SWIFT/BIC codes in Kuwait

Kuwait: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

This overview lists 66 banks and other institutions in Kuwait, with 145 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mostly when making payments across borders, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Search for the bank you need in the list and click through to see all codes we have. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait Kpsc,the and its SWIFT codes

Of all banks in Kuwait, Commercial Bank of Kuwait Kpsc,the has the largest number of SWIFT codes. The head office of Commercial Bank of Kuwait Kpsc,the has COMBKWKWXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

A large number of codes usually reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Paying someone at Commercial Bank of Kuwait Kpsc,the? Go with COMBKWKWXXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Paying a bank in Kuwait from abroad

Since Kuwait is outside SEPA, an international payment is usually sent as a SWIFT payment. That means you always need the BIC of the receiving bank, together with the account number or IBAN.

Not all countries use the IBAN – where there is none, the local account number is enough. Ask the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for payments from abroad. Before it arrives, a payment can go through intermediary banks that take a fee.

Sending money to Kuwait for less

A bank transfer to Kuwait can cost rather more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks can take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank usually applies a rate below the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Check the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Money transfer services frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares transfer services next to each other so you can see what actually arrives in Kuwait for the same amount sent.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Kuwait

Have the recipient copy their bank details straight from their online banking. An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges.

This list draws on public sources and is updated regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes, so information can be out of date. Treat our data as a starting point: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Watch out for invoices containing a new account. Always confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Kuwait

A sender in another country needs several details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your address.

Find your bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to add the name and city of your bank as well.

The amount you receive is often lower than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Transfer times to Kuwait

An international transfer to Kuwait typically needs anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Bank holidays in either country can add a day or more.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking online.

How SWIFT codes from Kuwait are built

Bank identifier codes use one international format: 8 characters plus an optional three-character extension. First comes a four-letter bank code, then a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

In every code from Kuwait, characters five and six are the ISO country code of Kuwait, which makes these codes easy to recognise. If the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

If the last three are XXX, it refers to the head office and the short version works just as well. In most cases the head office code is what you need.