London Stock Exchange SWIFT/BIC code

London Stock Exchange SWIFT code: XLONGB2L

The short code XLONGB2L and the 11-character code XLONGB2LXXX refer to the same bank: London Stock Exchange. A BIC has a single purpose: it ensures that an international payment ends up at the right bank. In practice you usually come across the code on international invoices, in payment forms and in the bank details of London Stock Exchange customers.

Further down you will find the practical side: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to verify a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. The BIC identifies an institution, not a specific account.

Paying into London Stock Exchange in GBP

The local currency of United Kingdom is the British Pound (GBP). If you send another currency, the amount gets converted at some point – by your bank, by London Stock Exchange or by a bank in between. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion.

Who converts the payment matters: every bank has its own margin. In many cases you pay less if you send GBP straight away via a provider with a good rate.

The rate for GBP changes constantly and quotes are often valid only for a short time. If you pay regularly, small differences in the rate add up over a year.

Getting paid from abroad into a London Stock Exchange account

If you are waiting for money from abroad, send the payer everything they need in one go. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code XLONGB2LXXX and your address, which some banks require.

Some sending banks want the bank’s address, so keep it at hand. A typo in your account number can be harder to fix than you might think; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

The amount you receive can be lower than what was sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

We gather bank codes from public sources and update them regularly. It is possible that information here is no longer current after a merger or reorganisation. The number of codes we show are based on what is in our directory.

Treat our data as a reference, rather than as the final word: the recipient’s bank details come first. We are a comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with London Stock Exchange. If you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a message via the contact page.

Euro transfers to London Stock Exchange: is a BIC needed?

United Kingdom is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the zone for standardised euro payments. When you send euros within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN.

For anything other than euros and for senders outside SEPA, XLONGB2LXXX or XLONGB2L remains required. A few forms still ask for the BIC; if so, enter XLONGB2L or XLONGB2LXXX.

Instant payments in euros are widely available within SEPA; check with London Stock Exchange whether it applies to your account. Charges on SEPA payments tend to be low as long as everything stays in euros.

XLONGB2L or XLONGB2LXXX – which one to use?

A SWIFT code is built from a few fixed parts: the first four letters stand for the bank, characters five and six show the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. For London Stock Exchange, the 8-character core is XLONGB2L.

Many banks and apps work with either length. If yours requires eleven characters, use XLONGB2LXXX; if it wants eight, use XLONGB2L.

Do not add spaces or dashes when you enter XLONGB2L or XLONGB2LXXX. Copying the code beats typing it by hand.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to London Stock Exchange

An international transfer usually needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Weekends and public holidays in either country add extra days, since banks do not process on those days. Occasionally a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms – you will need it for any trace request.

A delayed transfer has to be traced by the sending bank, using the payment confirmation. Request from the sender the payment receipt with the date and reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Choosing between the 4 SWIFT codes of London Stock Exchange

Having 4 codes in 1 cities, London Stock Exchange belongs to the banks that register separate codes for parts of the organisation. The main code remains XLONGB2LXXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use XLONGB2LXXX or its short form XLONGB2L. Branch codes are only needed if the recipient’s bank specifically asks for it, which is more common for corporate accounts and trade services.

Not sure which code to use? Ask the recipient or the bank itself. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

Verifying the SWIFT code of London Stock Exchange

The most reliable source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. Check it against XLONGB2L on this page and ask if anything does not match.

With a wrong code, the transfer might get stuck, bounce back or end up costing more – sometimes after weeks of searching. Do not forget the IBAN: an error there can be more difficult to undo than a wrong code.

Most online banking apps check the format of IBANs – that confirms the format, not the owner. If your bank offers it, a name check on the recipient adds extra certainty. A small test payment can be a sensible step for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

Paying someone abroad from your London Stock Exchange account

A bank transfer abroad can cost rather more than the fee suggests. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: many banks convert using an exchange rate with a margin built in. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

Money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives across services, so you can pick the cheapest route. You can still keep your account at London Stock Exchange; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Be alert when someone unexpectedly wants you to pay into a different account abroad. That XLONGB2L is a real code does not mean that the account is legitimate – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Never trust a phone number from the same email that announces the change. Urgency or requests to keep it quiet are red flags. If money has already gone to a fraudster, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Fraud also work the other way. Someone claims to have sent too much and wants you to return the extra via a different route. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof; only your own account shows what has arrived.