Bankinter, S.A. SWIFT/BIC code

Bankinter, S.A. SWIFT code: BKBKESMM

The short code BKBKESMM and the 11-character code BKBKESMMXXX refer to one and the same institution: Bankinter, S.A. in Madrid, Spain. A BIC does one job: it makes sure that a cross-border transfer ends up at the right bank. In daily life you usually come across it on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and on the account details of Bankinter, S.A. customers.

On this page you can read how the code is put together, when you need it and what else a transfer to or from Bankinter, S.A. requires. The BIC names an institution, never a specific account, which is why you always need the account number too.

8 or 11 characters: BKBKESMM versus BKBKESMMXXX

A BIC is made up of fixed blocks: characters one to four stand for the bank, the next two give the country and the two after that indicate the location. That gives you BKBKESMM for Bankinter, S.A..

Many payment forms work with either length. If a form asks for eleven characters, use BKBKESMMXXX; if it wants eight, use BKBKESMM.

Type the code as one block, in capitals and without separators, exactly as shown here. A wrong character may route the money to another bank, so copy it carefully.

How to check BKBKESMM before you pay

The most reliable source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. Compare it with BKBKESMM on this page; if they differ, ask before you pay.

With a wrong code, the transfer may be delayed, bounce back or cost extra, and tracing it can take weeks. Do not forget the IBAN: an error there can be harder to correct than a wrong code.

An automatic check in your banking app only confirms that the IBAN exists, not that it is the right account. Some banks now compare the payee name against the account – do not ignore a mismatch warning. When you pay someone new, many people start with a small test amount.

Receiving money from abroad at Bankinter, S.A.

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details about your account. What they need is: your name, account number or IBAN, BKBKESMMXXX or BKBKESMM and, for some countries, your home address.

Certain sending banks also ask for the name and address of Bankinter, S.A. in Madrid. A mistake in your account number is more trouble than you might think, so copy the details from your online banking.

What lands in your account is often less than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

What a transfer from Bankinter, S.A. abroad really costs

A bank transfer abroad costs more than the listed fee. There is the fee for the transfer itself, sometimes charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

The real cost is often in the rate: many banks convert using an exchange rate that includes a margin. A simple test: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialised transfer providers often use rates closer to the mid-market rate. Next time you send money, take a minute to compare what arrives on GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. You can still keep your account at Bankinter, S.A. to fund the transfer, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

When will the money arrive at Bankinter, S.A.?

A SWIFT payment typically needs one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays often start a business day later. Compliance checks by one of the banks may also cause a delay, even when all details are correct.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Keep the payment confirmation.

The bank that sent the money is able to request a trace – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Request from the sender the payment receipt; that often settles the question quickly.

Do you need BKBKESMM for a SEPA transfer?

Inside SEPA, euro transfers to Bankinter, S.A. follow the same rules and in most cases need only the IBAN. A field for the BIC is often optional for those payments.

You will still need BKBKESMMXXX for payments in other currencies or money from outside the SEPA area. Some banks and apps also ask for the BIC; if so, enter BKBKESMM.

Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Fees for SEPA payments tend to be low.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

The local currency in Spain is the Euro (EUR). If you send money in a different currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, by Bankinter, S.A. or by a bank in between. Each conversion costs something – usually through the rate rather than a fee.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often you pay less if you send EUR straight away via a transfer service with a good rate.

Rates for EUR move during the day, and some providers let you lock in a rate. For recurring payments, a slightly better rate add up over a year.

How up to date is this code?

This directory is compiled from public sources and is updated regularly. Institutions reorganise, change names and retire codes. The number of codes we show are based on our own data, not official figures from Bankinter, S.A..

Treat our data as a starting point, rather than as the last word: the recipient’s bank details come first. GoldexPay is independent of Bankinter, S.A., we only compare transfer services. Spotted an error? Let us know via our contact form so we can correct it.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Be alert if a contact suddenly asks you to pay into another account abroad. The fact that BKBKESMM exists does not mean that a request mentioning it is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Never rely on a phone number from the same email that announces the new account. Watch out for time pressure, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Acted too fast? Call the bank you paid from straight away and ask them to try to recall the payment; also report it to the police.

Fraud also target the receiver. Someone sends more than agreed and asks you to refund the extra. Do not act before the money is actually in your account and check with Bankinter, S.A. if anything seems off.

Which of the 18 codes of Bankinter, S.A. do you need?

Having 18 codes in 16 locations, Bankinter, S.A. belongs to the banks that register separate codes for parts of the organisation and departments. The main code is BKBKESMMXXX.

For the vast majority of incoming transfers, the head office code BKBKESMMXXX is what you need. Only use a branch code when the recipient explicitly asks for it, for example on a letter or invoice.

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