The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited SWIFT/BIC code

BBDAHKHX – the SWIFT/BIC code of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

If an invoice shows BBDAHKHX or BBDAHKHXXXX, it is the identical identifier for The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in Hong Kong SAR China. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to route international transfers to the right institution. In practice you mostly see it on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited provides.

On this page we explain how the code is put together, when it matters and which other details a transfer to or from The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited requires. Remember that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Be wary when someone suddenly wants you to pay into a different account. A valid SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account – scammers simply use real codes.

Verify new payment details via a different channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. If money has already gone to a fraudster, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to send back the difference abroad. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing – check your own account.

Tracking a transfer to or from The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

There is no single delivery time: some land within a day while others need several business days. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later. Occasionally a bank asks about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask your bank for the status or the UETR. Save the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

If the money does not arrive within the expected time, the person who paid should contact their own bank, not the receiving bank. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The details on this page come from publicly available data that we update regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes and our data may lag behind. The number of codes on this page are based on our own data.

For any payment that matters, confirm the code with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers and not part of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page and we will look into it.

What the XXX in BBDAHKHXXXX means

Each SWIFT/BIC code has the same eight core characters: four letters for the bank, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. Combined, those parts form BBDAHKHX.

Most payment forms accept both lengths. If yours asks for eleven characters, use BBDAHKHXXXX.

In practice the code is typed in capitals, without spaces or dashes. Watch for O versus 0 and I versus 1; they are easy to mix up.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited: head office code versus branch codes

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited has 2 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code, BBDAHKHXXXX; the rest identify branches or departments.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use BBDAHKHXXXX. Just use a branch code when your contact explicitly asks for it, for example on a letter or invoice.

When in doubt, check with the recipient for the exact BIC in their bank details. Codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Verifying the SWIFT code of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

Have the recipient copy the account details straight from a recent statement. Compare that code against BBDAHKHX here; if they differ, ask before you pay.

An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges for investigation. Remember the IBAN: a mistake there can be more difficult to correct than a wrong BIC.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. More and more banks compare the payee name with the account – do not ignore a mismatch warning. For a first payment, some people start with a small test amount and wait for confirmation.

What a transfer from The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited abroad really costs

An international bank payment can cost rather more than the listed fee. You pay the fee for the transfer itself, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the currency changes.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: many banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. An easy check: set the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares what recipients receive with different services. You can still keep your account at The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited to fund the transfer; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and conversion costs

The local currency in Hong Kong SAR China is the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD). Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into HKD before it reaches the account. You rarely see a separate line for the conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases it is cheaper if you send HKD straight away via a provider with a good rate.

The rate for HKD changes throughout the day. On larger amounts, even small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Receiving money from abroad at The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

To receive a transfer from abroad at The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, the sender needs not just the SWIFT code. In practice that means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC BBDAHKHXXXX (or BBDAHKHX) and usually your postal address.

Certain banks want the address of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in Hong Kong. A mistake in your account number can be more trouble than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

Money from abroad will not always arrive in full. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank – the price list of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited tells you what applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.