SWIFT/BIC codes in Italy: banks starting with O

Italy: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

This directory covers 3414 banks and other institutions in Italy, with 26259 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. Each code identifies an institution or a specific branch or department.

Every bank is listed with its own page showing its main code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. Further down you can read how codes from Italy are built, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Italy and the SEPA area

Italy belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). When you send euros within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN.

You still need the BIC when sending non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. SEPA transfers usually arrive within one business day. Fees are generally low as long as no currency is converted; the conversion is where it gets expensive.

How reliable is this list?

The safest source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or extra fees.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is compiled from publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Institutions reorganise, close branches and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. For any payment that matters, check the BIC with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Fraudsters often send fake invoices with changed bank details that look completely genuine. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Banks in Italy beginning with the letter :letter

The letter filter narrows the list to banks in Italy starting with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned above always refer to all banks in Italy.

Bank not listed? Its official name may start with a different letter – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. Use the full list for Italy when you do not know how the name is spelled.

Unicredit SPA and its SWIFT codes

Of the 3414 banks in Italy, Unicredit SPA is listed with the largest number of SWIFT codes. Its head office code is UNCRITM1001, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

Many codes usually reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code UNCRITM1001 works for a payment to Unicredit SPA.

How SWIFT codes from Italy are built

Bank identifier codes follow the same format worldwide: 8 characters plus an optional three-character extension. It starts with four letters for the bank, then a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

In every code from Italy, characters five and six show the ISO 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 means the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

How long does a transfer to Italy take?

There is no fixed delivery time for transfers to Italy: many land the same day or the next, others take several business days. Public holidays in either country can add extra days.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Save the payment confirmation – you will need it if something goes wrong.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Italy uses the Euro. If you send another currency, it has to be converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases you pay less to send EUR straight away via a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. On larger amounts, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

The cheapest way to send money to Italy

An international bank payment to Italy can cost rather more than you think. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

That exchange rate margin is often the largest cost item because it is hidden in the rate. An easy check: set the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares these providers side by side, showing the amount that reaches the recipient.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Italy

A sender in another country will ask for several 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 IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and sometimes your address.

Find your bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details. It helps to add your bank’s name and city because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.