SWIFT/BIC codes in Singapore: banks starting with U

Finding a SWIFT code in Singapore

For Singapore our database holds 880 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 504 banks. You need such a code mostly when making international transfers.

Every bank is listed with its own page showing its main code and, where available, branch codes. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing.

Which bank in Singapore has the most codes?

BNP Paribas Securities Services SA tops our list of Singapore banks in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is BPTSSGSGXXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

Banks differ in how many codes they register. If not a branch code is given, the head office code BPTSSGSGXXX works for a payment to BNP Paribas Securities Services SA.

SWIFT transfers to Singapore

Because Singapore does not belong to SEPA, a transfer from abroad is usually sent as a SWIFT payment. That means you always need the BIC of the recipient’s bank in addition to the account details.

Not every country uses the IBAN. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank needs for payments from abroad – many banks give clear instructions for this. Before it arrives, a transfer can go through intermediary banks that charge for their part.

Banks in Singapore beginning with the letter :letter

This list shows only the banks in Singapore beginning with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The totals mentioned here cover every bank we list, not just the ones under :letter.

Cannot find the bank? Its official name may begin with another word, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. Try the full list for Singapore when you do not know the exact name.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Singapore

Ask the recipient to send you the account details straight from their online banking. An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a returned payment or extra fees.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and check them regularly. Banks merge, change names and change codes. Treat our data as a reference rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers.

Watch out for payment requests containing a new account – a common fraud method. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account.

What the letters in a Singapore BIC mean

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

You can spot a bank code from Singapore by letters five and six. When those two letters do not match Singapore, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else.

If the last three are XXX, it means the head office and the short version works just as well. Use a branch code just when the recipient’s bank asks for it.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Singapore

If you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Singapore, send the payer all details at once. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your address.

Find the bank in the list on this page, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to add the name and city of your bank.

The amount you receive can be less than what was sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

Bank or transfer service for Singapore?

An international bank payment to Singapore can cost rather more than you think. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a rate below the real market rate.

That exchange rate margin is often the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

For many routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. Before you send money to Singapore, take a minute comparing the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Paying in SGD: what conversion costs you

Singapore uses the Singapore Dollar. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into SGD – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who converts the money matters: every bank has its own margin. Check how much SGD the recipient gets with different services before choosing one. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

How long does a transfer to Singapore take?

There is no single delivery time for payments to Singapore: some land within a day while others need several business days. Bank holidays in either country can add a day or more.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each payment gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Money transfer services often show a status in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.