Standard Chartered Bank SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Standard Chartered Bank

Whether you are given SCBLLKLX or SCBLLKLXXXX, you are looking at the same identifier for Standard Chartered Bank in Sri Lanka. A SWIFT code tells the sending bank exactly which bank is meant to get the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. In daily life you usually come across the code on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and in the bank details of Standard Chartered Bank customers.

On this page we explain what the code means, when you need it and what else you need for a transfer to or from Standard Chartered Bank. A SWIFT code names a bank or branch, not a specific account.

SCBLLKLX or SCBLLKLXXXX – which one to use?

The layout of a BIC is always the same: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and two for the location. That gives you SCBLLKLX, the short form of the code.

The 11-character version adds three more characters that identify a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, they simply mean the head office.

As a rule the code is written in capitals and without spaces. Copying the code is safer than typing it by hand, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

Receiving money from abroad at Standard Chartered Bank

A sender in another country needs a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code SCBLLKLXXXX and your address, which some banks require.

Certain banks want the name and address of Standard Chartered Bank in Colombo. Double-check every detail before you send them.

Money from abroad does not always arrive in full. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin comes on top. For business payments, it is common to state who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.

Tracking a transfer to or from Standard Chartered Bank

There is no single answer for international payments: some land the same day or the next, others take several business days. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country can add a day or more. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment.

If the money seems late, ask your bank about the status and the transaction reference so they can trace it along the chain. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived.

Only the sending bank can request a trace or a recall – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. On the receiving end, you can check your account for a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.

Sending money abroad from Standard Chartered Bank

A bank transfer abroad can cost more than the listed fee. There is the transfer fee, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: many banks convert using an exchange rate that includes a margin. Compare their rate with the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay lists transfer providers side by side so you can see what actually arrives before you commit. Using a transfer service does not require leaving Standard Chartered Bank.

How to check SCBLLKLX before you pay

The most reliable place for the right code is paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Compare it against SCBLLKLX on this page and ask if anything does not match.

Errors in the SWIFT code tend to be costly more than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. An error in the account number can be more serious because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and sometimes look up the BIC automatically – that confirms the format, not the owner. Some banks now compare the payee name with the account before you confirm – do not ignore a mismatch warning. When you pay someone new, many people send a small test amount before sending the rest.

A note on our data

We collect bank codes using public sources and check our list from time to time. It is possible that a code on this page is no longer current after a merger or reorganisation. The number of codes on this page reflect our own data, not official figures from Standard Chartered Bank.

See the information here as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or Standard Chartered Bank have the final say. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers and not affiliated with Standard Chartered Bank. Should you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a short note via the contact page.

Watch out for payment fraud

Be wary if a contact suddenly asks you to send money to another account or a bank in another country. A correct SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account – scammers simply use real codes.

Check changed payment details via a separate channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract, never via the email that asked for the change. Watch out for time pressure, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. When a payment was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

People receiving money are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to refund the difference abroad. Do not act before the money has really arrived – ask Standard Chartered Bank if something looks wrong.

Standard Chartered Bank: head office code versus branch codes

Standard Chartered Bank has 2 different SWIFT/BIC codes across 1 locations. Only one is the head office code, SCBLLKLXXXX; the others belong to branches.

For most payments to a private or business account, the head office code SCBLLKLXXXX is the right choice. A branch code only makes sense if the account holder explicitly mentions it.

Unsure which code to use? Check with the recipient or the bank itself. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.