Banco Pastor S.A. SWIFT/BIC code

Banco Pastor S.A. SWIFT code: PSTRESMM

PSTRESMM and PSTRESMMXXX are two ways of writing the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Banco Pastor S.A. in La Coruna (A Coruna). A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a payment exactly which bank should receive the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. In daily life you usually come across it on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and on the account details of Banco Pastor S.A. customers.

Below we go through the practical side: receiving money at Banco Pastor S.A., sending money abroad and how to verify the code before you confirm a payment. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

How long does an international transfer to Banco Pastor S.A. take?

An international transfer typically takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out the next business day. Compliance checks on larger or unusual payments can also cause a delay, even when all details are correct.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact the sending bank for the status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services usually show tracking in their app so you can see how far the money has got.

A missing payment has to be traced from the sending side. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation.

Paying someone abroad from your Banco Pastor S.A. account

What you pay for a payment abroad is made up of several parts – not just the fee on your screen. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between can deduct a fee, and when the money changes currency the bank usually applies a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

Many banks rarely show the margin on the rate separately – you only notice it if you compare. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate. Before your next transfer, it is worth to compare what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank. You can always use your account at Banco Pastor S.A. as the source of the money.

Getting paid from abroad into a Banco Pastor S.A. account

A sender in another country needs a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. That means: your full name as registered with Banco Pastor S.A., your IBAN or account number, the BIC PSTRESMMXXX and usually your address.

You can add the bank name and its city too, because some payment forms have separate fields for them. A typo in the IBAN is harder to fix than it looks; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

The national currency of Spain is the Euro (EUR). A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into EUR before it reaches the account. There is rarely a separate charge for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Which bank converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. Sending the amount already in EUR usually prevents a second conversion at the receiving end.

The rate for EUR changes constantly. On larger amounts, even small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

Watch out for payment fraud

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests with new bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. The fact that PSTRESMM exists does not mean that a request mentioning it is legitimate – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Verify changed bank details through a separate channel. Watch out for time pressure, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Acted too fast? Call your bank without delay and ask them to start a recall.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to send back the difference abroad. Do not act before the money is actually in your account.

8 or 11 characters: PSTRESMM versus PSTRESMMXXX

A BIC is built from a few fixed parts: the first four letters stand for the bank, the next two show the country and characters seven and eight mark the location. For Banco Pastor S.A., that core is PSTRESMM.

Most banks and apps work with both lengths. If yours asks for eleven characters, use PSTRESMMXXX; if it wants eight, use PSTRESMM.

As a rule the code is typed in capitals, without spaces or dashes. Look out for O versus 0 or I versus 1, a common source of typos.

Choosing between the 7 SWIFT codes of Banco Pastor S.A.

Banco Pastor S.A. uses 7 different SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code; the rest identify branches or departments, and sometimes specific services.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code PSTRESMMXXX works fine. If you have been given a branch code, use it as it is rather than swapping it with the head office code.

The best way is to copy the code straight from the recipient’s invoice. Branch codes are more prone to be retired than the head office code when a bank merges or closes offices.

SEPA payments and the Banco Pastor S.A. BIC

Because Spain is in SEPA, a euro transfer into Banco Pastor S.A. from within the SEPA area usually only needs the IBAN. Most banking apps no longer ask for the BIC for these payments or fill it in for you.

You will still need PSTRESMMXXX for payments in other currencies or money from outside the SEPA area. If your banking app asks for the BIC regardless, adding PSTRESMM is fine.

Instant euro transfers have become increasingly supported across SEPA. As long as the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer is inexpensive; costs rise once a conversion is involved.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes on this page are taken from publicly available data. Even so, banks merge or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Counts and locations are from our directory and may differ from what Banco Pastor S.A. publishes.

See our directory on this page as a helpful check. GoldexPay is independent of Banco Pastor S.A.; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Spotted an error? Tell us via our contact form.

Before you send: check the Banco Pastor S.A. code

Ask the recipient to copy the account details directly from their banking app. Compare that code against PSTRESMM here; if they differ, ask before you pay.

A wrong SWIFT code may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges along the way. An error in the IBAN or account number can be a bigger problem, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

Many banking apps validate the format of an IBAN – that confirms the format, not the owner. Some banks now compare the name with the account – do not ignore a mismatch warning. Sending a small amount first is worth it for a large first payment despite the extra fee.