Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited SWIFT/BIC code

BFIRHKH1 – the SWIFT/BIC code of Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited

The 8-character code BFIRHKH1 and the full code BFIRHKH1XXX refer to the same bank: Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to direct international transfers to the right institution. It comes up mainly when dealing with transfers between countries.

We wrote this page to help anyone who pays into an account at Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited and wants to get the details right. Remember that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the person: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

One of the most common tricks works like this: you receive a message saying that a supplier has new bank details and that the next payment should go there. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine – scammers simply use real codes.

Always confirm a change of bank details through a phone call. Pressure and requests to keep it quiet are warning signs – a real supplier can wait a day. When money was sent to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

Scams can also work the other way: someone claims to have sent too much and wants you to refund the extra. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof – check your own account.

Receiving money from abroad at Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited

If you expect a payment from another country, send the payer everything they need in one go. Give them your name as the bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC BFIRHKH1XXX and your address.

Their bank might request the address of your bank; the head office in Hong Kong is usually fine. A mistake in your account number can be more trouble than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, it is common to state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Which of the 3 codes of Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited do you need?

Having 3 codes, Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited belongs to the banks that register individual codes for branches and departments. The head office code is BFIRHKH1XXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with BFIRHKH1XXX or its short form BFIRHKH1. When you receive a branch code, stick to it instead of swapping it with the head office code.

Not sure which code to use? Check with the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited. Codes for branches are more likely to change than the head office code.

Is BFIRHKH1 still correct? How to check

Ask the recipient to copy their account details straight from their banking app. If the code you have differs from BFIRHKH1 or BFIRHKH1XXX, stop and ask: check with the recipient or with Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited directly.

With a wrong code, the transfer might be delayed, be returned or end up costing more – sometimes after weeks of searching. A mistake in the IBAN or account number can be a bigger problem, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

Many banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. If your bank offers it, a payee name check on the recipient gives extra certainty. Sending a small amount first is a sensible step for large sums.

Sending HKD to Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited

Most accounts at Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited are usually held in HKD, the local currency of Hong Kong SAR China. A payment in a foreign currency is converted into HKD, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Each conversion eats into something.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives. Check what HKD the recipient gets via several services.

The rate for HKD fluctuates constantly and quotes are often valid only for a short time. On larger amounts, a small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

8 or 11 characters: BFIRHKH1 versus BFIRHKH1XXX

The structure of a BIC is always the same: a bank code of four letters, two for the country and a two-character location code, sometimes followed by a branch code. Combined, these eight characters form BFIRHKH1, the code most people search for.

The full version adds a three-character extension that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office, so BFIRHKH1XXX and BFIRHKH1 are interchangeable.

As a rule the code is written in capitals and without spaces. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 or I versus 1.

International transfers from Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited: the real cost

What you pay for an international transfer has more than one component – not just the fee on your screen. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and when currencies are converted, the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

Banks rarely list the margin on the rate separately, but you pay it all the same. A simple test: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate. Next time you send money, it is worth comparing what arrives on GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. You can always use your account at Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited as the source of the money, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Tracking a transfer to or from Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited

There is no fixed answer: some land within a day while others need several business days. Weekends and public holidays in the sending or receiving country can add extra days to the journey. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments may also cause a delay, even when all details are correct.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi. Every payment gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Save your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid should start with their own bank rather than Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation with the date and reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

How up to date is this code?

The details here come from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. It can happen that information here is no longer current, for example after a merger. Figures such as the number of codes come from our own dataset and are not confirmed by Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited.

See our directory here as a handy check. GoldexPay is not affiliated with Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited. If you notice something that is out of date, we welcome a message.