in Hong Kong is usually fine. A typo in the IBAN can be harder to fix than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, Bank of China International Limited may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. For business payments, it is common to agree who bears the costs.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and check them regularly. Banks merge, close branches and retire codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. Counts and locations are from our own dataset and are not confirmed by Bank of China International Limited.

For any payment that matters, check the BIC with Bank of China International Limited or the recipient. We are a comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Bank of China International Limited. Found an error? Let us know through the contact page.