SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain: banks starting with P

SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain

In Spain our database holds 933 SWIFT/BIC codes from 581 financial institutions. You need such a code mainly when making international transfers.

Pick a bank below to see its head office code and its other codes. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

How SWIFT codes from Spain are built

Every SWIFT/BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters, always in the same order. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can spot a code from Spain from the fifth and sixth characters. Codes with other letters in that position come from a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

If the last three are XXX, it means the head office. Use a branch code just if the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Bank or transfer service for Spain?

An international bank payment to Spain can cost rather more than you think. There is a transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is less expensive than a bank, mainly because of the rate. Before you send money to Spain, it is worth to compare the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

SEPA transfers to Spain

Spain belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the zone for uniform euro payments. When you send euros within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

The BIC does matter for payments in other currencies and for transfers from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers usually arrive within one business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low provided everything stays in euros; the conversion is where it gets expensive.

How reliable is this list?

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

The directory on GoldexPay is compiled from publicly available sources. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes, so information can be out of date. Treat our data as a reference rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is not a bank.

Scammers often use fake invoices carrying new bank details that look completely genuine. Always confirm changed details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Banks in Spain starting with :letter

Here you see a filtered list: only institutions in Spain whose name begins with :letter. The totals mentioned above still cover all banks in Spain.

Cannot find the bank? Its official name might begin with another word – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. Try the full list for Spain if you are not sure how the name is spelled.

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain and its SWIFT codes

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain leads the list for Spain in SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain has PARBESMHXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

A large number of codes usually reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. Unless a branch code is given, PARBESMHXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

Incoming international payments in Spain

A sender in another country will ask for several details about your account – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your address.

Your bank’s code is in our list. It helps to include your bank’s name and city as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

The amount you receive can be less than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs.

Spain and the Euro

The currency of Spain is the Euro (EUR). If you send money in a different currency, it has to be converted at some point.

Who does the conversion has an effect on the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases you pay less to send EUR straight away through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Exchange rates change during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

How long does a transfer to Spain take?

A SWIFT payment to Spain usually takes anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Transfers sent late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday often go out a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank for a trace. Keep your transfer receipt – you will need it if something goes wrong.