SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with S

Finding a SWIFT code in Switzerland

In Switzerland our database holds 1904 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 697 institutions. Each code points to an institution or one of its branches.

Every bank is listed with its own page showing the head office code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing.

Sending money to Switzerland for less

An international bank payment to Switzerland can cost rather more than you think. There is a transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest part of the cost. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites. The difference is your real cost.

For many currency pairs, a specialist provider is cheaper than a bank, mainly because of the rate. Before you send money to Switzerland, it is worth to compare the total cost on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

The Swiss Franc (CHF) and conversion costs

Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc. If you send another currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. Check how much CHF the recipient gets via several services before choosing one. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft and its SWIFT codes

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

The number of codes says more about how it registers branches and services than about its size. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, RAIFCH22XXX is fine for a payment to Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft.

Tracking a payment to Switzerland

There is no single delivery time for transfers to Switzerland: some arrive the same day or the next. Bank holidays in Switzerland or in the sending country can add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Money transfer services often provide a status online, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

The structure of a Switzerland SWIFT/BIC code

Every SWIFT/BIC code consists of eight or eleven characters. Characters one to four stand for the bank, characters five and six are the country code and the next two mark the location.

You can recognise a code from Switzerland by letters five and six: they always show the ISO country code of Switzerland. A code with a different country code come from another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The last three characters, if present, stand for a specific branch; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is what you need.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Switzerland

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself. When the code you were given does not match our list, do not guess.

The directory on GoldexPay is based on public sources and is updated regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes. For a payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Fraudsters regularly send payment requests carrying changed bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Filter: banks in Switzerland with :letter

You are looking at a selection: only banks in Switzerland with a name starting with :letter. The totals mentioned above still cover the whole country and not only this selection.

Bank not listed? The registered name might begin with another word. The full overview for Switzerland remains available if the letter filter does not help.

Paying in euros to Switzerland

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

A SWIFT code still come into play when the currency is not euros and for transfers from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low provided everything stays in euros.

Receiving money in Switzerland from abroad

When you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Switzerland, give the sender a complete set of details. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Look up your bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details. Certain banks also want the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

Expect that the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank; check the price list of your bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.