SWIFT/BIC codes in Russia: banks starting with V

Finding a SWIFT code in Russia

This overview covers 785 banks and financial institutions in Russia and 1646 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. Each code points to an institution or a specific branch or department.

Choose a bank below to view the head office code and its other codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. Further down you can read how codes from Russia are built, how to send money to Russia without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Banks in Russia starting with :letter

This list shows only the banks in Russia beginning with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The counts in the introduction always refer to all banks in Russia, not just this letter.

Many institutions are listed under their official name, which may start with words like Bank or Banco, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The complete list remains one click away if the letter filter does not help.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Russia

Have the recipient copy the account details straight from a recent statement. An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a returned payment or extra fees.

We gather bank codes from public sources and check them from time to time. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Before a payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Scammers often send payment requests carrying new bank details that look completely genuine. Before paying, confirm a change of bank details by phone on a number you know.

What the letters in a Russia BIC mean

A BIC is either 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

In every code from Russia, characters five and six are the two-letter ISO code of Russia – that is the quickest way to spot one. A code with a different country code belong to another country – a quick way to catch mistakes.

If the last three are XXX, it refers to the main office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. In most cases the head office code is fine.

What a sender needs to pay you in Russia

A sender in another country needs a few details about your account. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Look up your bank in the list on this page. You can add the name and city of your bank as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

What lands in your account is often lower than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin comes on top. For business payments, agree how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Why a transfer to Russia needs a SWIFT code

Russia is outside the SEPA area. Payments from abroad normally go through the SWIFT network.

Not all countries use IBAN numbers. Ask the recipient exactly which details their bank needs for incoming international payments; banks often publish instructions for this. Before it arrives, a transfer can go through intermediary banks that take a fee.

Most SWIFT codes in Russia: JSC Rosselkhozbank

JSC Rosselkhozbank tops our list for Russia when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office has RUAGRUMMXXX and that code covers most payments.

How many codes a bank has tells you more about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. Making a payment to JSC Rosselkhozbank? Go with RUAGRUMMXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Tracking a payment to Russia

A SWIFT payment to Russia usually takes one to a few business days. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out a business day later.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

The cheapest way to send money to Russia

If you send money to Russia with a regular bank, the stated fee is rarely all of what you pay. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks may deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a bank. GoldexPay lists these providers side by side so you can see what actually arrives in Russia for the same amount sent.