Royal Bank of Canada SWIFT/BIC code

Royal Bank of Canada SWIFT code: ROYCGB2L

ROYCGB2L and ROYCGB2LXXX are the short and the long form of the same bank identifier, and both point to Royal Bank of Canada in London. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank should receive the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. It comes up mainly for payments that cross a border.

On this page we explain how the code means, when you need it and which other details you need for a transfer to or from Royal Bank of Canada. Remember that the BIC just identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

Receiving money from abroad at Royal Bank of Canada

To receive an international payment at Royal Bank of Canada, the person paying you needs not just the BIC. The basics are: the account holder’s name, IBAN or account number, ROYCGB2LXXX and, for some countries, your postal address.

It helps to include the bank name and London too, because some payment forms have separate fields for them. Double-check the details before you share them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

An incoming payment will not always land in full. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the currency changes, a markup on the rate comes on top. Agree with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

British Pound (GBP) and conversion costs

The currency in United Kingdom is the British Pound (GBP). Money sent in a different currency will be converted into GBP before it reaches the account. There is rarely a separate charge for the conversion.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount. Compare how much GBP arrives with different providers before choosing one.

The GBP rate changes throughout the day and quotes are often valid only for a short time. For recurring payments, small differences in the rate make a real difference over a year.

How long does an international transfer to Royal Bank of Canada take?

There is no fixed answer for every transfer: some land within a day while others need several business days. Weekends and public holidays in either country can add extra days, since banks do not process on those days. Compliance checks by one of the banks can also add a delay.

If a transfer seems late, contact the sending bank for the tracking status and the transaction reference so they can trace it along the chain. Money transfer services usually show tracking in their app so you can see where the payment is.

If the money does not arrive within the expected time, the sender should start with the bank that sent it rather than Royal Bank of Canada. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Royal Bank of Canada: head office code versus branch codes

Having 2 codes, Royal Bank of Canada is one of the banks that register individual codes for parts of the organisation and departments. The main code is ROYCGB2LXXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use ROYCGB2LXXX or its short form ROYCGB2L. Only use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

The best way is to take the code straight from the account holder’s invoice. Codes for branches are more prone to be retired than ROYCGB2LXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

8 or 11 characters: ROYCGB2L versus ROYCGB2LXXX

Each SWIFT/BIC code starts with an 8-character core: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. For Royal Bank of Canada, that core is ROYCGB2L.

Many payment forms accept either length. If a form asks for eleven characters, enter ROYCGB2LXXX, otherwise ROYCGB2L is fine.

Do not add spaces when you enter ROYCGB2L or ROYCGB2LXXX. A single letter can send a payment to a different institution.

Sending money abroad from Royal Bank of Canada

The price of a payment abroad is made up of more than one component, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent or intermediary banks can take a cut, and if the money changes currency the bank often uses a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the largest cost even though it is not listed as a fee. Check their rate against the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay compares transfer providers side by side, showing the amount the recipient gets before you commit. You can always use your account at Royal Bank of Canada as the source of the money.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Be alert when someone suddenly wants you to send money to another account or a bank in another country. The fact that ROYCGB2L exists is no guarantee that a request mentioning it is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Never rely on a phone number from the same email that contains the new account. Urgency or requests to keep it quiet are warning signs. When money has already gone to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately.

Scams can also target the receiver. Someone claims to have sent too much and wants you to return the extra. Wait until the money is actually in your account and check with Royal Bank of Canada if anything seems off.

Before you send: check the Royal Bank of Canada code

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient. Check that code with ROYCGB2L here.

An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a returned payment or additional charges along the way. A mistake in the IBAN or account number is a bigger problem, because the money may be credited to someone else, so check that just as carefully.

Most online banking apps check the format of IBANs, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. Where available, a name check on the recipient gives extra certainty. Sending a small amount first can be worth it for large sums, even if it costs an extra fee.

How up to date is this code?

The codes here come from public sources that we update regularly. Institutions reorganise, change names and retire codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. The figures on this page reflect our own data and not on information from Royal Bank of Canada itself.

Treat our data as a starting point, rather than as the final word. GoldexPay is independent of Royal Bank of Canada, we only compare transfer services. If you notice a mistake, we appreciate a short note via the contact page.

Do you need ROYCGB2L for a SEPA transfer?

Inside SEPA, euro payments to an account in United Kingdom follow common rules, so the IBAN does the job in most cases. The BIC field is usually optional or missing for those payments.

You still need ROYCGB2LXXX for non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. If a payment form has a field for the BIC anyway, entering ROYCGB2L does no harm.

SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Charges on SEPA payments tend to be low.