SWIFT/BIC codes in Italy: banks starting with F

Italy: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

Our directory lists 3414 banks and financial institutions in Italy and 26259 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. Every code identifies a bank or a specific branch or department, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Pick a bank from the list to view the head office code and any branch codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. The sections below covers how the codes work, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing.

Incoming international payments in Italy

When you are waiting for a payment from another country in Italy, send the payer everything they need in one go. Share your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Look up the bank in the list above – your bank statement is the final word. You can include your bank’s name and city as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

What lands in your account is often lower than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. On invoices, agree how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Italy

Each SWIFT/BIC code has eight or eleven characters, always in the same order. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can recognise a bank code from Italy by letters five and six – those always form the country code of Italy. Codes with a different country code come from another country.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Use a branch code just if the recipient’s bank asks for it.

Italy and the Euro

Bank accounts in Italy are typically held in EUR, the local currency. If you send another currency, it has to be converted at some point – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Where the conversion happens affects the final amount. Often it is cheaper to send EUR straight away through a provider with a good rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. On larger amounts, even a small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

How long does a transfer to Italy take?

How quickly a payment arrives in 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 either country add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms.

Banks in Italy beginning with the letter :letter

This page only shows banks in Italy whose name starts with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The totals mentioned here apply to all 3414 banks and not only this letter.

If a bank does not appear under :letter, check the full list. Try the full list for Italy if you do not know how the name is spelled.

Paying in euros to Italy

Within the SEPA zone, euro payments to Italy use the same rules. The BIC field is usually optional in that case.

You still need a SWIFT code for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Instant euro transfers are increasingly available across SEPA – check whether your bank supports them. Provided the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer is usually inexpensive.

Check the code before you pay

The most reliable source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

We collect bank codes from public sources and check our list from time to time. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. 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 with new bank details that look completely genuine. Before paying, verify a change of bank details by phone, using a number you already had.

What a transfer to Italy really costs

A bank transfer to Italy can cost rather more than you think. You pay a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. An easy check: set the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialised transfer providers often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in Italy across providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

Most SWIFT codes in Italy: Unicredit SPA

Unicredit SPA leads the list for Italy when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is UNCRITM1001.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes, so the count is not a ranking of size. Making a payment to Unicredit SPA? Go with UNCRITM1001 unless a specific branch code is requested.