Calastone Limited SWIFT/BIC code

CLAOLU2L – the SWIFT/BIC code of Calastone Limited

CLAOLU2L and CLAOLU2LXXX are two ways of writing the same bank identifier, and both lead to Calastone Limited in Luxembourg. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain which institution should receive the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. You will need it mostly when dealing with transfers between countries.

This page is meant to help people who pays into an account at Calastone Limited. The SWIFT code alone does not identify a personal account; that is what the IBAN or account number .

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

The currency of Luxembourg is the Euro (EUR). A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into EUR before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Every conversion eats into something – usually through the rate rather than a fee.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Sending the money already in EUR usually avoids an extra conversion – as long as your own rate is good.

The rate for EUR fluctuates throughout the day, so the amount you see is usually only valid for a short time. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

8 or 11 characters: CLAOLU2L versus CLAOLU2LXXX

The layout of a BIC never changes: a bank code of four letters, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code. In this case, the 8-character core is CLAOLU2L.

XXX at the end of CLAOLU2LXXX is not a missing value or a mistake: it indicates the head office of Calastone Limited. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, in which case you can enter XXX behind CLAOLU2L.

Enter the code in one piece, in upper case and without separators. Pasting the code is safer than retyping it.

Euro transfers to Calastone Limited: is a BIC needed?

Inside SEPA, euro payments to an account in Luxembourg use common rules and in most cases need only the IBAN. A field for the BIC is usually optional or missing in that case.

A SWIFT code like CLAOLU2L still come into play when the currency is not euros. Some forms still show a field for the BIC; if so, fill in CLAOLU2L.

Instant euro transfers are widely supported within SEPA; check with Calastone Limited whether it applies to your account. As long as the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer is inexpensive; it is the conversion that costs money.

How to check CLAOLU2L before you pay

Have the recipient send you their bank details directly from their banking app. If the code you have does not match CLAOLU2L or CLAOLU2LXXX, stop and ask.

A wrong SWIFT code may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges. An error in the account number can be a bigger problem, because the money may be credited to someone else, so check that just as carefully.

An automatic check by your bank only confirms that the code exists – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. More and more banks compare the name with the account – do not ignore a mismatch warning. Sending a small amount first can be a sensible step for large sums.

What to give a sender who pays you at Calastone Limited

A sender in another country needs several details from you. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code CLAOLU2LXXX (or CLAOLU2L) and sometimes your address.

It helps to add the bank name and its city too, since some forms ask for it. A typo in your account number can be more trouble than it looks; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Expect that the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin comes on top. On invoices, you can state who bears the costs.

Calastone Limited: head office code versus branch codes

With 186 codes, Calastone Limited belongs to the banks that register separate codes for parts of the organisation and departments. The main code remains CLAOLU2LXXX.

For the vast majority of incoming transfers, the head office code CLAOLU2LXXX is what you need. Only use a branch code when the account holder gives you that exact code, for example on a letter or invoice.

The best way is to take the code directly from the recipient’s invoice. Branch codes are more prone to be retired than the head office code.

How up to date is this code?

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and update our list from time to time. Still, banks merge or retire codes, so information can be out of date. The number of codes on this page reflect what is in our directory and not on information from Calastone Limited itself.

For a payment of any size, always check the code with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service and not affiliated with Calastone Limited. Spotted outdated information? Tell us through the contact page.

How long does an international transfer to Calastone Limited take?

There is no single delivery time for international payments: many arrive within a day while others need several business days. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday usually start the next business day. Extra checks by one of the banks may also add some delay, regardless of the details.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Save your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it for any trace request.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the sender needs to contact the bank that sent it rather than Calastone Limited. Request from the sender the payment receipt including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

What a transfer from Calastone Limited abroad really costs

A bank transfer abroad can cost rather more than the listed fee. There is the fee for the transfer itself, sometimes charges from correspondent banks in between and, above all, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Many banks do not list their exchange rate markup separately. An easy check: set the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay you can compare the amount that arrives across providers. Using a transfer service does not mean closing your account at Calastone Limited.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Be alert if someone unexpectedly asks you to send money to another account or a bank in another country. The fact that CLAOLU2L exists is no guarantee that the account is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Verify new payment details via a different channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract, never via the email that asked for the change. Watch out for time pressure, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Already paid? Call the bank you paid from without delay and ask them to start a recall; also report it to the police.

Scams can also target the receiver: someone claims to have sent more than agreed and wants you to return the extra via a different route. Do not act before the money is actually in your account – ask Calastone Limited if something looks wrong.