SWIFT/BIC codes in Malaysia: banks starting with G

Malaysia: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

In Malaysia our database holds 413 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 321 banks. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain exactly which bank is meant to get the money.

Pick the bank from the list to see the head office code and any branch codes. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before a payment.

Banks in Malaysia beginning with the letter :letter

This page only shows banks in Malaysia beginning with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The totals mentioned above always refer to all banks in Malaysia and not only this selection.

Some banks appear under their official name rather than the name on their app or website. The full overview for Malaysia is available if you cannot find the bank here.

Check the code before you pay

The most reliable source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. If the code you have does not match the code listed here, stop and ask.

This list is compiled from public sources that we update periodically. Even so, banks merge or retire codes. Treat this list as a reference: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Scammers regularly use payment requests carrying changed bank details. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

How SWIFT codes from Malaysia are built

Each SWIFT/BIC code has eight or eleven characters in a fixed order. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six are the country code and the next two mark the location.

Whatever the bank, all Malaysia codes have the same country code in positions five and six, namely the ISO code of Malaysia. When those two letters do not match Malaysia, you are looking at a bank somewhere else.

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

What a transfer to Malaysia really costs

The price of a transfer to Malaysia has several parts. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks can take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee. A simple test: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For many routes, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. Before you send money to Malaysia, it is worth comparing what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Receiving money in Malaysia from abroad

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details about your account – incomplete details often cause delays. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Look up the 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. You can include your bank’s name and city as well.

Expect that the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. Agree with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

Most SWIFT codes in Malaysia: United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Berhad

Of the 321 banks in Malaysia, United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Berhad is listed with the most SWIFT codes. Its head office code is UOVBMYKLXXX – the code most transfers need.

The number of codes says more about how it organises its payments than about its size. Unless a branch code is given, UOVBMYKLXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

SWIFT transfers to Malaysia

Since Malaysia is outside SEPA, a transfer from abroad normally goes as a SWIFT payment. That means the payment always needs the SWIFT/BIC code of the receiving bank in addition to the account details.

Not all countries use the IBAN. The receiving bank often has a list of required details for incoming international payments, and it is worth following them to the letter. SWIFT payments sometimes go via correspondent banks and fees can be taken along the way.

When does money sent to Malaysia arrive?

An international transfer to Malaysia usually takes anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday usually go out the next business day.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Specialist transfer services often provide a status in their app so you can follow the payment.