SWIFT/BIC codes in Singapore: banks starting with M

Bank SWIFT codes for Singapore

In Singapore our database holds 880 SWIFT/BIC codes. You need such a code mostly for international transfers and for payments in a foreign currency.

Every bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and, where available, branch codes. Further down you can read 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

To pay into Singapore you will almost always need a SWIFT/BIC code, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without the BIC, your bank cannot process the transfer.

Not all countries use the IBAN; in that case the local account number is used instead. The recipient’s bank usually provides instructions for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. Before it arrives, a payment may pass through intermediary banks that charge for their part.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Singapore

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. It starts with four letters for the bank, then two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

You can spot a bank code from Singapore by the fifth and sixth characters. Codes with other letters in that position come from another country.

The long version adds a branch code. Use a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it.

Transfer times to Singapore

How quickly money arrives in Singapore is determined by a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Bank holidays in either country add extra days to the journey.

If the money seems late, the sender should contact the sending bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Specialist transfer services often provide a status in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

What a sender needs to pay you in Singapore

If you expect a payment from another country in Singapore, send the payer a complete set of details. Share the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

The code of your bank appears in the list on this page. Certain sending banks also ask for the name and address of your bank; it does no harm to include it.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Banks in Singapore starting with :letter

This page only shows the banks in Singapore whose name starts with :letter in alphabetical order. The totals mentioned above always cover all banks in Singapore, not just this letter.

Cannot find the bank? The registered name might begin with another word – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. The complete list is one click away when you cannot find the bank here.

Check the code before you pay

Ask the recipient to copy the account details straight from their banking app. When the code you were given does not match our list, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and update our list regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Before any payment that matters, check the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Watch out for invoices with changed bank details. Always verify a change of bank details through a separate channel.

The cheapest way to send money to Singapore

An international bank payment to Singapore can cost more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks may deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before you send money to Singapore, take a minute to compare the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

The Singapore Dollar (SGD) and conversion costs

Singapore uses the Singapore Dollar. Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into SGD on its way to the recipient, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. In many cases it is cheaper to send SGD straight away via a provider that converts near the mid-market rate. Rates for SGD move during the day.

The largest SWIFT network in Singapore: BNP Paribas Securities Services SA

BNP Paribas Securities Services SA leads the list for Singapore in SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is BPTSSGSGXXX.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes – a high count is not a measure of size. If not a branch code is given, the head office code BPTSSGSGXXX works for transfers to this bank.