SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland: banks starting with Z

SWIFT/BIC codes in Switzerland

This directory lists 697 banks and other institutions in Switzerland and 1904 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. Each code points to an institution or a specific branch or department, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Every bank is listed with its own page with its main code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. The sections below explain the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes before a payment.

Paying in euros to Switzerland

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

The BIC does matter when the currency is not euros. SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low as long as no currency is converted – conversion is what costs money.

Which bank in Switzerland has the most codes?

Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft leads our list of Switzerland banks when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft has RAIFCH22XXX and that code covers most payments.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes. Paying someone at Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft? Use RAIFCH22XXX unless a specific branch code is requested.

Incoming international payments in Switzerland

To receive a transfer from abroad into a Switzerland account, the sender has to have not just the BIC. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

Look up your bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to include your bank’s name and city as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin comes on top. On invoices, state who bears the costs.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Switzerland

Each SWIFT/BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters in a fixed order. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two give the location.

You can spot a code from Switzerland from letters five and six – those always form the country code of Switzerland. If the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank in another country.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the head office and the short version works just as well. For most transfers the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Filter: banks in Switzerland with :letter

You are looking at a selection: only institutions in Switzerland whose name begins with :letter. The figures for Switzerland mentioned here cover every bank we list.

Cannot find the bank? The registered name might start with a different letter – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. Use the full list for Switzerland when you are not sure the exact name.

Bank or transfer service for Switzerland?

If you transfer money to Switzerland with a regular bank, the stated fee is only part of the cost. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers often use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer to Switzerland, take a minute to compare the total cost on GoldexPay.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient send you their bank details straight from their banking app. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

This list draws on publicly available sources. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Treat our data as a reference, not as the final word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. We are a comparison site for money transfers, not a bank.

Fraudsters regularly use fake invoices carrying new bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Tracking a payment to Switzerland

There is no single delivery time for payments to Switzerland: some land within a day, others take several business days. Bank holidays in Switzerland or in the sending country add a day or more to the journey.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each payment carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking online.

Sending CHF to Switzerland

Most accounts in Switzerland are typically held in CHF. A payment in a foreign currency is converted into CHF on its way to the recipient, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. In many cases you pay less to send CHF directly through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Rates for CHF move during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.