UBS AG London Branch SWIFT/BIC code

UBS AG London Branch SWIFT code: SBCWGB21

The 8-character code SBCWGB21 and the 11-character code SBCWGB21XXX refer to the same bank: UBS AG London Branch. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to direct international transfers to the right bank. In daily life you usually see it on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and in the bank details that UBS AG London Branch provides.

Further down we go through the practical questions: money coming in from abroad, paying someone in another country and how to check a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. The SWIFT code on its own cannot identify an individual account holder; that is what the account number or IBAN is for.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Be wary when someone suddenly wants you to send money to another account abroad. The fact that SBCWGB21 exists does not mean that a request mentioning it is genuine.

Verify changed bank details via a separate channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract. Watch out for time pressure, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Already paid? Contact your bank straight away 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 too much and wants you to refund the extra via a different route. Wait until the money is actually in your account – ask UBS AG London Branch if something looks wrong.

How to check SBCWGB21 before you pay

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient. Check that code against SBCWGB21 here and ask if anything does not match.

With a wrong code, the payment might be delayed, bounce back or cost extra. An error in the account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else.

A validity check by your bank merely tells you that the code exists, not that it is the right account. Where available, a payee name check on the recipient gives extra certainty. For a first payment, some people send a small test amount and wait for confirmation.

Sending GBP to UBS AG London Branch

The currency in United Kingdom is the British Pound (GBP). Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into GBP on its way to UBS AG London Branch, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Each conversion eats into something.

Who does the conversion has an effect on the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Sending the money already in GBP often prevents an extra conversion at the receiving end.

Exchange rates move all the time. On larger amounts, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

Choosing between the 14 SWIFT codes of UBS AG London Branch

Our database contains 14 SWIFT/BIC codes for UBS AG London Branch. Besides the head office code SBCWGB21XXX, you will find codes for regional offices and specialised units.

Usually you do not need to look up a branch: payments addressed to SBCWGB21XXX are routed within UBS AG London Branch without problems. When you receive a specific code, stick to it rather than swapping it with the head office code.

Unsure which code applies? Ask the recipient. Branch codes are more likely to change than the head office code.

8 or 11 characters: SBCWGB21 versus SBCWGB21XXX

The structure of every SWIFT code never changes: a bank code of four letters, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code. Together, these eight characters form SBCWGB21.

XXX at the end of SBCWGB21XXX does not stand for a missing value or an error: it indicates the main office of UBS AG London Branch. Some forms ask for 11 characters, in which case you simply add XXX behind SBCWGB21.

Do not add spaces, dots when you type SBCWGB21. Pasting the code is safer than retyping it, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

Paying UBS AG London Branch in euros within SEPA

Inside SEPA, euro transfers to UBS AG London Branch follow the same rules. A field for the BIC is usually optional or missing in that case.

You will still need SBCWGB21XXX for payments in other currencies or money from outside the SEPA area. If a payment form asks for the BIC anyway, adding SBCWGB21 does no harm.

Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive within one business day; instant payments are faster if both banks offer them. Charges on SEPA transfers tend to be low as long as everything stays in euros.

International transfers from UBS AG London Branch: the real cost

The price of a payment abroad has more than one component. On top of a fixed fee, banks in between may deduct a fee, and if the money changes currency the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

Many banks rarely show their exchange rate markup as a cost, but you pay it all the same. An easy check: put the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For many currency pairs, a transfer service is less expensive than a bank – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives with different services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can always use your account at UBS AG London Branch as the source of the money.

How up to date is this code?

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and update our list regularly. Banks merge, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. The figures we show reflect our own data and not on information from UBS AG London Branch itself.

Before any payment of any size, always confirm the BIC with UBS AG London Branch or with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and not part of UBS AG London Branch. Found outdated information? Let us know through the contact page so we can correct it.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to UBS AG London Branch

There is no single answer for every transfer: some arrive within a day. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

If the money seems delayed, ask your bank about the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Money transfer services usually show tracking in their app showing where the money has got.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the person who paid should contact the bank that sent it, not the receiving bank. Request from the sender the payment receipt – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Receiving money from abroad at UBS AG London Branch

For a transfer from abroad into your account at UBS AG London Branch, the sender has to have more than the BIC. The basics are: your name, account number or IBAN, SBCWGB21XXX and, for some countries, your home address.

Some banks also ask for the bank’s address; it does no harm to include it. Check each detail before you share them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank. For business payments, it is common to agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.