Astaire Securities (Asts) SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Astaire Securities (Asts)

COSYGB21 and COSYGB21XXX are two ways of writing the same bank identifier, and both lead to Astaire Securities (Asts) in London. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to direct payments between countries to the right institution. It comes up mostly for transfers between countries or a currency.

Further down you will find the practical side: receiving money at Astaire Securities (Asts), sending money abroad and how to check a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code just identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Paying into Astaire Securities (Asts) in GBP

The currency of United Kingdom is the British Pound (GBP). A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into GBP, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Every conversion costs the amount – usually through the rate rather than a fee.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often you pay less if you send GBP straight away via a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert.

The GBP rate fluctuates throughout the day, so the amount you see is usually only valid for a short time. With bigger transfers, a small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Is COSYGB21 still correct? How to check

Ask the recipient to send you their bank details straight from their online banking. Compare that code against COSYGB21 on this page.

Mistakes in the SWIFT code tend to be annoying more than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. An error in the IBAN or account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else, so check that just as carefully.

Many banking apps validate the structure of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. More and more banks compare the payee name against the account; take any warning seriously. When you pay someone new, some people send a small test amount before sending the rest.

Which of the 2 codes of Astaire Securities (Asts) do you need?

Having 2 codes in 1 locations, Astaire Securities (Asts) is one of the banks that register separate codes for branches. The main code is COSYGB21XXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use COSYGB21XXX or its short form COSYGB21. A branch code only makes sense when the recipient’s bank explicitly mentions it, which is more common for business accounts and specialised services.

Not sure which code applies? Ask the recipient. Branch codes are more prone to be retired than COSYGB21XXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

Watch out for payment fraud

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests with changed bank details. That COSYGB21 is a real code is no guarantee that a request mentioning it is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Before paying, verify a change of bank details by phone. Be suspicious of urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. If money has already gone to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: a classic trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to send back the difference to another account. Wait until the money is actually in your account.

How up to date is this code?

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update them from time to time. Banks merge, change names and retire codes. The figures we show are based on our own data and not on information from Astaire Securities (Asts) itself.

Treat the information on this page as a handy check. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Astaire Securities (Asts). Should you notice a mistake, we appreciate a short note.

Getting paid from abroad into a Astaire Securities (Asts) account

A sender in another country will ask for a few details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. The basics are: your name, account number or IBAN, COSYGB21XXX and, for some countries, your home address.

It helps to include Astaire Securities (Asts) and its city too, because some payment forms have separate fields for them. Double-check every detail before you send them.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

International transfers from Astaire Securities (Asts): the real cost

When you send money to another country from Astaire Securities (Asts), the visible fee is only part of the cost. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate when the money is converted.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest cost even though it is not listed as a fee. A simple test: set the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

For many currency pairs, a transfer service is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. Next time you send money, take a minute to compare the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. Using a transfer service does not require closing your account at Astaire Securities (Asts).

Why Astaire Securities (Asts) has an 8- and an 11-character code

Each SWIFT/BIC code starts with an 8-character core: four letters for the bank, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code. Combined, those parts make up COSYGB21, the code most people search for.

Many banks and apps work with both lengths. If a form asks for eleven characters, enter COSYGB21XXX; if it wants eight, use COSYGB21.

Enter the code in one piece, in upper case and without separators. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 or I versus 1, a common source of typos.

SEPA payments and the Astaire Securities (Asts) BIC

United Kingdom is part of the SEPA area, where euro transfers follow common rules. When you send euros from another SEPA country, the IBAN is usually enough.

Outside the euro and from non-SEPA countries, COSYGB21XXX remains required. If a payment form has a field for the BIC regardless, entering COSYGB21 is fine.

Euro payments within SEPA normally land by the next business day; instant payments are faster if both banks offer them. As long as no currency is converted, a SEPA transfer is cheap; it is the conversion that costs money.

How long does an international transfer to Astaire Securities (Asts) take?

A SWIFT payment usually takes anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually go out the next business day. Occasionally a bank asks what the payment is for before releasing it.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every payment gets a unique reference, the UETR. Specialist transfer services often show a status in their app showing how far the money has got.

Only the sending bank is able to start an official trace or a recall. On the receiving end, you can look at your statements to see a partial amount because fees can reduce the amount.