Westpac Banking Corporation SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Westpac Banking Corporation

Whether a recipient gives you WPACHKHX or WPACHKHXXXX, you are looking at the identical address for Westpac Banking Corporation in Hong Kong SAR China. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a payment exactly which bank is meant to get the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. You will need it mainly for transfers between countries or a currency.

This page is meant to help anyone who pays into an account at Westpac Banking Corporation. A SWIFT code identifies a bank or branch, not a specific account, which is why you always need the account number too.

Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and conversion costs

Most accounts at Westpac Banking Corporation are typically held in HKD, the local currency of Hong Kong SAR China. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into HKD – and the bank that does it picks the rate. You rarely see a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives. In many cases you pay less if you send HKD directly via a transfer service with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert.

Exchange rates move all the time – some services let you fix a rate in advance. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

How long does an international transfer to Westpac Banking Corporation take?

An international transfer typically needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Transfers sent late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday often start the next business day. Sometimes a bank wants to know what the payment is for.

If the money is late, ask your bank about the status or the UETR; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services often show tracking in their app showing where the payment is.

Only the sending bank is able to request a trace – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference.

Head office or branch code at Westpac Banking Corporation?

Westpac Banking Corporation has 3 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the rest belong to branches or departments, and sometimes specific services.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code WPACHKHXXXX works fine. When you receive a specific code, stick to it instead of replacing it with the head office code.

Not sure which code applies? Check with the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Westpac Banking Corporation. Codes for branches are more prone to be retired than WPACHKHXXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

Receiving money from abroad at Westpac Banking Corporation

When you are waiting for a payment from another country, give the sender all details at once. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code WPACHKHXXXX and sometimes your address.

The sender’s bank might request the bank address of Westpac Banking Corporation, in which case the Hong Kong head office is the usual answer. Double-check every detail before you send them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

Expect that the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

How to check WPACHKHX before you pay

The best place to find the right code remains paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Check that code with WPACHKHX on this page.

A wrong SWIFT code can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges. Do not forget the account number: a mistake there can be more difficult to correct than a wrong code.

Most online banking apps check the structure of IBANs and sometimes look up the BIC automatically, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. Where available, a name check before sending adds an extra layer of safety. For a first payment, many people send a small test amount before sending the rest.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Criminals regularly use payment requests containing new bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. The fact that WPACHKHX exists does not mean that the account is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Before paying, confirm changed bank details by phone, using a number you already had. Be suspicious of urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. If money has already gone to a fraudster, call your bank right away – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

Fraud can also work the other way. Someone sends too much and wants you to return the difference via a different route. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof; only your own account shows what has arrived.

8 or 11 characters: WPACHKHX versus WPACHKHXXXX

A BIC is built from fixed blocks: characters one to four stand for the bank, the next two give the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. The result is WPACHKHX.

XXX at the end of WPACHKHXXXX does not stand for a missing value or a mistake: it stands for the head office of Westpac Banking Corporation. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, and then you can enter XXX behind WPACHKHX.

Enter the code in one piece, in capitals and without separators. Pasting the code is safer than retyping it, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

Sending money abroad from Westpac Banking Corporation

The price of an international transfer is made up of several parts – not just the fee on your screen. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if currencies are converted, the bank often applies a rate below the actual market rate.

Many banks rarely list their exchange rate markup separately – you only notice it if you compare. Compare their rate against the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay lists these services side by side so you can see the amount the recipient gets. Choosing a specialist does not require closing your account at Westpac Banking Corporation.

How up to date is this code?

The directory on GoldexPay draws on public sources and we update it periodically. It can happen that a code on this page is out of date after a merger or reorganisation. The number of codes we show reflect our own data.

Treat the information on this page as a helpful check. GoldexPay is independent of Westpac Banking Corporation. Spotted outdated information? Let us know via our contact form.