First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC SWIFT/BIC code

First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC SWIFT code: FGBMAEAA

Whether a recipient gives you FGBMAEAA or FGBMAEAAXXX, it is the identical address for First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC in United Arab Emirates. Banks worldwide use these codes to route international transfers to the right institution. It comes up mainly when dealing with transfers between countries or a currency.

This page is meant to help people who pays into an account at First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC and wants to get the details right. Keep in mind that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number takes care of that.

Before you send: check the First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC code

Ask the recipient to copy the account details directly from their online banking. If the code you have differs from FGBMAEAA or FGBMAEAAXXX, stop and ask.

A wrong SWIFT code can cause delays, a returned payment or extra fees for investigation. An error in the account number is more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

An automatic check by your bank only confirms that the code exists. More and more banks check the payee name against the account before you confirm. Sending a small amount first is a sensible step for a large first payment, even if it costs an extra fee.

Watch out for payment fraud

One of the most common tricks works like this: you receive a request saying that a supplier has a new bank account. That FGBMAEAA is a real code does not mean that a request mentioning it 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 urgent requests, unusual wording or a sender address that is slightly off. Acted too fast? Contact your bank straight away and ask them to try to recall the payment.

Fraud can also work the other way. Someone claims to have sent more than agreed and asks you to refund the extra to a new account. A payment confirmation from the sender proves nothing.

Head office or branch code at First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC?

With 69 codes in 8 cities, First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC belongs to the banks that register separate codes for parts of the organisation. The head office code remains FGBMAEAAXXX.

In most cases you do not need to pick a branch: transfers addressed to FGBMAEAAXXX are routed within First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC correctly. Branch codes are only needed if the recipient’s bank explicitly asks for it.

The safest approach is to take the code straight from the recipient’s invoice. Codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

Incoming international payments to First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC

For an international payment at First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC, the person paying you needs not just the SWIFT code. Give them your name as the bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code FGBMAEAAXXX and your address.

Certain sending banks also ask for the name and address of First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC in Abu Dhabi; it does no harm to include it. Check every detail before you share them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Tracking a transfer to or from First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC

How fast a payment reaches First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC is determined by a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Weekends and public holidays in either country add a day or more to the journey. Occasionally a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Money transfer services often provide tracking in their app so you can see where the payment is.

The bank that sent the money can start an official trace – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. On the receiving end, you can check your account to see a slightly lower amount because fees can reduce the amount.

Sending money abroad from First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC

The price of a payment abroad has several parts – not just the fee on your screen. On top of the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and if the money changes currency the bank often uses a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

Many banks do not show the margin on the rate separately. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

Specialised transfer providers often use a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before your next transfer, take a minute to compare what arrives via GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. Choosing a specialist does not require closing your account at First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC: you simply pay the service from your account.

The United Arab Emirates Dirham and what conversion costs you

Accounts at First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC are typically held in AED, the local currency. A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into AED, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion.

Who converts the money makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Transferring the amount directly in AED often avoids an extra conversion by First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC.

The AED rate changes constantly. For recurring payments, a slightly better rate add up over time.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes on this page are taken from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes. Figures such as the number of codes are from our directory and are not confirmed by First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC.

See our directory on this page as a helpful check and rely on the recipient or First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC for the final confirmation. GoldexPay is not affiliated with First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC. Spotted outdated information? Let us know through the contact page so we can correct it.

Why First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC has an 8- and an 11-character code

The structure of a BIC is always the same: four characters for the institution, two for the country and a two-character location code, plus an optional branch code. Together, these eight characters form FGBMAEAA – the version you usually see online.

Many payment forms accept either length. If a form requires eleven characters, enter FGBMAEAAXXX, otherwise FGBMAEAA is fine.

As a rule the code is typed in capitals and without spaces. Copying the code is safer than retyping it, because one wrong letter changes the bank.