SWIFT/BIC codes in Taiwan: banks starting with S

Bank SWIFT codes for Taiwan

In Taiwan we have 1889 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 369 banks. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers.

Pick the bank below to view its head office code and any branch codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. Further down we explain how a code from Taiwan is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

The structure of a Taiwan SWIFT/BIC code

Each SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters in a fixed order. Characters one to four stand for the bank, characters five and six are the country code and the next two mark the location.

Whatever the bank, all Taiwan codes share the same fifth and sixth letters, namely the ISO code of Taiwan. If those two letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank in another country.

The last three characters, if present, identify a branch or department; XXX means the head office. Use a branch code just when the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Why a transfer to Taiwan needs a SWIFT code

Because Taiwan does not belong to SEPA, an international payment normally goes as a SWIFT payment. This means you always need the BIC of the receiving bank in addition to the account details.

In some countries, the account is identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for payments from abroad – many banks give clear instructions for this. SWIFT payments sometimes go via correspondent banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Taiwan

When you expect a payment from another country on an account in Taiwan, send the payer everything they need in one go. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your address.

Look up your bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. Certain sending banks also ask for your bank’s address, so keep it at hand.

The amount you receive is often less than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, state who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Tracking a payment to Taiwan

A SWIFT payment to Taiwan usually takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Bank holidays in either country can add extra days to the journey.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Bank or transfer service for Taiwan?

A bank transfer to Taiwan can cost more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often uses a rate below the real market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest cost item because it is hidden in the rate. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay lists transfer services side by side so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient.

Banks in Taiwan starting with :letter

The letter filter limits the list down to banks in Taiwan starting with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The totals mentioned above still refer to the whole country.

Cannot find the bank? The registered name may begin with another word – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. Try the full list for Taiwan when you do not know how the name is spelled.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient send you the account details directly from a recent statement. When the code you were given differs from our list, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from publicly available data and update them regularly. Institutions reorganise, close branches and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Before a payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service, not a bank.

Be wary of invoices with changed bank details, especially when they come by email. A valid BIC says nothing about who owns the account – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Hua Nan Commercial Bank, LTD. and its SWIFT codes

Hua Nan Commercial Bank, LTD. leads the list for Taiwan in SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Hua Nan Commercial Bank, LTD. has HNBKTWTPXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

The number of codes tells you something about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. If not a branch code is given, the head office code HNBKTWTPXXX works for a payment to Hua Nan Commercial Bank, LTD..