Banco Central del Paraguay SWIFT/BIC code

Banco Central del Paraguay SWIFT code: BCPAPYPB

The 8-character code BCPAPYPB and the 11-character code BCPAPYPBXXX identify the same bank: Banco Central del Paraguay, with its head office in Asuncion. Banks worldwide use these codes to direct international transfers to the correct institution. It comes up mainly for payments that cross a border or a currency.

We wrote this page to help people who receives money at an account at Banco Central del Paraguay and wants to get the details right. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Head office or branch code at Banco Central del Paraguay?

Banco Central del Paraguay has 5 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the rest identify branches, and sometimes specific services.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, go with BCPAPYPBXXX. When you receive a specific code, use it as it is rather than swapping it for the head office code.

If you are not sure, ask the person you are paying which code their bank gave them. Codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise.

Verifying the SWIFT code of Banco Central del Paraguay

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. Compare that code against BCPAPYPB here and ask if anything does not match.

Mistakes in the BIC tend to be annoying more than fatal: often the payment comes back, minus fees. Remember the account number: a mistake there is harder to correct than a wrong BIC.

An automatic check by your bank merely tells you that the IBAN exists. Some banks now compare the name against the account – do not ignore a mismatch warning. Sending a small amount first is worth it for large sums despite the extra fee.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Fraudsters regularly send payment requests with changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. That BCPAPYPB is a real code does not mean that the account is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Before paying, verify a change of bank details through a phone call, using a number you already had. Watch out for urgent requests, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. If money has already gone to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

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 abroad. Do not act before the money is actually in your account and check with Banco Central del Paraguay if anything seems off.

What a transfer from Banco Central del Paraguay abroad really costs

An international bank payment can cost more than the fee suggests. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the currency changes.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest cost, and it is easy to miss. Compare their rate with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

Money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate. Before your next transfer, take a minute to compare what arrives via GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. You can still keep your account at Banco Central del Paraguay as the source of the money; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Incoming international payments to Banco Central del Paraguay

When you are waiting for money from abroad, give the sender everything they need in one go. Share your name as the bank knows it, the IBAN or account number, SWIFT code BCPAPYPBXXX and your address, which some banks require.

Certain sending banks want the bank’s address, so keep it at hand. Double-check each detail before you share them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank; check the price list of Banco Central del Paraguay. On invoices, it is common to agree who bears the costs.

What the XXX in BCPAPYPBXXX means

Every SWIFT/BIC code has an 8-character core: a four-letter bank code, two letters for the country and a two-character location code. That gives you BCPAPYPB for Banco Central del Paraguay.

Many payment forms accept both lengths. If yours asks for eleven characters, use BCPAPYPBXXX.

Leave out spaces or dashes when you enter BCPAPYPB. Pasting the code beats typing it by hand, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The details here are taken from public sources. Banks merge, change names and retire codes. Figures such as the number of codes are from our directory and may differ from what Banco Central del Paraguay publishes.

Treat our directory on this page as a handy check. GoldexPay is a comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Banco Central del Paraguay. Should you notice a mistake, we welcome a message via the contact page.

How long does an international transfer to Banco Central del Paraguay take?

There is no fixed answer: some arrive within a day, others take several business days. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays often start a business day later. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

If the money is delayed, ask your bank for the status or the UETR so they can trace it along the chain. Specialist transfer services often show tracking online so you can see where the payment has got.

Only the sending bank is able to start an official trace; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation; that often settles the question quickly.