SWIFT/BIC codes in Luxembourg: banks starting with P

Luxembourg: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Luxembourg we have 1051 SWIFT/BIC codes. A BIC shows every bank in the chain exactly which bank should receive an international payment.

Every bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. The sections below covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

How SWIFT codes from Luxembourg are built

SWIFT/BIC codes use one international format: 8 characters, sometimes followed by three more. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

You can recognise a code from Luxembourg from the fifth and sixth characters – those always form the country code of Luxembourg. A code with other letters in that position come from another country – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The optional last three characters identify a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. For most transfers the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Receiving money in Luxembourg from abroad

To receive a transfer from abroad in Luxembourg, the sender needs not just the SWIFT code. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page. It helps to add your bank’s name and city, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

Banks in Luxembourg beginning with the letter :letter

This list only shows the banks in Luxembourg whose name starts with :letter. The totals mentioned above always refer to the whole country.

Bank not listed? The registered name may begin with another word – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. The complete list is available if you cannot find the bank here.

Check the code before you pay

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient. If the code you have does not match our list, do not guess.

We collect bank codes from public sources and update them from time to time. Even so, banks merge or change codes and our data may lag behind. For any payment that matters, check the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Scammers often use fake invoices carrying new bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A valid BIC says nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

The largest SWIFT network in Luxembourg: BNP Paribas Securities Services

BNP Paribas Securities Services tops our list of Luxembourg banks when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office has PARBLU21XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Many codes often means separate codes for branches, departments or services, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code PARBLU21XXX works for a payment to BNP Paribas Securities Services.

Sending EUR to Luxembourg

Bank accounts in Luxembourg are typically held in EUR. If you send another currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Where the conversion happens affects the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Compare how much EUR the recipient gets with several services before choosing one. Exchange rates move during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

Transfer times to Luxembourg

How quickly a payment reaches Luxembourg depends on a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually start the next business day.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank. Save your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms.

Bank or transfer service for Luxembourg?

When you send money to Luxembourg through a regular bank, the stated fee is only part of what you pay. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually applies a rate below the real market rate.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest cost item, even though it is not listed as a fee. An easy check: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialised transfer providers often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before you send money to Luxembourg, it is worth comparing the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Euro payments to Luxembourg: is a BIC needed?

Within the SEPA zone, euro payments to Luxembourg use the same rules. A field for the BIC is usually optional for those payments.

The BIC does come into play for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive within one business day. Fees are generally low as long as no currency is converted.