Banca del Sempione SA SWIFT/BIC code

Banca del Sempione SA SWIFT code: BASECH22

BASECH22 and BASECH22XXX are the short and the long form of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Banca del Sempione SA in Lugano. The code has a single purpose: it ensures that an international payment reaches the right bank. It comes up mainly when dealing with transfers between countries and payments in foreign currencies.

On this page you will find how the code is put together, when it matters and which other details a transfer to or from Banca del Sempione SA requires. Remember that the SWIFT code just identifies the bank, not the person: the account number or IBAN does that part.

Sending CHF to Banca del Sempione SA

Switzerland pays in the Swiss Franc. If you send another currency gets converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, by Banca del Sempione SA or by a bank in between. There is rarely a separate line for the conversion.

Who converts the payment matters. In many cases you pay less if you send CHF directly via a provider with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert.

Rates for CHF change during the day. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

What to give a sender who pays you at Banca del Sempione SA

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. That means: your name as registered with Banca del Sempione SA, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code BASECH22XXX and, often, your address.

It helps to include Banca del Sempione SA and its city too. A mistake in the IBAN can be harder to fix than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

The amount you receive can be less than the amount sent. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank – the price list of Banca del Sempione SA tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Banca del Sempione SA

An international transfer typically needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Bank holidays in either country add extra days, since banks do not process on those days. Occasionally a bank asks what the payment is for.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask your bank for the tracking status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Save your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it for any trace request.

The bank that sent the money is able to start an official trace. As a recipient, you can check your statements to see a slightly lower amount because fees can reduce the amount.

Choosing between the 5 SWIFT codes of Banca del Sempione SA

Our database contains 5 SWIFT/BIC codes for Banca del Sempione SA. Besides the head office code BASECH22XXX, there are codes for individual branches and departments.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with BASECH22XXX. A branch code only makes sense if the recipient’s bank explicitly mentions it, which is more common for corporate accounts and specialised services.

Unsure which code applies? Ask the recipient or the bank itself. Codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

Why Banca del Sempione SA has an 8- and an 11-character code

The structure of every SWIFT code is always the same: four characters for the institution, two for the country and two for the location. For Banca del Sempione SA, the 8-character core is BASECH22.

The full version adds a three-character extension that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office, so BASECH22XXX and BASECH22 are interchangeable.

In practice the code is written in capitals and without spaces. A wrong character may route a payment to another bank, so check it twice.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Stay alert if someone suddenly asks you to pay into another account or a bank in another country. The fact that BASECH22 exists does not mean that the account is legitimate – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Verify new bank details through a different channel, not by replying to the message. Be suspicious of time pressure, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. If money has already gone to the wrong account, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Scams can also target the receiver. Someone sends too much and asks you to return the extra to a new account. Do not act before the money is actually in your account – ask Banca del Sempione SA if something looks wrong.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The details on this page are taken from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes. Counts and locations are from our own dataset.

Use our data as a reference, not as the final word. We are a comparison site for money transfers and not part of Banca del Sempione SA. If you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a message.

SEPA payments and the Banca del Sempione SA BIC

Switzerland is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. For a regular euro transfer from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

Outside the euro and for senders outside SEPA, BASECH22XXX is still required. A few banks and apps still show a field for the BIC; in that case, fill in BASECH22 or BASECH22XXX.

Instant payments in euros are widely supported within SEPA; check with Banca del Sempione SA whether it applies to your account. Provided no currency is converted, a SEPA transfer tends to be inexpensive; costs rise once a conversion is involved.

Sending money abroad from Banca del Sempione SA

When you transfer money to another country via Banca del Sempione SA, the fee you see is only part of the cost. There is the transfer fee, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee: the bank converts at a rate with a margin built in. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialised transfer providers often offer a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay compares these services next to each other, showing what actually arrives for the same amount sent. Choosing a specialist does not mean leaving Banca del Sempione SA: you simply pay the service from your account.

How to check BASECH22 before you pay

The most reliable source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details. If the code you have differs from BASECH22 or BASECH22XXX, do not guess.

Errors in the SWIFT code are costly more than disastrous – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. Do not forget the IBAN: an error there can be more difficult to correct than a wrong BIC.

An automatic check by your bank only tells you that the code exists. Some banks now check the name with the account before you confirm – do not ignore a mismatch warning. Sending a small amount first can be worth it for a large first payment, even if it costs an extra fee.