Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch SWIFT/BIC code

What ICBKHKHH means for a payment to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch

If an invoice shows ICBKHKHH or ICBKHKHHXXX, you are looking at the identical identifier for Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch in Hong Kong SAR China. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a payment exactly which bank should receive the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. In daily life you usually see the code on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and in the bank details that Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch provides.

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. The SWIFT code alone does not identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN is for.

A note on our data

The details on this page come from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. It is possible that information on this page is out of date, for example after a merger. Figures such as the number of codes are from our directory.

Treat our directory here as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch have the final say. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service and not affiliated with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch. Should you notice a mistake, we welcome a short note.

How to check ICBKHKHH before you pay

Ask the recipient to copy the account details directly from their online banking. Compare it with ICBKHKHH on this page.

Errors in the BIC tend to be annoying rather than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. Remember the account number: a mistake there is more difficult to correct than a wrong code.

A format check in your banking app only confirms that the code exists, not that it is the right account. Some banks now compare the payee name against the account; take any warning seriously. A small test payment is a sensible step for a large first payment, even if it costs an extra fee.

International transfers from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch: the real cost

An international bank payment can cost more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and if currencies are converted, the bank usually uses a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the largest item even though it is not listed as a fee. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

For many routes, a specialist provider is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. Next time you send money, it is worth comparing the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. You can still keep your account at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Watch out for payment fraud

Scammers regularly send payment requests with new bank details. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine.

Do not trust contact details from the same email that contains the new account. Be suspicious of time pressure, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. If a payment was sent to the wrong account, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to send back the difference. Wait until the money has really arrived.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch: head office code versus branch codes

Our database contains 2 SWIFT/BIC codes for Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch. Next to the head office code ICBKHKHHXXX, you will find codes for branches, departments or specific services.

Usually you do not need to pick a branch: payments sent to ICBKHKHHXXX reach Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch correctly. A branch code only makes sense when the recipient’s bank explicitly mentions it, which is more common for corporate accounts and trade services.

Not sure which code to use? Ask the recipient. Codes are sometimes changed or retired over time.

What the XXX in ICBKHKHHXXX means

The layout of a BIC never changes: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. The result is ICBKHKHH, the short form of the code.

Most payment forms accept both lengths. If yours requires eleven characters, enter ICBKHKHHXXX, otherwise ICBKHKHH is fine.

Do not add spaces when you enter ICBKHKHH or ICBKHKHHXXX. Copying the code beats retyping it.

How long does an international transfer to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch take?

How quickly a transfer arrives at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch depends on a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Weekends and public holidays in either country add extra days to the journey. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments can also cause some delay, regardless of the details.

If a transfer is late, ask the sending bank for the status or the UETR. Money transfer services often show tracking online so you can see how far the payment has got.

Only the sending bank is able to start an official trace or a recall. Ask the sender for the payment receipt including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

Sending HKD to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch

Accounts at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch are usually held in HKD, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency will be converted into HKD on its way to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Which bank converts the payment makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. In many cases it is cheaper to send HKD straight away via a provider that converts near the mid-market rate, so that the receiving bank does not need to convert again.

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 can be worth more than the fee.

Getting paid from abroad into a Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch account

A sender in another country needs a few details about your account – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your full name as registered with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code ICBKHKHHXXX and sometimes your address.

You can add the bank name and its city too, because some payment forms have separate fields for them. Check the details before you send them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

Expect that the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank; check the price list of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch. On invoices, you can state who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.