SWIFT/BIC codes in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

This overview contains 54 banks and financial institutions in Kazakhstan and 82 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get the money.

Choose the bank from the list to view the head office code and its other codes. Further down you can read how codes from Kazakhstan are built, how to send money to Kazakhstan at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

The largest SWIFT network in Kazakhstan: JSC 'bank Centercredit'

In our directory, JSC 'bank Centercredit' holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Kazakhstan. Its main office uses KCJBKZKXXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Many codes often means that the bank registers branches and departments separately. Unless a branch code is given, KCJBKZKXXXX is fine for a payment to JSC 'bank Centercredit'.

Sending money to Kazakhstan for less

If you send money to Kazakhstan via your bank, the stated fee is rarely all of what you pay. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest cost item. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialised transfer providers often offer a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists transfer services side by side so you can see what actually arrives in Kazakhstan before you commit.

How reliable is this list?

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself. If the code you have does not match the code listed here, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

This list is compiled from publicly available sources that we update periodically. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes. For a payment that matters, check the code with the recipient’s bank. We are a comparison site.

Scammers regularly send payment requests carrying changed bank details that look completely genuine. Always confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Tracking a payment to Kazakhstan

There is no single answer for transfers to Kazakhstan: some arrive the same day or the next. Payments made late in the day or on weekends and holidays usually start a business day later.

If a transfer is late, the sender should contact the sending bank for a trace; only the sending side can start an official trace. Save the payment confirmation.

Paying a bank in Kazakhstan from abroad

For Kazakhstan you almost always need a SWIFT/BIC code. Without it, most banks will not process the transfer at all.

Not every country uses IBAN numbers. The recipient’s bank often provides a list of required details for incoming international payments, and it is worth following them to the letter. International transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

Receiving money in Kazakhstan from abroad

For a transfer from abroad into a Kazakhstan account, the sender has to have not just the BIC. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Your bank’s code is in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. Certain banks also ask for the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin comes on top. On invoices, state who bears the costs.

The structure of a Kazakhstan SWIFT/BIC code

Each SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters, always in the same order. The first four letters stand for the bank, characters five and six are the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can spot a code from Kazakhstan by the fifth and sixth characters. If those two letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank in another country, so check again.

An 11-character code adds a branch code – XXX stands for the head office. Use a branch code just if the recipient explicitly gives you one.