UBS Limited SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of UBS Limited

Whether a recipient gives you UBSWGB24 or UBSWGB24XXX, you are looking at the same address for UBS Limited in United Kingdom. A BIC has a single purpose: it makes sure that money from abroad ends up at the right bank. In practice you usually see the code on international invoices, in payment forms and on the account details of UBS Limited customers.

On this page we explain how the code means, when it matters and which other details a transfer to or from UBS Limited requires. Remember that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the person: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

8 or 11 characters: UBSWGB24 versus UBSWGB24XXX

A BIC 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 UBS Limited, the 8-character core is UBSWGB24.

Many payment forms accept both lengths. If a form requires eleven characters, use UBSWGB24XXX; if it wants eight, use UBSWGB24.

Enter the code as one block, in upper case and without separators. A wrong character can send the money to another bank.

Watch out for payment fraud

One of the most common tricks goes like this: you receive a message saying that a company has new bank details. The fact that UBSWGB24 exists does not mean that a request mentioning it is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Before paying, verify changed bank details through a phone call, using a number you already had. Pressure and requests to keep it quiet tend to be red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. If money was sent to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Scams also target the receiver. Someone claims to have sent too much and asks you to refund the difference to a new account. Do not act before the money has really arrived.

SEPA payments and the UBS Limited BIC

United Kingdom is a member of the SEPA area, where euro transfers follow common rules. For a standard euro transfer within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

Outside the euro and from non-SEPA countries, UBSWGB24XXX is still part of the payment details. If a payment form has a field for the BIC anyway, adding UBSWGB24 is fine.

SEPA transfers usually arrive by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Provided no currency is converted, a SEPA transfer is inexpensive; costs rise once a conversion is involved.

Sending money abroad from UBS Limited

If you send money abroad from UBS Limited, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees charged by intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup.

Many banks rarely show the margin on the rate as a cost, but you pay it all the same. A simple test: put the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialised transfer providers often use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares these services next to each other, showing the amount the recipient gets. Choosing a specialist does not require leaving UBS Limited – you pay the provider from your own account.

Verifying the SWIFT code of UBS Limited

Ask the recipient to send you the bank details straight from their banking app. If the code you have does not match UBSWGB24 or UBSWGB24XXX, do not guess – contact the recipient or UBS Limited.

Mistakes in the BIC are costly rather than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. An error in the account number can be a bigger problem because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

An automatic check by your bank only confirms that the IBAN exists. Where available, a name check before sending adds extra certainty. Sending a small amount first can be a sensible step for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

Receiving money from abroad at UBS Limited

If you are waiting for a payment from another country, send the payer all details at once. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code UBSWGB24XXX and your address, which some banks require.

The sender’s bank might request the bank address of UBS Limited. Check every detail before you send them.

What lands in your account is often lower than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the currency changes, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

About this information

The codes on this page are taken from publicly available data that we update regularly. It can happen that information on this page is no longer current after a merger or reorganisation. The number of codes we show are based on our own data.

Use our data as a starting point, not as the last word: the recipient’s bank details come first. GoldexPay is a comparison site for money transfers and not part of UBS Limited. Should you notice a mistake, we appreciate a short note via the contact page.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to UBS Limited

How fast a transfer arrives at UBS Limited depends on a few things: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and time zones. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays often go out the next business day. Occasionally a bank wants to know what the payment is for before releasing it.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often show tracking in their app showing how far the money has got.

The bank that sent the money is able to start an official trace – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. As a recipient, you can check your statements to see a slightly lower amount because fees can reduce the amount.

Head office or branch code at UBS Limited?

UBS Limited uses 5 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the others belong to branches or departments.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with UBSWGB24XXX or its short form UBSWGB24. If you have been given a specific code, use it as it is instead of swapping it with the head office code.

The best way is to copy the code directly from the recipient’s statement. Branch codes are more likely to be retired than the head office code.

Paying into UBS Limited in GBP

Accounts at UBS Limited are typically held in GBP, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into GBP before it reaches the account – and the bank that does it picks the rate. Every conversion costs the amount.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often you pay less to send GBP straight away via a provider that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert.

The rate for GBP changes constantly and quotes are often valid only for a short time. If you pay regularly, a slightly better rate make a real difference over a year.