SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain: banks starting with M

SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain

This directory covers 581 banks and financial institutions in Spain and 933 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get an international payment.

Pick the bank below to see the head office code and its other codes. Below the list we explain how a code from Spain is put together, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Bank or transfer service for Spain?

What you pay for a transfer to Spain is made up of more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. There is a transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest cost item 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 difference is your real cost.

For many currency pairs, a specialist provider is cheaper than a bank, mainly because of the rate. Before you send money to Spain, take a minute comparing the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

When does money sent to Spain arrive?

There is no fixed delivery time for payments to Spain: some land the same day or the next while others need several business days. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays often go out the next business day.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each payment gets a unique reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it if something goes wrong.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Spain

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. It starts with a four-letter bank code, then two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

You can recognise a bank code from Spain from the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of Spain. A code with a different country code come from a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The long version adds three characters for a branch. Choose a branch code only when the recipient explicitly gives you one.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Spain uses the Euro. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into EUR – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives. Check what EUR the recipient gets via several services before choosing one. On larger amounts, even a small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Spain

When you expect money from abroad in Spain, send the payer everything they need in one go. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

The code of your bank appears in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. Some banks also ask for the name and address of your bank; it does no harm to include it.

What lands in your account can be less than the amount sent. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs.

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain and its SWIFT codes

In our directory, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Spain. Its main office has PARBESMHXXX and that code covers most payments.

Many codes usually reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code PARBESMHXXX works for transfers to this bank.

Banks in Spain starting with :letter

The letter filter limits the list down to banks in Spain starting with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The counts in the introduction still cover all banks in Spain, not just this letter.

Cannot find the bank? The registered name may start with a different letter, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. Try the full list for Spain if you do not know how the name is spelled.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient copy their bank details directly from a recent statement. An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

We collect bank codes from publicly available data and check our list regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Before any payment that matters, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Watch out for payment requests containing changed bank details, especially when they come by email. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Paying in euros to Spain

Spain is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). When you send euros from another SEPA country, the IBAN is usually enough.

A SWIFT code does come into play when the currency is not euros and when the money comes from outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day. Provided no conversion is involved, the transfer is usually cheap.