SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with K

Bank SWIFT codes for Switzerland

This directory contains 697 banks and financial institutions in Switzerland and 1904 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for payments across borders.

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

Switzerland and the Swiss Franc

The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). If you send money in a different currency, the amount gets converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Who converts the payment makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Check what CHF the recipient gets with several providers. On larger amounts, even a small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Switzerland

The best place to find the right code is paperwork issued by the bank. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges – compare it with the code in our list.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and update them regularly. Institutions reorganise, close branches and retire codes. Before a payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Scammers often send fake invoices with changed bank details that look completely genuine. Before paying, verify changed details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Filter: banks in Switzerland with :letter

This page only shows the banks in Switzerland whose name starts with :letter in alphabetical order. The counts in the introduction always cover the whole country.

Some banks are listed under their official name, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The complete list is available when you cannot find the bank here.

How SWIFT codes from Switzerland are built

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

Whatever the bank, all Switzerland codes have the same fifth and sixth letters, namely the ISO code of Switzerland. A code with a different country code come from another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the main office and the short version works just as well. For most transfers the head office code is fine.

The largest SWIFT network in Switzerland: Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft

Of all banks in Switzerland, Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft is listed with the most SWIFT codes. The head office of Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft uses RAIFCH22XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

A large number of codes often reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, RAIFCH22XXX is fine for a payment to Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft.

The cheapest way to send money to Switzerland

The price of a transfer to Switzerland is made up of more than one component – not only the fee you see. On top of the fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank usually applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the largest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. A simple test: set the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialised transfer providers frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay you can compare what recipients in Switzerland receive across providers.

Euro payments to Switzerland: is a BIC needed?

Switzerland is part of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. For a regular euro transfer within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN; many banks no longer ask for the BIC.

The BIC does come into play for payments in other currencies and for transfers from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day or faster with instant payments. As long as the payment stays in euros, the transfer is usually cheap.

How long does a transfer to Switzerland take?

How fast a payment reaches Switzerland is determined by a few things: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday often go out a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Money transfer services usually show a status online.

What a sender needs to pay you in Switzerland

For an international payment into a Switzerland account, the person paying you needs more than the BIC. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and sometimes your address.

Your bank’s code is in the list on this page. You can include the name and city of your bank because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.