SWIFT/BIC codes in Hong Kong SAR China: banks starting with L

SWIFT/BIC codes in Hong Kong SAR China

In Hong Kong SAR China our database holds 1362 SWIFT/BIC codes. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mostly when making payments across borders and for payments in a foreign currency.

Every bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and if there are any, branch codes. Below the list we explain how a code from Hong Kong SAR China is put together, how to send money to Hong Kong SAR China without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Hong Kong SAR China

Bank identifier codes follow one international format: eight characters plus an optional three-character extension. Characters one to four identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

Whatever the bank, all Hong Kong SAR China codes share the same country code in positions five and six: the ISO code of the country. Codes with a different country code come from a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The last three characters, if present, identify a specific branch; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Incoming international payments in Hong Kong SAR China

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

Your bank’s code appears in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. Certain sending banks also ask for your bank’s address; it does no harm to include it.

What lands in your account can be less than the amount sent. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

Check the code before you pay

The safest source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. A wrong code can cause a delay, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather bank codes using publicly available data and check them from time to time. Institutions merge, change names and retire codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Before a payment of any size, check the BIC with the recipient’s bank. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers, not a bank.

Watch out for invoices containing changed bank details – a common fraud method. Always confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel.

Filter: banks in Hong Kong SAR China with :letter

This list only shows the banks in Hong Kong SAR China whose name starts with :letter in alphabetical order. The totals mentioned above still cover the whole country.

Some banks are listed under their legal name, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The complete list is one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

Sending HKD to Hong Kong SAR China

Bank accounts in Hong Kong SAR China are typically held in HKD. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into HKD on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often you pay less to send HKD straight away through a provider with a good rate. On larger amounts, even a small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Bank or transfer service for Hong Kong SAR China?

What you pay for a payment to Hong Kong SAR China has several parts – not only the fee you see. You pay a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest cost item. Check the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate. The difference is your real cost.

Specialist money transfer services often use a rate near the mid-market rate. On GoldexPay you can compare what recipients in Hong Kong SAR China receive across providers.

Transfer times to Hong Kong SAR China

How fast money arrives in Hong Kong SAR China is determined by several factors: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out a business day later.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Specialist transfer services usually show tracking in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The and its SWIFT codes

Of all banks we list for Hong Kong SAR China, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The has the most SWIFT codes. Its main office uses HSBCHKHHXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

How many codes a bank has tells you something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code HSBCHKHHXXX works for transfers to this bank.

International payments to Hong Kong SAR China and the BIC

Since Hong Kong SAR China does not belong to SEPA, a transfer from abroad normally goes through SWIFT. This means you always need the SWIFT/BIC code of the receiving bank.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Ask the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments. SWIFT payments sometimes go via correspondent banks, each of which may deduct a fee.