SWIFT/BIC codes in Italy: banks starting with P

Italy: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

In Italy we have 26259 SWIFT/BIC codes from 3414 financial institutions. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank should receive the money.

Every bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. Further down you can read how codes from Italy are built, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Sending money to Italy for less

A bank transfer to Italy often costs more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest part of the cost. A simple test: put the rate you get 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. GoldexPay lists transfer services next to each other so you can see what actually arrives in Italy before you commit.

Banks in Italy beginning with the letter :letter

This page only shows banks in Italy beginning with :letter. The counts in the introduction still cover the whole country and not only this selection.

Some banks appear 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 are not sure how the name is spelled.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Italy

The best place to find the right code remains a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

The directory on GoldexPay draws on publicly available sources. Institutions reorganise, close branches and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. For a payment of any size, check the code with the recipient’s bank. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers.

Be wary of invoices with changed bank details. Before paying, confirm changed details by phone, using a number you already had.

Paying in euros to Italy

Italy belongs to the SEPA area, where euro transfers follow common rules. When you send euros from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You will still need the BIC for payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Instant euro transfers have become widely supported across SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. Fees are generally low as long as no currency is converted.

Most SWIFT codes in Italy: Unicredit SPA

In our directory, Unicredit SPA has the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Italy. Its head office code is UNCRITM1001 – the code most transfers need.

Banks differ in how many codes they register. If not the recipient asks for a branch, UNCRITM1001 is fine for a payment to Unicredit SPA.

Paying in EUR: what conversion costs you

Bank accounts in Italy are typically held in EUR. If you send money in a different currency, it gets converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Which bank converts the money makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Often you pay less if you send EUR directly through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. On larger amounts, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Receiving money in Italy from abroad

A sender in another country will ask for several details from you. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Your bank’s code is in the list on this page. You can include the name and city of your bank, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank. For business payments, agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Transfer times to Italy

A SWIFT payment to Italy typically needs one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays often go out a business day later.

If the money seems late, ask the sender to contact the sending bank for a trace. Money transfer services often provide tracking online so you can follow the payment.

What the letters in a Italy BIC mean

Bank identifier codes use the same format worldwide: eight characters. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

Whatever the bank, all Italy codes share the same country code in positions five and six: the ISO code of the country. Codes with other letters in that position belong to another country – a quick way to catch mistakes.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the head office and the short version works just as well. Use a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.