SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain: banks starting with C

SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain

This overview covers 581 banks and other institutions in Spain. Every code identifies a bank or a specific branch or department.

Look for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through for all codes we have. The sections below explain the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes.

SEPA transfers to Spain

Because Spain is in the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to a bank in Spain normally requires just an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC for these payments.

The BIC does matter for payments in other currencies and for transfers from outside SEPA. Instant euro transfers have become increasingly available across SEPA. Fees are generally low as long as no currency is converted – conversion is what costs money.

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain and its SWIFT codes

Of all banks we list for Spain, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain has the largest number of SWIFT codes. The head office uses PARBESMHXXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

Practice differs in how many codes they register, so the count is not a ranking of size. Making a payment to BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain? Go with PARBESMHXXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Spain and the Euro

The local currency in Spain is the Euro (EUR). A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into EUR on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who converts the money matters. In many cases you pay less if you send EUR straight away through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Exchange rates change all the time.

How long does a transfer to Spain take?

There is no single delivery time for transfers to Spain: some land within a day while others need several business days. Payments made late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday often go out a business day later.

If the money seems late, the sender should contact the sending bank. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking online, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

Bank or transfer service for Spain?

The price of a payment to Spain has more than one component. There is the transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

The real cost is often in the rate – the bank builds a margin into its rate. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialised transfer providers often use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer to Spain, it is worth comparing the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

What the letters in a Spain BIC mean

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

Whatever the bank, all Spain codes share the same fifth and sixth letters: the ISO code of the country. Codes with other letters in that position belong to another country.

An 11-character code adds three characters for a branch, where XXX means the head office. Use a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one.

Receiving money in Spain from abroad

A sender in another country needs several details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your address.

Look up the bank in the list above. Certain banks also want the name and address of your bank; it does no harm to include it.

Expect that the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

Banks in Spain beginning with the letter :letter

You are looking at a filtered list: only banks in Spain with a name starting with :letter. The figures for Spain mentioned here cover all 581 banks and not only this letter.

Some banks are listed under their legal name rather than the name on their app or website, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The complete list remains one click away when the letter filter does not help.

About our data and how to check a code

The safest source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient. If the code you have does not match our list, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on public sources that we update periodically. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. For a payment that matters, confirm the code with the recipient’s bank. We are a comparison site for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Be wary of payment requests containing a new account. Before paying, verify a change of bank details by phone.