SWIFT/BIC codes in Philippines

Philippines: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

Here you will find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 411 institutions in Philippines, 456 codes in all. Each code points to a bank or a specific branch or department and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and open its page to see all codes we have and what else a transfer requires. Further down we explain how codes from Philippines are built, how to send money to Philippines at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

The Philippine Peso (PHP) and conversion costs

The currency of Philippines is the Philippine Peso (PHP). When you pay money in a different currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Which bank converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. Compare what PHP arrives with different services. With bigger transfers, even a small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

What a sender needs to pay you in Philippines

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details from you. Give them the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page. Some banks may also want the name and address of your bank.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees.

The structure of a Philippines SWIFT/BIC code

A BIC is either 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

For banks in Philippines, characters five and six show the ISO country code of Philippines, which makes these codes easy to recognise. When the country letters do not match Philippines, you are looking at a bank in another country – worth double-checking.

The long version adds a branch code. Use a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one – otherwise stick with the head office.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Philippines

Ask the recipient to copy their bank details straight from a recent statement. A wrong code can cause delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees.

We gather bank codes using public sources and check our list from time to time. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. For a payment of any size, check the code with the recipient. We are a comparison site for money transfers.

Scammers often send payment requests with changed bank details that look completely genuine. Always confirm a change of bank details by phone on a number you know.

Banks in Philippines starting with :letter

This page shows only banks in Philippines whose name starts with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The counts in the introduction still cover the whole country, not just this letter.

Cannot find the bank? Its official name may begin with another word. The full overview for Philippines remains one click away when the letter filter does not help.

International payments to Philippines and the BIC

To pay into Philippines you usually need a SWIFT/BIC code. Without it, your bank will not send the payment at all.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN. The recipient’s bank usually provides instructions for incoming international payments. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks.

Bank or transfer service for Philippines?

An international bank payment to Philippines often costs rather more than the fee suggests. There is a transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider turns out to be less expensive than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay lists transfer services side by side so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient before you commit.

Tracking a payment to Philippines

There is no fixed answer for payments to Philippines: many land the same day or the next while others need several business days. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi. Every payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms.

Most SWIFT codes in Philippines: Asiatrust Bank

In our directory, Asiatrust Bank holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes in Philippines. Its head office code is ATDBPHM1XXX.

How many codes a bank has says more about how it organises its payments than about its size. Making a payment to Asiatrust Bank? Go with ATDBPHM1XXX except when a specific branch code is requested.