SWIFT/BIC codes in Tonga

Finding a SWIFT code in Tonga

This overview covers 6 banks and other institutions in Tonga. A BIC shows the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get an international payment.

Every bank has its own page with the head office code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. Below the list you can read how a code from Tonga is put together, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Incoming international payments in Tonga

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your address.

Find the bank in the list on this page to check its code, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. Some banks also want the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

What lands in your account can be less than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank; check the price list of your bank. For business payments, state how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

Most SWIFT codes in Tonga: Anz Banking Group Limited

Anz Banking Group Limited leads the list of Tonga banks in SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Anz Banking Group Limited has ANZBTONNXXX.

A large number of codes often reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Making a payment to Anz Banking Group Limited? Use ANZBTONNXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Paying a bank in Tonga from abroad

Tonga is not part of the SEPA area, so European euro rules do not apply. Payments from abroad usually travel through the SWIFT network, and the BIC of the receiving bank is required.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN. The receiving bank usually provides instructions for incoming international payments. SWIFT payments can pass through one or more intermediary banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

Check the code before you pay

Ask the recipient to send you the account details straight from their banking app. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

The directory on GoldexPay is based on public sources. Banks merge, change names and retire codes. Treat this list as a starting point, not as the final word. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service for money transfers.

Scammers regularly send payment requests with changed bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

How SWIFT codes from Tonga are built

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. First comes a four-letter bank code, then a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

You can recognise a bank code from Tonga by the fifth and sixth characters – those always form the country code of Tonga. If those two letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank in another country, so check again.

The last three characters, if present, identify a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

The cheapest way to send money to Tonga

The price of a payment to Tonga is made up of several parts. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks may deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. A simple test: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer to Tonga, take a minute to compare what arrives on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Transfer times to Tonga

There is no single answer for payments to Tonga: many arrive within a day while others need several business days. Public holidays in either country add extra days.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank and ask for the status or the UETR. Save the payment confirmation.