SWIFT/BIC codes in Philippines: banks starting with F

Finding a SWIFT code in Philippines

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 411 banks in Philippines. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get the money.

Each bank is listed with its own page with its main code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. The sections below covers the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before a payment.

Asiatrust Bank and its SWIFT codes

Of the 411 banks we list for Philippines, Asiatrust Bank has the largest number of SWIFT codes. The head office of Asiatrust Bank uses ATDBPHM1XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Practice differs in how many codes they register – a high count is not a measure of size. Making a payment to Asiatrust Bank? Go with ATDBPHM1XXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

Tracking a payment to Philippines

There is no fixed answer for transfers to Philippines: many land the same day or the next. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays usually start the next business day.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi. Every gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it if something goes wrong.

What a transfer to Philippines really costs

A bank transfer to Philippines can cost rather more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks may deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Compare the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites. The difference is your real cost.

For many currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a bank, mainly because of the rate. Before you send money to Philippines, take a minute comparing what arrives via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

How SWIFT codes from Philippines are built

SWIFT/BIC codes use the same format worldwide: 8 characters, sometimes followed by three more. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

You can recognise a code from Philippines by letters five and six – those always form the country code of Philippines. Codes with a different country code belong to another country.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the head office and the short version works just as well. Choose a branch code just when the recipient explicitly gives you one – otherwise stick with the head office.

International payments to Philippines and the BIC

Philippines is outside the SEPA area, the European zone for uniform euro payments. Payments from abroad usually travel over the SWIFT network – which is why you need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN. The receiving bank usually has a list of required details for payments from abroad – follow them exactly. Before it arrives, a transfer may go through correspondent banks.

Sending PHP to Philippines

Bank accounts in Philippines are typically held in PHP. If you send money in a different currency, it gets converted at some point.

Who converts the money matters. Check how much PHP the recipient gets with different providers before choosing one. Exchange rates move all the time, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Philippines

For a transfer from abroad into a Philippines account, the sender has to have more than the SWIFT code. Share your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

Find your bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. Certain sending banks also ask for your bank’s address.

The amount you receive can be less than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Banks in Philippines beginning with the letter :letter

This page only shows the banks in Philippines beginning with :letter in alphabetical order. The totals on this page cover every bank we list and not only this letter.

Cannot find the bank? The registered name might begin with another word, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. The complete list is available when the letter filter does not help.

Check the code before you pay

Ask the recipient to send you their bank details straight from a recent statement. An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

The directory on GoldexPay draws on public sources and is updated regularly. Even so, banks merge or retire codes and our data may lag behind. For any payment of any size, check the BIC with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Be wary of payment requests with a new account – a common fraud method. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account.