SWIFT/BIC codes in Singapore: banks starting with L

Singapore: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

This directory lists 504 banks and financial institutions in Singapore, with 880 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. Every code identifies a bank or a specific branch or department, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Every bank has its own page showing the head office code and, where available, branch codes. Below the list we explain how a code from Singapore is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Paying a bank in Singapore from abroad

Singapore is outside the SEPA area. Payments from abroad usually go over the SWIFT network, and the BIC of the receiving bank is required.

Not every country uses the IBAN – where there is none, the local account number is enough. Ask the recipient exactly which details their bank needs for payments from abroad. SWIFT payments can pass through correspondent banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Singapore

Ask the recipient to send you their bank details directly 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 is compiled from publicly available sources. Still, banks merge or retire codes and our data may lag behind. Treat our data 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 a new account. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

What a transfer to Singapore really costs

An international bank payment to Singapore can cost more than you think. There is the transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. A simple test: set the offered rate against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services often use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares these providers next to each other so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient.

Filter: banks in Singapore with :letter

The letter filter narrows the list down to banks from Singapore that begin with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned here apply to all 504 banks, not just the ones under :letter.

If a bank is missing here, check the full list – the registered name can differ from the name people use. The full overview for Singapore is one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

Singapore and the Singapore Dollar

Singapore pays in the Singapore Dollar (SGD). If you send another currency, the amount has to be converted at some point – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Who converts the money matters: every bank has its own margin. Often it is cheaper if you send SGD straight away via a provider with a good rate. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

Most SWIFT codes in Singapore: BNP Paribas Securities Services SA

Of all banks we list for Singapore, BNP Paribas Securities Services SA has the largest number of codes. The head office uses BPTSSGSGXXX – the code most transfers need.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes. If not a branch code is given, BPTSSGSGXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

Incoming international payments in Singapore

To receive a transfer from abroad into a Singapore account, the sender needs more than the BIC. Share your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page. You can include your bank’s name and city.

Expect that the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. On invoices, state who bears the costs.

How SWIFT codes from Singapore are built

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and the next two give the location.

In every code from Singapore, letters five and six are the ISO country code of Singapore – that is the quickest way to spot one. When the country letters do not match Singapore, you are looking at a bank in another country, so check again.

The long version adds three characters for a branch. For most transfers the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

How long does a transfer to Singapore take?

How fast a payment arrives in Singapore depends on a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays often go out the next business day.

If the money is late, the sender should contact the sending bank and ask for the status or the UETR. Specialist transfer services usually provide a status in their app.