SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain

Finding a SWIFT code in Spain

In Spain we have 933 SWIFT/BIC codes. Every code identifies an institution or one of its branches, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Search for the bank you need in the list and click through for the full list of codes and what else a transfer requires. Below the list you can read how a code from Spain is put together, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

How SWIFT codes from Spain are built

A SWIFT code 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.

No matter which bank, all Spain codes share the same country code in positions five and six, namely the ISO code of Spain. When those two letters do not match Spain, the code belongs to a bank in another country, so check again.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the head office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. Use a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it.

Euro payments to Spain: is a BIC needed?

Spain is part of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the zone for uniform euro payments. For a regular euro transfer from another SEPA country, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

The BIC does come into play for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers usually arrive by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low as long as everything stays in euros.

Tracking a payment to Spain

An international transfer to Spain typically takes anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Public holidays in Spain or in the sending country add extra days to the journey.

If the money is delayed, ask the sender to contact the sending bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Save your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Bank or transfer service for Spain?

A bank transfer to Spain can cost more than the fee suggests. You pay a transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

The real cost is often in the rate. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate.

Specialised transfer providers often use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares these providers next to each other, showing the amount that reaches the recipient for the same amount sent.

Which bank in Spain has the most codes?

Of the 581 banks in Spain, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain has the most codes. Its head office code is PARBESMHXXX – the code most transfers need.

A large number of codes usually reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Unless a branch code is given, the head office code PARBESMHXXX works for transfers to this bank.

What a sender needs to pay you in Spain

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details from you. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

Find your bank in the list above, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. Certain sending banks may also want your bank’s address, so keep it at hand.

What lands in your account can be less than what was sent. Fees for incoming transfers differ per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

Spain and the Euro

The currency of Spain is the Euro (EUR). If you send another currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often you pay less to send EUR straight away through a provider with a good rate. On larger amounts, even a small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Spain

Have the recipient send you the account details straight from their banking app. A wrong code can cause a delay, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and check them regularly. Even so, banks merge or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Before a payment that matters, check the BIC with the recipient. We are a comparison site for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Scammers regularly use payment requests with new bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.