SWIFT/BIC codes in Italy: banks starting with A

Italy: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Italy we have 26259 SWIFT/BIC codes. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer which institution should receive the money.

Each bank has its own page with its main code and if there are any, branch codes. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

How SWIFT codes from Italy are built

SWIFT/BIC codes follow the same format worldwide: eight characters, sometimes followed by three more. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

You can recognise a bank code from Italy from letters five and six – those always form the country code of Italy. When the country letters do not match Italy, the code belongs to a bank in another country.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the main office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. In most cases the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Check the code before you pay

The best place to find the correct BIC remains paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. A wrong code can cause delays, a returned payment or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes, so information can be out of date. Before any payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Fraudsters regularly send fake invoices carrying changed bank details that look completely genuine. Before paying, verify changed details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Filter: banks in Italy with :letter

The letter filter narrows the list to banks from Italy that begin with :letter to make searching quicker. The figures for Italy on this page apply to every bank we list and not only this letter.

Some banks are listed under their official name, which may start with words like Bank or Banco, so the letter can differ from what you expect. Try the full list for Italy if you do not know how the name is spelled.

Incoming international payments in Italy

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page. Some banks may also ask for your bank’s address.

Expect that the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. For business payments, state who bears the costs.

Tracking a payment to Italy

How fast money reaches Italy depends on a few things: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Public holidays in Italy or in the sending country add a day or more.

Many 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 the sending bank can use to trace it. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

The cheapest way to send money to Italy

The price of a payment to Italy is made up of more than one component – not only the fee you see. There is the transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. An easy check: set the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For many routes, a specialist provider is less expensive than a bank. GoldexPay lists these providers side by side so you can see what actually arrives in Italy.

Sending EUR to Italy

Italy pays in the Euro, with the currency code EUR. When you pay money in a different currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Which bank converts the money makes a difference. Compare what EUR arrives with several providers before choosing one. Rates for EUR change during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

Unicredit SPA and its SWIFT codes

In our directory, Unicredit SPA has the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes in Italy. Its head office code is UNCRITM1001.

Many codes often reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. If not the recipient asks for a branch, UNCRITM1001 is fine for transfers to this bank.

SEPA transfers to Italy

Italy belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the zone for uniform euro payments. For a regular euro transfer from another SEPA country, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

A SWIFT code does come into play when the currency is not euros and for transfers from outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA normally land within one business day or faster with instant payments. Costs stay low as long as everything stays in euros; the conversion is where it gets expensive.