SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with M

Bank SWIFT codes for Switzerland

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 697 banks in Switzerland. You need such a code mostly for international transfers.

Search for the recipient’s bank below and open its page to see the full list of codes and the details a transfer needs. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

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 a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

You can spot a code from Switzerland from letters five and six. When the country letters do not match Switzerland, you are looking at a bank somewhere else.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the head office. For most transfers the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Paying in CHF: what conversion costs you

The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). When you pay another currency, it has to be converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often you pay less to send CHF directly through a transfer service with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. On larger amounts, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

SEPA transfers to Switzerland

Inside SEPA, euro transfers to Switzerland use the same rules, so the IBAN does the job in most cases. The BIC field is usually optional for those payments.

The BIC does come into play for payments in other currencies and for transfers from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers normally land within one business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low as long as everything stays in euros.

Which bank in Switzerland has the most codes?

Among the 697 institutions we list, Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft has the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Switzerland. Its head office code is RAIFCH22XXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

Many codes usually means separate codes for branches, departments or services. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code RAIFCH22XXX works for a payment to Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft.

Sending money to Switzerland for less

What you pay for a transfer to Switzerland has more than one component. There is a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest cost item because it is hidden in the rate. An easy check: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer to Switzerland, it is worth comparing the total cost on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Check the code before you pay

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. When the code you were given differs from the code listed here, stop and ask: check with the recipient or the bank.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is based on public sources and is updated regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes and our data may lag behind. Before a payment that matters, check the code with the recipient’s bank. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers, not a bank.

Scammers regularly send payment requests with new bank details. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

Banks in Switzerland beginning with the letter :letter

You are looking at a selection: just institutions in Switzerland whose name begins with :letter. The figures for Switzerland on this page apply to every bank we list and not only this letter.

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

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Switzerland

To receive an international payment into a Switzerland account, the sender needs more than the BIC. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your address.

The code of your bank appears in the list on this page. Some sending banks also want your bank’s address, so keep it at hand.

Expect that the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. Agree with the sender who pays which costs.

When does money sent to Switzerland arrive?

How fast a payment arrives in Switzerland depends on several factors: the currency, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday often start the next business day.

If a transfer is late, 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 provide a status online so you can follow the payment.