Standard Chartered Bank SWIFT/BIC code

SCBLGB2G – the SWIFT/BIC code of Standard Chartered Bank

SCBLGB2G and SCBLGB2GXXX are two spellings of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Standard Chartered Bank in London. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a payment 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 or a currency.

We wrote this page to help people who sends money to an account at Standard Chartered Bank and wants to get the details right. Keep in mind that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN does that part.

Getting paid from abroad into a Standard Chartered Bank account

For an international payment into your account at Standard Chartered Bank, the person paying you has to have more than the BIC. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code SCBLGB2GXXX (or SCBLGB2G) and usually your address.

Some sending banks want the bank’s address in London. A mistake in your account number can be more trouble than you might think, so copy the details from your online banking.

The amount you receive can be lower than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers differ per bank; check the price list of Standard Chartered Bank. On invoices, it is common to agree how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

One of the most common tricks goes like this: you receive a request claiming that a company has a new bank account. That SCBLGB2G is a real code does not mean that the account is legitimate.

Verify changed payment details via a separate channel. Be suspicious of time pressure, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Already paid? Contact the bank you paid from without delay and have them start a recall.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: one known trick is an overpayment followed by a request to refund the difference abroad. Do not act before the money has really arrived – ask Standard Chartered Bank if something looks wrong.

Tracking a transfer to or from Standard Chartered Bank

How quickly a transfer arrives at Standard Chartered Bank is determined by a few things: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Transfers sent late in the day or just before weekends and holidays usually start a business day later. Sometimes a bank asks what the payment is for.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask your bank for the status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Money transfer services often provide a status online showing where the money is.

Only the sending bank is able to request a trace. On the receiving end, it helps to check your statements to see a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.

8 or 11 characters: SCBLGB2G versus SCBLGB2GXXX

Every SWIFT/BIC code starts with the same eight core characters: four letters for the bank, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. For Standard Chartered Bank, the 8-character core is SCBLGB2G.

Many banks and apps accept both lengths. If a form requires eleven characters, enter SCBLGB2GXXX, otherwise SCBLGB2G is fine.

Type the code as one block, in capitals and without spaces, exactly as shown here. A single character may route the money to a different institution.

Sending money abroad from Standard Chartered Bank

An international bank payment costs more than the fee suggests. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and if the money changes currency, the bank usually applies a rate below the actual market rate.

Banks do not list the margin on the rate separately, but you pay it all the same. An easy check: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialised transfer providers often use rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay we compare the amount that arrives with different services, so you can pick the cheapest route. You can always use your account at Standard Chartered Bank as the source of the money; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Choosing between the 14 SWIFT codes of Standard Chartered Bank

With 14 codes, Standard Chartered Bank belongs to the banks that register individual codes for branches and departments. The main code remains SCBLGB2GXXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, use SCBLGB2GXXX or its short form SCBLGB2G. A branch code only makes sense when the account holder explicitly asks for it, which is more common for corporate accounts and specialised services.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient which code their bank gave them. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

How up to date is this code?

We gather bank codes using publicly available data and check our list regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes. Counts and locations are from our directory.

See the information on this page as a handy check. GoldexPay is a comparison site and not part of Standard Chartered Bank. If you notice a mistake, we appreciate a short note.

Verifying the SWIFT code of Standard Chartered Bank

The best place to find the correct BIC is paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account details in online banking. If the code you have differs from SCBLGB2G or SCBLGB2GXXX, stop and ask – contact the recipient or Standard Chartered Bank.

With a wrong code, the transfer may get stuck, bounce back or cost extra, and tracing it can take weeks. A mistake in the IBAN or account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps check the format of an IBAN. Some banks now compare the payee name against the account; take any warning seriously. A small test payment is worth it for large sums, even if it costs an extra fee.

Sending GBP to Standard Chartered Bank

Most accounts at Standard Chartered Bank are usually held in GBP, the national currency of United Kingdom. A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into GBP before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Each conversion eats into something, even when no fee is shown.

Who converts the money matters: every bank has its own margin. Sending the money already in GBP usually prevents a second conversion – as long as your own rate is good.

The GBP rate fluctuates constantly and quotes are often valid only for a short time. With bigger transfers, even small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Do you need SCBLGB2G for a SEPA transfer?

United Kingdom is part of the SEPA area, the zone for standardised euro payments. For a standard euro transfer within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN.

You still need SCBLGB2GXXX when sending payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. If a payment form has a field for the BIC regardless, entering SCBLGB2G is fine.

Instant payments in euros have become increasingly supported across SEPA. Fees for SEPA transfers are generally low, as long as no currency conversion is involved.