SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain: banks starting with H

Finding a SWIFT code in Spain

This overview covers 581 banks and financial institutions in Spain, with 933 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Every bank is listed with its own page with its main code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. Further down we explain how a code from Spain is put together, how to send money to Spain at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

The structure of a Spain SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC codes use one international format: eight characters, sometimes followed by three more. First comes four letters for the bank, then a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

Whatever the bank, all Spain codes share the same fifth and sixth letters, namely the ISO code of Spain. A code with a different country code belong to a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

An 11-character code adds three characters for a branch. In most cases the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Spain and the SEPA area

Spain is a member of the SEPA area, where euro transfers follow common rules. For a standard euro transfer from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You still need a SWIFT code when sending non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. Instant euro transfers are increasingly available within SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. As long as no conversion is involved, the transfer tends to be cheap.

Tracking a payment to Spain

A SWIFT payment to Spain typically takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Public holidays in either country can add extra days to the journey.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Money transfer services often show a status in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Spain

A sender in another country will ask for a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and, often, your address.

Find your bank in the list above – your bank statement is the final word. It helps to include your bank’s name and city.

The amount you receive can be less than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Which bank in Spain has the most codes?

In our directory, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain has the most SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain. Its head office code is PARBESMHXXX.

A large number of codes often means that the bank registers branches and departments separately, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Making a payment to BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain? Use PARBESMHXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient copy the account details straight from a recent statement. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

The directory on GoldexPay draws on public sources that we update periodically. Institutions merge, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Treat this list as a reference: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are an independent comparison service, not a bank.

Watch out for invoices with a new account, especially when they come by email. Always verify a change of bank details by phone on a number you know.

Banks in Spain beginning with the letter :letter

The letter filter narrows the list to banks from Spain that begin with :letter. The counts in the introduction still cover the whole country.

If the bank you need is missing under :letter, try the full list: banks are often registered under their full legal name. Try the full list for Spain when you are not sure how the name is spelled.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

The national currency in Spain is the Euro (EUR). When you pay money in a different currency, it gets converted somewhere along the way.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases you pay less to send EUR straight away via a transfer service with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Rates for EUR change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Sending money to Spain for less

An international bank payment to Spain can cost rather more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. Compare the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Spain receive with different services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.