Svenska Handelsbanken SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Svenska Handelsbanken

HANDSESS and HANDSESSXXX are two ways of writing the same bank identifier, and both point to Svenska Handelsbanken in Stockholm. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to direct international transfers to the correct bank. You will need it mostly when dealing with payments that cross a border.

Below you will find the practical questions: money coming in from abroad, paying someone in another country and how to verify a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. Remember that the BIC just identifies the bank, not the person: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

Why Svenska Handelsbanken has an 8- and an 11-character code

A BIC is built from a few fixed parts: the first four letters stand for the bank, the next two show the country and characters seven and eight mark the location. In this case, the 8-character core is HANDSESS.

Many payment forms work with both lengths. If yours requires eleven characters, use HANDSESSXXX; if it wants eight, use HANDSESS.

As a rule the code is written in capitals and without spaces. Look out for O versus 0 and the letter I and the digit 1.

How long does an international transfer to Svenska Handelsbanken take?

There is no fixed answer: some arrive the same day or the next. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later. Compliance checks on larger or unusual payments may also cause some delay.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Specialist transfer services often show tracking online so you can see how far the money is.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid needs to contact their own bank, not the receiving bank. As a recipient, it helps to check your account for a slightly lower amount.

Receiving money from abroad at Svenska Handelsbanken

For a transfer from abroad into your account at Svenska Handelsbanken, the person paying you has to have more than the SWIFT code. What they need is: your name, account number or IBAN, HANDSESSXXX and, for some countries, your home address.

You can include Svenska Handelsbanken and its city as well, because some payment forms have separate fields for them. A typo in the IBAN is more trouble than you might think.

What lands in your account is often lower than the amount sent. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of Svenska Handelsbanken. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Watch out for payment fraud

Scammers often use payment requests with changed bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. A correct SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine – scammers simply use real codes.

Verify changed payment details via a separate channel, such as a phone number you already know. Watch out for urgent requests, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. Acted too fast? Call the bank you paid from straight away and have them start a recall and report the fraud.

Recipients can be targeted as well: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to refund the difference. Do not act before the money has really arrived – ask Svenska Handelsbanken if something looks wrong.

Svenska Handelsbanken: head office code versus branch codes

Svenska Handelsbanken uses 10 different SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code; the others identify branches or departments.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, go with HANDSESSXXX or its short form HANDSESS. When you receive a specific code, use it as it is instead of swapping it with the head office code.

The safest approach is to take the code directly from the account holder’s statement. Codes for branches are more likely to be retired than HANDSESSXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

About this information

The codes on this page are taken from public sources. It is possible that information on this page is no longer current. The figures on this page reflect what is in our directory and not on information from Svenska Handelsbanken itself.

Treat the information on this page as a handy check. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and not part of Svenska Handelsbanken. Spotted outdated information? Let us know through the contact page so we can correct it.

Paying someone abroad from your Svenska Handelsbanken account

The price of an international transfer is made up of more than one component. There is the transfer fee, sometimes charges from correspondent banks in between and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest item because it is hidden in the rate. A simple test: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a bank. Next time you send money, take a minute comparing what arrives on GoldexPay. Using a transfer service does not require closing your account at Svenska Handelsbanken.

Euro transfers to Svenska Handelsbanken: is a BIC needed?

Because Sweden is in SEPA, a euro transfer to Svenska Handelsbanken from within the SEPA area normally requires just the IBAN. Most banking apps no longer ask for the BIC in that case or fill it in for you.

A SWIFT code like HANDSESS still matter for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. If your banking app has a field for the BIC anyway, adding HANDSESS does no harm.

Instant payments in euros have become widely available within SEPA; check with Svenska Handelsbanken whether it applies to your account. Fees for SEPA payments are generally low.

The Swedish Krona and what conversion costs you

Most accounts at Svenska Handelsbanken are typically held in SEK, the national currency. When you pay money in a different currency has to be converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, by Svenska Handelsbanken or by a bank in between. Each conversion eats into something.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount. Transferring the money already in SEK usually avoids an extra conversion, provided the rate you get is fair.

Rates for SEK move during the day, and some providers let you lock in a rate. For recurring payments, a slightly better rate make a real difference over time.

How to check HANDSESS before you pay

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account details in online banking. Compare that code with HANDSESS on this page; if they differ, ask before you pay.

If the code is wrong, the transfer might be delayed, be returned or end up costing more. Do not forget the IBAN: a mistake there is harder to correct than a wrong BIC.

Many banking apps check the format of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC – that confirms the format, not the owner. If your bank offers it, a payee name check before sending adds extra certainty. For a first payment, some people start with a small test amount before sending the rest.