Poste Italiane SPA SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Poste Italiane SPA

Whether you are given BPPIIT21 or BPPIIT21XXX, you are looking at the identical identifier for Poste Italiane SPA in Italy. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a payment which institution is meant to get the money, much like a postcode for banks. You will need it mainly for payments that cross a border.

We wrote this page to help people who sends money to an account at Poste Italiane SPA and wants to get the details right. Remember that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes here come from publicly available data that we update regularly. It is possible that a code on this page is out of date after a merger or reorganisation. The figures we show are based on our own data.

See the information on this page as a handy check. GoldexPay has no connection to Poste Italiane SPA, we only compare transfer services. Spotted an error? Tell us through the contact page so we can correct it.

Is BPPIIT21 still correct? How to check

The most reliable place for the right code is a document from the bank itself like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. If the code you have does not match BPPIIT21 or BPPIIT21XXX, do not guess.

With a wrong code, the payment might be delayed, be returned or end up costing more – sometimes after weeks of searching. An error in the account number can be more serious; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN. If your bank offers it, a name check before sending adds an extra layer of safety. A small test payment can be a sensible step for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

Do you need BPPIIT21 for a SEPA transfer?

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to an account in Italy follow the same rules, so the IBAN does the job in most cases. The BIC field is often optional for those payments.

A SWIFT code like BPPIIT21 still come into play for payments in other currencies. Some forms still show a field for the BIC; in that case, enter BPPIIT21.

Instant payments in euros are widely available within SEPA – whether Poste Italiane SPA offers them for your account is worth checking. As long as the payment stays in euros, the transfer tends to be inexpensive; costs rise once a conversion is involved.

What a transfer from Poste Italiane SPA abroad really costs

A bank transfer abroad can cost rather more than the fee suggests. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and when the money changes currency, the bank usually applies a rate below the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the largest cost even though it is not listed as a fee. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay lists these services side by side, showing what actually arrives for the same amount sent. Using a transfer service does not mean leaving Poste Italiane SPA.

Sending EUR to Poste Italiane SPA

Italy pays in the Euro, with the currency code EUR. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into EUR on its way to Poste Italiane SPA – and the bank that does it picks the rate. You rarely see a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Which bank converts the payment makes a difference. Check how much EUR arrives with several services.

Rates for EUR change during the day, and some providers let you lock in a rate. If you pay regularly, a slightly better rate add up over a year.

Getting paid from abroad into a Poste Italiane SPA account

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code BPPIIT21XXX and usually your postal address.

Their bank might also ask for the address of your bank. A typo in your account number is more trouble than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Stay wary when a contact unexpectedly wants you to pay into another account abroad. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Verify new bank details through a different channel, not by replying to the message. Watch out for urgent requests, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. Already paid? Contact your bank without delay and ask them to start a recall.

Scams can also target the receiver. Someone sends more than agreed and wants you to refund the extra to a new account. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof – check your own account.

Head office or branch code at Poste Italiane SPA?

Having 2 codes, Poste Italiane SPA belongs to the banks that use individual codes for parts of the organisation. The head office code remains BPPIIT21XXX.

In most cases there is no need to look up a branch: transfers sent to BPPIIT21XXX are routed within Poste Italiane SPA without problems. Only use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

Unsure which code to use? Ask the recipient. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

BPPIIT21 or BPPIIT21XXX – which one to use?

The layout of every SWIFT code never changes: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code, sometimes followed by a branch code. Together, those parts make up BPPIIT21, the code most people search for.

XXX at the end of BPPIIT21XXX does not stand for a missing value or a mistake: it stands for the head office of Poste Italiane SPA. Some forms ask for 11 characters, in which case you simply enter XXX after BPPIIT21.

Do not add spaces or dashes when you enter BPPIIT21 or BPPIIT21XXX. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 and I versus 1; they are easy to mix up.

Tracking a transfer to or from Poste Italiane SPA

An international transfer usually takes anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Weekends and public holidays in either country add extra days to the journey. Compliance checks on larger or unusual payments may also cause some delay, even when all details are correct.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each payment carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Money transfer services usually show a status online so you can see where the payment is.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid needs to start with their own bank. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.