SWIFT/BIC codes in Singapore: banks starting with Q

SWIFT/BIC codes in Singapore

In Singapore our database holds 880 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 504 banks. You need such a code mainly for international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Look for the bank you need in the list and open its page for the full list of codes and what else a transfer requires. 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.

Transfer times to Singapore

A SWIFT payment to Singapore usually takes anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Bank holidays in Singapore or in the sending country add extra days.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services usually provide tracking online, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

What a transfer to Singapore really costs

An international bank payment to Singapore often costs more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent 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 markup on the rate is often the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. Check the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

For many currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank. Before your next transfer to Singapore, it is worth comparing the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Paying a bank in Singapore from abroad

For Singapore you usually need the BIC, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, most banks will not process the payment at all.

Not all countries use the IBAN – where there is none, the local account number is enough. The receiving bank usually provides a list of required details for payments from abroad – follow them exactly. International transfers sometimes go via correspondent banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

Which bank in Singapore has the most codes?

BNP Paribas Securities Services SA tops the list of Singapore banks in SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office uses BPTSSGSGXXX – the code most transfers need.

Banks differ in how many codes they register, so the count is not a ranking of size. Paying someone at BNP Paribas Securities Services SA? Go with BPTSSGSGXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

Paying in SGD: what conversion costs you

Singapore uses the Singapore Dollar, code SGD. If you send money in a different currency, the amount has to be converted somewhere along the way.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Check what SGD the recipient gets with different services. Rates for SGD change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Singapore

If you expect a payment from another country in Singapore, give the sender all details at once. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page but always compare it with your own bank details. It helps to include the name and city of your bank.

The amount you receive can be lower than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. For business payments, agree who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.

SWIFT codes in Singapore: banks under :letter

This filter narrows the list to banks in Singapore starting with :letter. The totals mentioned above always cover all banks in Singapore.

Many institutions appear under their official name rather than the name on their app or website. Use the full list for Singapore when you are not sure the exact name.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Singapore

Every SWIFT/BIC code consists of eight or eleven characters. First comes four letters for the bank, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

No matter which bank, all Singapore codes have the same fifth and sixth letters: the ISO code of the country. When the country letters do not match Singapore, you are looking at a bank somewhere else.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code. For most transfers the head office code is fine, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Check the code before you pay

The most reliable place for the right code is a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

This list is based on public sources. Still, banks merge or change codes. Treat this list as a reference rather than the last word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is not a bank and has no link to the banks in this list.

Watch out for invoices with changed bank details. Before paying, verify a change of bank details by phone, using a number you already had.