SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with C

SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland

For Switzerland our database holds 1904 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 697 banks. Every code points to an institution or one of its branches, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Search for the bank you need below and click through for the full list of codes and what else a transfer requires. 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.

The cheapest way to send money to Switzerland

The price of a transfer to Switzerland has several parts, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. An easy check: put the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay we compare the amount that arrives in Switzerland with different providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.

Paying in CHF: what conversion costs you

Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into CHF on its way to the recipient, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Check how much CHF the recipient gets with several providers before choosing one. Exchange rates change during the day.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Switzerland

Have the recipient copy the account details straight from a recent statement. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

The directory on GoldexPay is compiled from public sources and is updated regularly. Still, banks merge or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Before any payment that matters, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service and not part of any bank listed here.

Be wary of invoices with a new account. Before paying, verify changed details through a separate channel.

Banks in Switzerland beginning with the letter :letter

This page only shows the banks in Switzerland beginning with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The counts in the introduction always cover the whole country, not just this letter.

Many institutions are listed under their official name, which may start with words like Bank or Banco, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The full overview for Switzerland is one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

Which bank in Switzerland has the most codes?

In our directory, Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Switzerland. The head office of Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft uses RAIFCH22XXX and that code covers most payments.

Practice differs in how many codes they register. Making a payment to Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft? Go with RAIFCH22XXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

The structure of a Switzerland SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC codes use the same format worldwide: eight characters. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

You can spot a code from Switzerland by the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of Switzerland. If the country letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else.

An 11-character code adds three characters for a branch. For most transfers the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Transfer times to Switzerland

A SWIFT payment to Switzerland typically needs anywhere from one to several business days. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually start the next business day.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR. Save your transfer receipt.

Euro payments to Switzerland: is a BIC needed?

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to Switzerland use the same rules. A field for the BIC is usually optional for those payments.

The BIC does matter for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. Instant payments in euros are increasingly supported across SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. As long as the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be cheap.

Incoming international payments in Switzerland

When you expect a payment from another country in Switzerland, send the payer all details at once. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

The code of your bank is in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. You can include your bank’s name and city.

What lands in your account is often lower than what was sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin comes on top. On invoices, state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.