SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with B

Switzerland: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Switzerland we have 1904 SWIFT/BIC codes. Each code identifies a bank or one of its branches, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Each bank is listed with its own page showing the head office code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. Below the list you can read how a code from Switzerland is put together, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Switzerland

If you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Switzerland, give the sender all details at once. Share the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Look up the bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details – your bank statement is the final word. You can add the name and city of your bank as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

How long does a transfer to Switzerland take?

A SWIFT payment to Switzerland typically needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually go out the next business day.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR. Specialist transfer services often show a status online.

SEPA transfers to Switzerland

Inside SEPA, euro transfers to Switzerland follow the same rules. A field for the BIC is usually optional for those payments.

The BIC does matter for payments in other currencies and for transfers from outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day or faster with instant payments. Fees are generally low provided everything stays in euros.

How SWIFT codes from Switzerland are built

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

In every code from Switzerland, characters five and six are the ISO country code of Switzerland – that is the quickest way to spot one. A code with a different country code come from a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The optional last three characters stand for a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. For most transfers the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

The cheapest way to send money to Switzerland

What you pay for a payment to Switzerland is made up of more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. You pay a transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee. A simple test: put the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider turns out to be less expensive than a bank. Before you send money to Switzerland, take a minute to compare the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft and its SWIFT codes

Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft tops our list for Switzerland when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office has RAIFCH22XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Banks differ in how many codes they register. Paying someone at Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft? Go with RAIFCH22XXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Banks in Switzerland beginning with the letter :letter

This filter narrows the list to banks from Switzerland that begin with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned above still refer to all banks in Switzerland and not only this selection.

If a bank is missing here, try the full list. Use the full list for Switzerland if you are not sure the exact name.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to send you the account details directly from their banking app. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, stop and ask: check with the recipient or the bank.

This list draws on publicly available sources that we update periodically. Institutions reorganise, close branches and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. For a payment of any size, check the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Be wary of payment requests containing changed bank details – a common fraud method. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine: criminals use real codes too.

Paying in CHF: what conversion costs you

Bank accounts in Switzerland are usually held in CHF. A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into CHF on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who converts the money makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. Often you pay less if you send CHF straight away through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Exchange rates move during the day – some providers let you lock in a rate.