Citibank N.a. SWIFT/BIC code

CITIGB2L – the SWIFT/BIC code of Citibank N.a.

Whether you are given CITIGB2L or CITIGB2LXXX, you are looking at the identical identifier for Citibank N.a. in United Kingdom. Banks worldwide use BIC codes to route international transfers to the correct institution. In practice you usually see it on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and in the bank details that Citibank N.a. provides.

This page is meant to help people who sends money to an account at Citibank N.a.. The SWIFT code alone does not identify a personal account; for that you need the IBAN or account number .

Before you send: check the Citibank N.a. code

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself. If the code you have differs from CITIGB2L or CITIGB2LXXX, do not guess – contact the recipient or Citibank N.a..

An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges along the way. An error in the account number is more serious because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN and sometimes look up the BIC automatically – that confirms the format, not the owner. Where available, a payee name check before sending adds extra certainty. For a first payment, many people start with a small test amount.

Do you need CITIGB2L for a SEPA transfer?

Because United Kingdom is part of the SEPA zone, a euro transfer into Citibank N.a. from another SEPA country usually only needs an IBAN. Most banking apps do not require the BIC in that case or fill it in for you.

The BIC does matter for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. If your banking app asks for the BIC anyway, entering CITIGB2L does no harm.

SEPA transfers normally land within one business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. As long as no currency is converted, the transfer tends to be inexpensive; it is the conversion that costs money.

About this information

The details here come from public sources. Institutions merge, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Counts and locations come from our directory.

For a payment of any size, always check the BIC with Citibank N.a. or with the recipient. GoldexPay is independent of Citibank N.a., we only compare transfer services. Spotted outdated information? Tell us via our contact form so we can correct it.

Choosing between the 39 SWIFT codes of Citibank N.a.

Having 39 codes in 2 cities, Citibank N.a. belongs to the banks that use separate codes for branches. The main code is CITIGB2LXXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with CITIGB2LXXX. When you receive a specific code, use it as it is rather than replacing it for the head office code.

The best way is to take the code directly from the account holder’s invoice. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Sending money abroad from Citibank N.a.

When you transfer money to another country through Citibank N.a., the fee you see is only part of the cost. On top of the transfer fee, banks in between may take a cut, and if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a rate below the real market rate.

Banks rarely show their exchange rate markup separately – you only notice it if you compare. A simple test: set the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

Money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares transfer providers next to each other, showing what actually arrives for the same amount sent. You can always keep your account at Citibank N.a. to fund the transfer, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

8 or 11 characters: CITIGB2L versus CITIGB2LXXX

Every SWIFT/BIC code has an 8-character core: four letters for the bank, two letters for the country and two characters for the location. Together, those parts make up CITIGB2L.

XXX at the end of CITIGB2LXXX does not stand for a missing value or a mistake: it indicates the main office of Citibank N.a.. Some forms insist on 11 characters, in which case you can enter XXX after CITIGB2L.

Type the code in one piece, in upper case and without separators. Look out for O versus 0 or I versus 1; they are easy to mix up.

Tracking a transfer to or from Citibank N.a.

There is no fixed delivery time for international payments: some arrive within a day. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually start a business day later. Occasionally a bank asks what the payment is for.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact the sending bank for the tracking status and the transaction reference so they can trace it along the chain. Save the payment confirmation; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

A missing payment is traced by the sending bank, using the payment confirmation. As a recipient, it helps to look at your account for a partial amount because fees can reduce the amount.

What to give a sender who pays you at Citibank N.a.

If you are waiting for money from abroad, give the sender a complete set of details. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code CITIGB2LXXX and your address.

The sender’s bank might request the bank address of Citibank N.a., in which case the London head office is the usual answer. Check every detail before you send them.

An incoming payment does not always land in full. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, Citibank N.a. may charge for incoming payments, and if the currency changes, a markup on the rate applies. On invoices, it is common to state who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Criminals often send fake invoices containing changed bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. That CITIGB2L is a real code does not mean that the account is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Do not trust contact details in the same message that announces the new account. Urgency and requests to keep it quiet tend to be warning signs. Already paid? Contact your bank without delay and ask them to try to recall the payment; also report it to the police.

Fraud also target the receiver: someone claims to have sent more than agreed and wants you to return the extra via a different route. Do not act before the money is actually in your account – ask Citibank N.a. if something looks wrong.

The British Pound and what conversion costs you

The national currency of United Kingdom is the British Pound (GBP). Money sent in a different currency will be converted into GBP on its way to Citibank N.a. – and the bank that does it picks the rate. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Where the conversion happens affects the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. In many cases you pay less if you send GBP directly through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate.

Exchange rates change all the time. On larger amounts, even small difference in the rate adds up quickly.