Caixabank, S.A. SWIFT/BIC code

Caixabank, S.A. SWIFT code: CAIXESBB

Whether a recipient gives you CAIXESBB or CAIXESBBXXX, it is the identical address for Caixabank, S.A. in Spain. The code has a single purpose: it ensures that a cross-border transfer reaches the right bank. In practice you mostly come across it on international invoices, in your banking app and on the account details of Caixabank, S.A. customers.

On this page we explain how the code is put together, when you need it and what else you need for a transfer to or from Caixabank, S.A.. The SWIFT code on its own does not identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN is for.

CAIXESBB or CAIXESBBXXX – which one to use?

A BIC is made up of a few fixed parts: characters one to four stand for the bank, characters five and six give the country and the two after that indicate the location. The result is CAIXESBB, the short form of the code.

XXX at the end of CAIXESBBXXX does not stand for a placeholder or an error: it indicates the head office of Caixabank, S.A.. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, and then you simply enter XXX after CAIXESBB.

In practice the code is written in capitals, without spaces or dashes. Watch for O versus 0 and I versus 1.

Incoming international payments to Caixabank, S.A.

When you expect a payment from another country, send the payer a complete set of details. What they need is: your name, account number or IBAN, CAIXESBBXXX and often your home address.

Their bank might request the bank address of Caixabank, S.A., in which case the Barcelona head office is the usual answer. A mistake in your account number is more trouble than you might think; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

What lands in your account can be less than what was sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank; check the price list of Caixabank, S.A.. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

How to check CAIXESBB before you pay

The most reliable place for the right code is a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account details in online banking. Compare it against CAIXESBB on this page.

Errors in the BIC tend to be costly rather than disastrous. A mistake in the account number can be more serious because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

A validity check by your bank only tells you that the code exists, not that it is the right account. More and more banks compare the payee name with the account. Sending a small amount first can be a sensible step for a large first payment, even if it costs an extra fee.

Tracking a transfer to or from Caixabank, S.A.

A SWIFT payment typically needs anywhere from one to several business days. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country can add a day or more. Compliance checks on larger or unusual payments can also add some delay.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it for any trace request.

A delayed transfer is investigated from the sending side on the basis of the transfer details. On the receiving end, it helps to check your statements to see a slightly lower amount, since fees may have been deducted.

Do you need CAIXESBB for a SEPA transfer?

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

You still need CAIXESBBXXX for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. A few forms also show a field for the BIC; if so, fill in CAIXESBB or CAIXESBBXXX.

Instant euro transfers are increasingly available across SEPA – whether Caixabank, S.A. offers them for your account is worth checking. As long as the payment stays in euros, the transfer tends to be inexpensive; it is the conversion that costs money.

Sending money abroad from Caixabank, S.A.

When you transfer money abroad from Caixabank, S.A., the visible fee is only part of the cost. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate if the currency changes.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: the bank converts at a rate with a margin built in. Compare their rate against the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is cheaper than a bank. Before your next transfer, it is worth comparing the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. Using a transfer service does not require leaving Caixabank, S.A.: you simply pay the service from your account.

The Euro and what conversion costs you

The currency of Spain is the Euro (EUR). A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into EUR on its way to Caixabank, S.A., and whoever converts it chooses the rate. There is rarely a separate line for the conversion; it is built into the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives. Often it is cheaper to send EUR straight away via a provider with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert.

Exchange rates move all the time, and some providers let you lock in a rate. For regular payments, small differences in the rate make a real difference over time.

Changed bank details? Be careful

One of the most common tricks works like this: you receive a message claiming that a supplier has a new bank account and asking you to pay there from now on. That CAIXESBB is a real code is no guarantee that a request mentioning it is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Check new bank details through a different channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract. Pressure or secrecy tend to be red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. If a payment has already gone to the wrong account, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Fraud also target the receiver: someone sends more than agreed and asks you to refund the extra to a new account. Do not act before the money is actually in your account.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes on this page are taken from public sources. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes. Counts and locations come from our own dataset and may differ from what Caixabank, S.A. publishes.

Treat our directory here as a helpful check and rely on the recipient or Caixabank, S.A. for the final confirmation. We are an independent comparison service and not affiliated with Caixabank, S.A.. If you notice a mistake, we appreciate a short note via the contact page.

Caixabank, S.A.: head office code versus branch codes

Caixabank, S.A. uses 15 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the others belong to branches.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code CAIXESBBXXX is what you need. Branch codes are only needed when the recipient’s bank specifically asks for it, which is more common for corporate accounts and specialised services.

Not sure which code applies? Check with the recipient or the bank itself. Codes for branches are more likely to be retired than the head office code.