City Bank (Public Corp) SWIFT/BIC code

What CIYBIRTH means for a payment to City Bank (Public Corp)

The 8-character code CIYBIRTH and the 11-character code CIYBIRTHXXX identify the same bank: City Bank (Public Corp). A BIC has a single purpose: it makes sure that an international payment ends up at the right bank. In practice you usually see the code on international invoices, in payment forms and in the bank details of City Bank (Public Corp) customers.

We wrote this page to help anyone who pays into an account at City Bank (Public Corp). Keep in mind that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number does that part.

A note on our data

The details here are taken from public sources that we update regularly. Even so, banks merge or change codes, so information can be out of date. Figures such as the number of codes come from our own dataset and may differ from what City Bank (Public Corp) publishes.

For any payment that matters, check the code with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. GoldexPay is a comparison site and not affiliated with City Bank (Public Corp). Spotted an error? Let us know via our contact form so we can correct it.

How to check CIYBIRTH before you pay

Ask the recipient to copy their account details straight from a recent statement. If the code you have does not match CIYBIRTH or CIYBIRTHXXX, do not guess: check with the recipient or with City Bank (Public Corp) directly.

With a wrong code, the transfer might get stuck, be returned or cost extra, and tracing it can take weeks. Do not forget the IBAN: an error there can be more difficult to correct than a wrong code.

A format check in your banking app merely tells you that the code is valid, not that it is the right account. If your bank offers it, a payee name check before sending adds an extra layer of safety. Sending a small amount first can be a sensible step for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

City Bank (Public Corp): head office code versus branch codes

City Bank (Public Corp) has 19 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code, CIYBIRTHXXX; the rest identify branches.

Usually you do not need to look up a branch: payments addressed to CIYBIRTHXXX are routed within City Bank (Public Corp) correctly. When you receive a specific code, stick to it instead of swapping it with the head office code.

Not sure which code to use? Check with the recipient. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise.

Sending money abroad from City Bank (Public Corp)

A bank transfer abroad can cost rather more than the fee suggests. Besides the transfer fee, banks in between can deduct a fee, and when the money changes currency the bank usually applies a rate below the actual market rate.

Banks rarely show the margin on the rate as a cost, but you pay it all the same. An easy check: put the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay lists transfer providers next to each other so you can see what actually arrives before you commit. You can always keep your account at City Bank (Public Corp); only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Receiving money from abroad at City Bank (Public Corp)

For an international payment into your account at City Bank (Public Corp), the sender has to have more than the BIC. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code CIYBIRTHXXX (or CIYBIRTH) and sometimes your address.

You can add City Bank (Public Corp) and its city too, since some forms ask for it. A mistake in the IBAN can be harder to fix than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

An incoming payment does not always land in full. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank. Agree with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Stay alert if a contact suddenly wants you to send money to another account abroad. A valid SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account – scammers simply use real codes.

Verify changed bank details through a separate channel, such as a phone number you already know. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Acted too fast? Call your bank without delay and have them try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to send back the difference abroad. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof – check your own account.

When will the money arrive at City Bank (Public Corp)?

An international transfer typically takes anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually start the next business day. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment carries a unique reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Money transfer services often show a status in their app so you can see how far the payment has got.

If the money does not arrive within the expected time, the person who paid needs to start with their own bank rather than City Bank (Public Corp). Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation with the date and reference.

8 or 11 characters: CIYBIRTH versus CIYBIRTHXXX

The layout of every SWIFT code is always the same: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code, plus an optional branch code. The result is CIYBIRTH, the short form of the code.

Most banks and apps work with both lengths. If a form requires eleven characters, use CIYBIRTHXXX.

Leave out spaces when you type CIYBIRTH; the code is always written in one block. Look out for O versus 0 or I versus 1.