Banque Centrale du Luxembourg SWIFT/BIC code

What BCLXLULL means for a payment to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg

The short code BCLXLULL and the 11-character code BCLXLULLXXX identify one and the same institution: Banque Centrale du Luxembourg. A BIC does one job: it ensures that an international payment reaches the right bank. In practice you usually come across it on international invoices, in payment forms and in the bank details of Banque Centrale du Luxembourg customers.

On this page you will find what the code means, when you need it and which other details you need for a transfer to or from Banque Centrale du Luxembourg. Keep in mind that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Paying someone abroad from your Banque Centrale du Luxembourg account

A bank transfer abroad costs rather more than the listed fee. There is the transfer fee, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate: the bank converts using an exchange rate with a margin built in. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate. The difference is your real conversion cost.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares these services next to each other, showing what actually arrives before you commit. Choosing a specialist does not mean leaving Banque Centrale du Luxembourg.

Is BCLXLULL still correct? How to check

Ask the recipient to send you their account details directly from their online banking. Check that code against BCLXLULL on this page; if they differ, ask before you pay.

If the code is wrong, the transfer may be delayed, be returned or end up costing more, and tracing it can take weeks. An error in the account number can be more serious; check it just as carefully.

Many banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and sometimes look up the BIC automatically – that confirms the format, not the owner. Where available, a payee name check before sending gives an extra layer of safety. A small test payment is a sensible step for a large first payment.

Incoming international payments to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg

When you expect money from abroad, give the sender everything they need in one go. What they need is: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, BCLXLULLXXX or BCLXLULL and often your home address.

Certain sending banks also ask for the name and address of Banque Centrale du Luxembourg, so keep it at hand. Check the details before you send them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

The amount you receive can be less than what was sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank – the price list of Banque Centrale du Luxembourg tells you what applies. On invoices, it is common to state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Euro transfers to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg: is a BIC needed?

Within the SEPA zone, euro payments to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg follow the same rules. The BIC field is usually optional or missing in that case.

The BIC still come into play when the currency is not euros and when the money comes from outside SEPA. If a payment form asks for the BIC anyway, entering BCLXLULL is fine.

Instant payments in euros have become increasingly available across SEPA – whether Banque Centrale du Luxembourg offers them for your account is worth checking. Provided no currency is converted, a SEPA transfer is inexpensive; costs rise once a conversion is involved.

Which of the 4 codes of Banque Centrale du Luxembourg do you need?

Our database contains 4 SWIFT/BIC codes for Banque Centrale du Luxembourg. Besides the head office code BCLXLULLXXX, there are codes for regional offices and specialised units.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, go with BCLXLULLXXX. Just use a branch code when the account holder gives you that exact code.

When in doubt, ask the person you are paying for the exact BIC in their bank details. Branch codes are more likely to be retired than the head office code when a bank merges or closes offices.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg

An international transfer typically takes one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later. Sometimes a bank asks about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment carries a unique reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

The bank that sent the money is able to request a trace. Ask the sender for the payment receipt with the date and reference; that often settles the question quickly.

Why Banque Centrale du Luxembourg has an 8- and an 11-character code

A SWIFT code is made up of fixed blocks: the first four letters identify the bank, characters five and six show the country and the two after that indicate the location. The result is BCLXLULL, the short form of the code.

Many banks and apps work with both lengths. If yours requires eleven characters, enter BCLXLULLXXX; if it wants eight, use BCLXLULL.

In practice the code is written in capitals and without spaces. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 or I versus 1.

Sending EUR to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg

Most accounts at Banque Centrale du Luxembourg are typically held in EUR, the national currency of Luxembourg. When you pay money in a different currency has to be converted at some point – by your bank, by Banque Centrale du Luxembourg or by a bank in between. There is rarely a separate charge for that conversion; it is built into the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Compare how much EUR the recipient gets with several services; the difference between options can be larger than you expect.

Rates for EUR change all the time. If you pay regularly, small differences in the rate make a real difference over a year.

Watch out for payment fraud

Scammers regularly send payment requests with changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. A correct SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account.

Before paying, confirm changed bank details by phone on a number you know, not one from the message. Urgency and secrecy tend to be red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. If a payment has already gone to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately.

People receiving money are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to refund the difference to another account. Wait until the money is actually in your account.

About this information

The codes on this page come from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. The number of codes we show reflect our own data, not official figures from Banque Centrale du Luxembourg.

For a payment that matters, confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank or the recipient. GoldexPay has no connection to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg, we only compare transfer services. Should you notice a mistake, we appreciate a short note.