SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain: banks starting with V

SWIFT/BIC codes in Spain

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 581 banks in Spain – 933 codes altogether. Every code points to an institution or one of its branches, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Every bank has its own page showing its main code and, where available, branch codes. Further down we explain how a code from Spain is put together, how to send money to Spain without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Spain

Ask the recipient to copy their bank details directly from their online banking. If the code you have does not match the code listed here, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

The directory on GoldexPay is compiled from publicly available sources that we update periodically. Banks merge, change names and change codes. Treat this list as a reference rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are a comparison service for money transfers, not a bank.

Fraudsters often send payment requests with changed bank details. Before paying, confirm changed details by phone.

Filter: banks in Spain with :letter

This list only shows the banks in Spain whose name starts with :letter. The figures for Spain on this page apply to all 581 banks.

Cannot find the bank? The registered name might start with a different letter, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. The complete list is available when you cannot find the bank here.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Spain

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. First comes four letters for the bank, then a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

In every code from Spain, characters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Spain – that is the quickest way to spot one. Codes with a different country code come from another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

If the last three are XXX, it means the main office. For most transfers the head office code is fine.

Sending money to Spain for less

If you transfer money to Spain with your bank, the stated fee is rarely all of the cost. There is the transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest cost item. A simple test: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialised transfer providers frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate. Before your next transfer to Spain, it is worth comparing the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

When does money sent to Spain arrive?

How fast a payment reaches Spain is determined by several factors: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Transfers sent late in the day or just before weekends and holidays often go out the next business day.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi. Every payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Spain and the Euro

Most accounts in Spain are usually held in EUR, the local currency. When you pay another currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases it is cheaper to send EUR directly via a provider with a good rate. On larger amounts, even a small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Which bank in Spain has the most codes?

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Spain tops our list of Spain banks in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office uses PARBESMHXXX and that code covers most payments.

A large number of codes often reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. If not a branch code is given, PARBESMHXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Spain

If you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Spain, send the payer everything they need in one go. Share your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

Look up your bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details. Certain sending banks may also want the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

What lands in your account is often lower than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. On invoices, agree how the fees are split.

Paying in euros to Spain

Spain is part of the SEPA area, where euro transfers follow common rules. When you send euros from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN.

The BIC does matter for payments in other currencies. Instant euro transfers are widely available within SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. Costs stay low provided no currency is converted – conversion is what costs money.