SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with A

SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland

In Switzerland our database holds 1904 SWIFT/BIC codes. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get the money.

Every bank is listed with its own page showing its main code and, where available, branch codes. Below the list you can read how a code from Switzerland is put together, how to send money to Switzerland at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Paying in CHF: what conversion costs you

The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). When you pay money in a different currency, the amount gets converted at some point.

Who converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. Check what CHF arrives via different providers before choosing one. With bigger transfers, even a small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Tracking a payment to Switzerland

How fast a payment arrives in Switzerland depends on several factors: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Payments made late in the day or just before weekends and holidays often start the next business day.

If the money is delayed, ask the sender to contact their own bank for a trace; only the sending side can start an official trace. Specialist transfer services usually show a status in their app.

Euro payments to Switzerland: is a BIC needed?

Because Switzerland is part of the SEPA zone, a euro payment to a bank in Switzerland normally requires just the IBAN. Many banks no longer ask for the BIC in that case.

A SWIFT code still matter for payments in other currencies. Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive within one business day or faster with instant payments. As long as the payment stays in euros, the transfer is usually cheap.

Most SWIFT codes in Switzerland: Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft

Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft leads the list of Switzerland banks when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft has RAIFCH22XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes. If not a branch code is given, RAIFCH22XXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

Receiving money in Switzerland from abroad

For a transfer from abroad in Switzerland, the person paying you has to have not just the BIC. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your address.

Look up the bank in the list on this page. Some sending banks may also want the name and address of your bank.

What lands in your account is often less than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank. On invoices, agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Switzerland

The most reliable place for the correct BIC is a document from the bank itself. An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

This list draws on public sources and is updated regularly. Banks reorganise, close branches and retire codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Use our data as a starting point: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Be wary of invoices with a new account – a common fraud method. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine: criminals use real codes too.

Filter: banks in Switzerland with :letter

This page shows only banks in Switzerland beginning with :letter. The totals mentioned here cover all 697 banks and not only this letter.

If a bank is missing here, try another letter. The full overview for Switzerland is available if the letter filter does not help.

The cheapest way to send money to Switzerland

A bank transfer to Switzerland often costs more than the fee suggests. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

Specialist money transfer services often use a rate near the mid-market rate. Before you send money to Switzerland, take a minute comparing what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Switzerland

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and the next two give the location.

No matter which bank, every code from Switzerland have the same country code in positions five and six. Codes with other letters in that position come from a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the main office and the short version works just as well. Choose a branch code just if the recipient explicitly gives you one.