Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The SWIFT/BIC code

Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The SWIFT code: HSBCHKHH

HSBCHKHH and HSBCHKHHXXX are the short and the long form of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The in Hong Kong. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a payment which institution is meant to get the money. It comes up mainly when dealing with transfers between countries and payments in foreign currencies.

We wrote this page to help people who receives money at an account at Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The without mistakes. A SWIFT code names an institution, not a specific account.

How to check HSBCHKHH before you pay

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. If the code you have differs from HSBCHKHH or HSBCHKHHXXX, do not guess – contact the recipient or Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The.

If the code is wrong, the transfer may get stuck, be returned or end up costing more. Remember the IBAN: a mistake there can be more difficult to correct than a wrong code.

Many banking apps check the structure of an IBAN, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. More and more banks check the name with the account before you confirm. Sending a small amount first is a sensible step for a large first payment.

Paying someone abroad from your Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The account

When you transfer money to another country through Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The, the visible fee is rarely all of what you pay. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the currency changes.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest cost, and it is easy to miss. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

Money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares transfer providers next to each other, showing what actually arrives. You can still use your account at Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is compiled from public sources. It can happen that information here is out of date after a merger or reorganisation. The number of codes on this page reflect our own data, not official figures from Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The.

See the information on this page as a helpful check and rely on the recipient or Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The for the final confirmation. GoldexPay is not affiliated with Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Should you notice something that is out of date, we welcome a short note via the contact page.

8 or 11 characters: HSBCHKHH versus HSBCHKHHXXX

The structure of a BIC is always the same: a bank code of four letters, two for the country and two for the location. For Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The, the 8-character core is HSBCHKHH.

The 11-character version has a three-character extension for a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office.

In practice the code is typed in capitals and without spaces. Copying the code beats retyping it, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

The Hong Kong Dollar and what conversion costs you

Hong Kong SAR China pays in the Hong Kong Dollar. If you send money in a different currency gets converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The itself. You rarely see a separate charge for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Which bank converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. Transferring the money directly in HKD usually avoids an extra conversion by Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The – as long as your own rate is good.

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

Changed bank details? Be careful

Scammers regularly send fake invoices containing new bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. A correct 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, using a number you already had. Urgency or requests to keep it quiet are warning signs. Already paid? Contact your bank straight away and have them try to recall the payment.

Recipients can be targeted as well: one known trick is an overpayment followed by a request to refund the difference to another account. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof.

How long does an international transfer to Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The take?

There is no single answer: many land the same day or the next. Weekends and public holidays in either country can add a day or more, since banks do not process on those days. Occasionally a bank asks what the payment is for, which can hold things up.

If a transfer seems late, contact the sending bank about the tracking status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it for any trace request.

A delayed transfer is traced by the sending bank on the basis of the transfer details. As a recipient, you can check your account for a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.

Getting paid from abroad into a Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The account

When you are waiting for a payment from another country, send the payer all details at once. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code HSBCHKHHXXX and your address.

The sender’s bank may request the address of your bank. A typo in the IBAN can be harder to fix than you might think, so copy the details from your online banking.

Expect that the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Choosing between the 23 SWIFT codes of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The

Having 23 codes, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The is one of the banks that use separate codes for branches. The main code remains HSBCHKHHXXX.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: transfers addressed to HSBCHKHHXXX are routed within Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The without problems. When you receive a specific code, stick to it instead of swapping it for the head office code.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient which code their bank gave them. Codes for branches are more likely to change than HSBCHKHHXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.