SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with D

Finding a SWIFT code in Switzerland

For Switzerland we have 1904 SWIFT/BIC codes. Every code identifies an institution or a specific branch or department.

Choose a bank below to see its head office code and any branch codes. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes.

What a transfer to Switzerland really costs

If you transfer money to Switzerland via a regular bank, the stated fee is rarely all of what you pay. There is the transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks and, above all, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Check the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate. The difference is your real cost.

For many currency pairs, a specialist provider is cheaper than a bank. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in Switzerland across services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.

How long does a transfer to Switzerland take?

A SWIFT payment to Switzerland typically takes one to a few business days. Bank holidays in either country can add extra days to the journey.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it if something goes wrong.

Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft and its SWIFT codes

In our data, Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft has the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland. Its main office uses RAIFCH22XXX.

Many codes usually means separate codes for branches, departments or services – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. If not a branch code is given, the head office code RAIFCH22XXX works for a payment to Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft.

Receiving money in Switzerland from abroad

To receive a transfer from abroad in Switzerland, the person paying you has to have not just the BIC. Give them your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page but always compare it with your own bank details. Certain banks also ask for your bank’s address, so keep it at hand.

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

Banks in Switzerland beginning with the letter :letter

Here you see a selection: only banks in Switzerland whose name begins with :letter. The totals mentioned here cover all 697 banks.

Some banks appear under their legal name rather than the name on their app or website. Use the full list for Switzerland when you are not sure how the name is spelled.

How reliable is this list?

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

This list is based on public sources. Banks reorganise, close branches and change codes. Use our data as a reference, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Be wary of invoices with a new account. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Euro payments to Switzerland: is a BIC needed?

Switzerland is part of the SEPA area. For a standard euro transfer within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You still need the BIC when sending non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. Instant euro transfers are increasingly supported across SEPA. Fees are generally low provided everything stays in euros; the conversion is where it gets expensive.

The structure of a Switzerland SWIFT/BIC code

Bank identifier codes use the same format worldwide: eight characters, sometimes followed by three more. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and the next two give the location.

You can recognise a code from Switzerland from letters five and six – those always form the country code of Switzerland. A code with other letters in that position belong to another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The long version adds three characters for a branch. Use a branch code just when the recipient explicitly gives you one.

Switzerland and the Swiss Franc

The local currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). A payment in a foreign currency is converted into CHF before it reaches the account.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Check how much CHF the recipient gets via different services. Exchange rates change during the day.