Credit Agricole CIB SWIFT/BIC code

CRLYHKHH – the SWIFT/BIC code of Credit Agricole CIB

Whether a recipient gives you CRLYHKHH or CRLYHKHHXXX, it is the identical address for Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong SAR China. Banks worldwide use BIC codes to route international transfers to the right institution. In practice you usually come across it on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details of Credit Agricole CIB customers.

Below we go through the practical questions: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to verify a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. Remember that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN does that part.

Choosing between the 2 SWIFT codes of Credit Agricole CIB

Credit Agricole CIB has 2 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code, CRLYHKHHXXX; the rest identify branches, and sometimes specific services.

For the vast majority of incoming transfers, the head office code CRLYHKHHXXX works fine. Branch codes are only needed when the recipient’s bank explicitly mentions it, which is more common for business accounts and trade services.

Not sure which code applies? Check with the recipient. Codes for branches are more likely to be retired than the head office code when a bank merges or closes offices.

A note on our data

The details here are taken from public sources which we refresh regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes. The number of codes on this page reflect what is in our directory, not official figures from Credit Agricole CIB.

See our directory on this page as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or Credit Agricole CIB have the final say. GoldexPay is independent of Credit Agricole CIB; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page and we will look into it.

Before you send: check the Credit Agricole CIB code

Have the recipient send you their account details directly from a recent statement. When the code you were given does not match CRLYHKHH or CRLYHKHHXXX, stop and ask: check with the recipient or with Credit Agricole CIB directly.

Mistakes in the BIC are costly rather than disastrous. A mistake in the IBAN or account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

A format check in your banking app merely confirms that the IBAN exists. If your bank offers it, a name check before sending adds extra certainty. Sending a small amount first can be a sensible step for large sums, even if it costs an extra fee.

Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and conversion costs

Hong Kong SAR China pays in the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD). If you send money in a different currency has to be converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or Credit Agricole CIB itself. Each conversion eats into something.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Transferring the amount directly in HKD usually avoids an extra conversion at the receiving end, provided the rate you get is fair.

Rates for HKD change during the day – some services let you fix a rate in advance. On larger amounts, even seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Receiving money from abroad at Credit Agricole CIB

For an international payment into your account at Credit Agricole CIB, the sender has to have more than the BIC. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code CRLYHKHHXXX (or CRLYHKHH) and, often, your postal address.

Certain sending banks want the bank’s address. A typo in your account number is more trouble than you might think.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank – the price list of Credit Agricole CIB tells you what applies. On invoices, it is common to state who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Credit Agricole CIB

There is no fixed delivery time for international payments: some land within a day, others take several business days. Weekends and public holidays in the sending or receiving country can add a day or more. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments can also add some delay.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Specialist transfer services often show tracking in their app showing where the payment is.

Only the sending bank can request a trace or a recall. As a recipient, you can check your statements to see a slightly lower amount.

What a transfer from Credit Agricole CIB abroad really costs

When you transfer money abroad through Credit Agricole CIB, the visible fee is rarely all of the cost. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: many banks convert using an exchange rate with a margin built in. A simple test: set the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank. GoldexPay compares transfer providers next to each other, showing what actually arrives for the same amount sent. Using a transfer service does not require leaving Credit Agricole CIB: you simply pay the service from your account.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Scammers often use fake invoices with new bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. A valid SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine.

Always verify a change of bank details by phone. Pressure or secrecy tend to be warning signs – a real supplier can wait a day. If money was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Recipients can be targeted as well: a classic trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to refund the difference to another account. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof – check your own account.

Why Credit Agricole CIB has an 8- and an 11-character code

A BIC is built from fixed blocks: characters one to four stand for the bank, the next two give the country and characters seven and eight mark the location. The result is CRLYHKHH.

Most payment forms work with both lengths. If yours asks for eleven characters, enter CRLYHKHHXXX; if it wants eight, use CRLYHKHH.

Type the code as one block, in upper case and without spaces, exactly as shown here. Copying the code is safer than typing it by hand, because one wrong letter changes the bank.