Zuercher Kantonalbank SWIFT/BIC code

Zuercher Kantonalbank SWIFT code: ZKBKCHZZ

The short code ZKBKCHZZ and the full code ZKBKCHZZXXX refer to one and the same institution: Zuercher Kantonalbank in Zurich, Switzerland. A SWIFT code shows every bank in the chain which institution should receive the money, much like a postcode for banks. You will need it mostly for transfers between countries and payments in foreign currencies.

On this page we explain how the code means, when you need it and what else you need for a transfer to or from Zuercher Kantonalbank. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number takes care of that.

Why Zuercher Kantonalbank has an 8- and an 11-character code

The layout of every SWIFT code never changes: a bank code of four letters, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code, plus an optional branch code. Combined, these eight characters make up ZKBKCHZZ.

The full version has three more characters for a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, they simply mean the head office, so ZKBKCHZZXXX and ZKBKCHZZ are interchangeable.

Leave out spaces, dots when you type ZKBKCHZZ. Look out for O versus 0 or I versus 1, a common source of typos.

Sending money abroad from Zuercher Kantonalbank

A bank transfer abroad can cost rather more than the fee suggests. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the currency changes.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest cost, and it is easy to miss. A simple test: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Next time you send money, take a minute comparing the total cost on GoldexPay. You can still use your account at Zuercher Kantonalbank to fund the transfer.

Swiss Franc (CHF) and conversion costs

Accounts at Zuercher Kantonalbank are usually held in CHF, the national currency. If you send money in a different currency has to be converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, by Zuercher Kantonalbank or by a bank in between. You rarely see a separate charge for the conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. In many cases you pay less to send CHF straight away through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate.

Rates for CHF move all the time. On larger amounts, a small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

Is ZKBKCHZZ still correct? How to check

The best place to find the right code remains paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Check that code with ZKBKCHZZ on this page.

A wrong SWIFT code can cause a delay, a returned payment or extra fees for investigation. A mistake in the IBAN or account number can be more serious because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

An automatic check by your bank merely tells you that the code is valid – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. More and more banks compare the name against the account before you confirm. A small test payment can be a sensible step for large sums, even if it costs an extra fee.

Zuercher Kantonalbank: head office code versus branch codes

Our directory lists 3 SWIFT/BIC codes for Zuercher Kantonalbank in 1 places. Next to the head office code ZKBKCHZZXXX, there are codes for regional offices and specialised units.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use ZKBKCHZZXXX. Just use a branch code when your contact explicitly asks for it.

Unsure which code to use? Ask the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Zuercher Kantonalbank. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Receiving money from abroad at Zuercher Kantonalbank

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. In practice that means: your name as registered with Zuercher Kantonalbank, your IBAN or account number, the BIC ZKBKCHZZXXX and usually your address.

Certain banks also ask for the name and address of Zuercher Kantonalbank in Zurich. A typo in the IBAN is harder to fix than you might think.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank – the price list of Zuercher Kantonalbank tells you what applies. For business payments, you can agree how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Watch out for payment fraud

A common scam goes like this: an email arrives with a request saying that a supplier now has a new bank account and that the next payment should go there. That ZKBKCHZZ is a real code is no guarantee that the account is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Never rely on contact details in the same message that contains the new account. Be suspicious of time pressure, unusual wording or a sender address that is slightly off. If a payment has already gone to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately.

Fraud can also target the receiver: someone claims to have sent more than agreed and wants you to refund the difference. Do not act before the money has really arrived – ask Zuercher Kantonalbank if something looks wrong.

Tracking a transfer to or from Zuercher Kantonalbank

There is no fixed answer: many land within a day. Weekends and public holidays in either country can add a day or more to the journey. Sometimes a bank wants to know what the payment is for, which can hold things up.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask your bank for the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services usually provide tracking online so you can see where the payment has got.

The bank that sent the money is able to start an official trace or a recall; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. On the receiving end, you can check your account for a partial amount because fees can reduce the amount.

A note on our data

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and check our list from time to time. Institutions merge, close branches and change codes. Figures such as the number of codes are from our directory and are not confirmed by Zuercher Kantonalbank.

Treat this page as a starting point, rather than as the final word: the recipient’s bank details come first. GoldexPay is not affiliated with Zuercher Kantonalbank. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page.

Euro transfers to Zuercher Kantonalbank: is a BIC needed?

Switzerland is part of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the zone for standardised euro payments. For a regular euro transfer within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You still need ZKBKCHZZXXX for non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. If your banking app has a field for the BIC anyway, entering ZKBKCHZZ is fine.

Euro payments within SEPA normally land by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Provided the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be cheap.