SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain: banks starting with R

Finding a SWIFT code in Spain

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 581 institutions in Spain. A BIC shows every bank in the chain which institution should receive the money.

Choose a bank from the list to view the head office code and its other codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. Below the list you can read how a code from Spain is put together, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Incoming international payments in Spain

To receive a transfer from abroad in Spain, the sender has to have more than the BIC. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your address.

Find the bank in the list above. Certain banks also ask for your bank’s address.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. On invoices, agree how the fees are split.

Tracking a payment to Spain

There is no single delivery time for transfers to Spain: some arrive the same day or the next. Public holidays in either country add extra days, because banks do not process payments on those days.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Save the payment confirmation; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Spain

Each SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

You can spot a code from Spain by letters five and six: they always show the ISO country code of Spain. Codes with a different country code come from another country.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the main office. Choose a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one.

Which bank in Spain has the most codes?

Among the 581 institutions we list, BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain has the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Spain. The head office uses PARBESMHXXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

A large number of codes often means that the bank registers branches and departments separately – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. Paying someone at BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain? Use PARBESMHXXX unless a specific branch code is requested.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient copy the account details straight from a recent statement. A wrong code can cause a delay, a returned payment or additional charges.

This list is based on public sources. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. Before a payment of any size, check the code with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is not a bank.

Be wary of invoices with changed bank details – a common fraud method. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

Banks in Spain beginning with the letter :letter

The letter filter limits the list to banks in Spain starting with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned above always cover all banks in Spain, not just this letter.

If the bank you need does not appear here, try the full list – the registered name can differ from the name people use. The full overview for Spain is one click away if the letter filter does not help.

The cheapest way to send money to Spain

What you pay for a transfer to Spain is made up of several parts. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually applies a rate below the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. An easy check: set the offered rate against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares transfer services side by side so you can see what actually arrives in Spain for the same amount sent.

Sending EUR to Spain

Spain uses 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 how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Compare what EUR arrives with several services before choosing one. On larger amounts, even a small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Euro payments to Spain: is a BIC needed?

Inside SEPA, euro transfers to Spain follow the same rules. A field for the BIC is usually optional in that case.

You still need a SWIFT code when sending non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day. Fees are generally low provided no currency is converted.