SWIFT/BIC codes in Samoa

Samoa: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Samoa we have 8 SWIFT/BIC codes from 8 banks. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mostly for international transfers.

Look for the bank you need in the list and open its page for all codes we have. Below the list we explain how codes from Samoa are built, how to send money to Samoa without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Bank or transfer service for Samoa?

When you transfer money to Samoa via a regular bank, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. Besides a fixed fee, intermediary banks may deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often uses a rate below the real market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest cost item, even though it is not listed as a fee. A simple test: set the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay lists transfer services next to each other, showing the amount that reaches the recipient for the same amount sent.

Paying a bank in Samoa from abroad

Because Samoa does not belong to SEPA, a transfer from abroad normally goes as a SWIFT payment. This means you always need the BIC of the receiving bank in addition to the account details.

Not every country uses IBAN numbers. The receiving bank usually has a list of required details for payments from abroad. International transfers sometimes go via correspondent banks.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient copy the account details straight from their online banking. A wrong code can cause a delay, a returned payment or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

The directory on GoldexPay is based on publicly available sources that we update periodically. Banks merge, change names and retire codes. Use 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.

Watch out for invoices with changed bank details. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

What the letters in a Samoa BIC mean

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long. It starts with a four-letter bank code, then a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

In every code from Samoa, letters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Samoa. When the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank in another country.

The last three characters, if present, stand for a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. Choose a branch code only when the recipient’s bank asks for it.

The largest SWIFT network in Samoa: Anz Bank (Samoa) LTD

Anz Bank (Samoa) LTD tops the list of Samoa banks in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Anz Bank (Samoa) LTD uses ANZBWSWWXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

How many codes a bank has says something about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. Paying someone at Anz Bank (Samoa) LTD? Go with ANZBWSWWXXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Incoming international payments in Samoa

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details about your account. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your address.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. It helps to include your bank’s name and city because some forms have separate fields for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank. For business payments, state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Transfer times to Samoa

There is no single answer for transfers to Samoa: many arrive the same day or the next while others need several business days. Payments made late in the day or just before weekends and holidays usually start a business day later.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each payment gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Money transfer services often show tracking in their app.