Citibank International SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Citibank International

CITIUS33 and CITIUS33CHI are two ways of writing the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Citibank International in Chicago,il. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to direct payments between countries to the right bank. You will need it mainly for payments that cross a border or a currency.

We wrote this page to help anyone who pays into an account at Citibank International and wants to get the details right. Remember that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN does that part.

When will the money arrive at Citibank International?

A SWIFT payment typically takes one to a few business days. Weekends and public holidays in either country can add a day or more, since banks do not process on those days. Occasionally a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

If a payment has not arrived within the expected time, the person who paid should contact the bank that sent it. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation with the date and reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Citibank International: head office code versus branch codes

Having 2 codes in 2 cities, Citibank International belongs to the banks that use individual codes for branches. The head office code is CITIUS33CHI.

Usually you do not need to look up a branch: payments addressed to CITIUS33CHI reach Citibank International correctly. Just use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

If you are not sure, ask the person you are paying which code their bank gave them. Codes for branches are more prone to change than CITIUS33CHI when a bank merges or closes offices.

Paying someone abroad from your Citibank International account

The price of a payment abroad has more than one component – not just the fee on your screen. There is the transfer fee, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

Many banks do not list the margin on the rate as a cost. Compare their rate against the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank, mainly because of the exchange rate. GoldexPay lists these services next to each other so you can see what actually arrives before you commit. You can always keep your account at Citibank International to fund the transfer.

Paying into Citibank International in USD

United States pays in the US Dollar (USD). A payment in a foreign currency is converted into USD on its way to Citibank International. Each conversion eats into something, even when no fee is shown.

Who converts the money matters. Check how much USD the recipient gets via several services before choosing one.

The rate for USD changes throughout the day and quotes are often valid only for a short time. If you pay regularly, a slightly better rate add up over a year.

Why Citibank International has an 8- and an 11-character code

Every SWIFT/BIC code has the same eight core characters: a four-letter bank code, two letters for the country and a two-character location code. Together, those parts form CITIUS33.

Many payment forms accept either length. If yours requires eleven characters, use CITIUS33CHI.

Leave out spaces or dashes when you type CITIUS33 or CITIUS33CHI. Copying the code beats typing it by hand, because one wrong letter changes the bank.

Receiving money from abroad at Citibank International

If you are waiting for money from abroad, give the sender all details at once. The basics are: your name, IBAN or account number, CITIUS33CHI and often your postal address.

You can add the bank name and its city as well, since some forms ask for it. A mistake in the IBAN is harder to fix than you might think.

Money from abroad does not always arrive in full. Correspondent banks can take a fee, Citibank International may charge for incoming payments, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin comes on top. On invoices, you can agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Is CITIUS33 still correct? How to check

The most reliable place for the right code remains paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Check it with CITIUS33 here; if they differ, ask before you pay.

An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a returned payment or extra fees. Remember the account number: a mistake there is harder to undo than a wrong code.

An automatic check in your banking app merely confirms that the IBAN exists, not that it is the right account. More and more banks check the name against the account; take any warning seriously. Sending a small amount first is a sensible step for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

A note on our data

The codes on this page come from public sources that we update regularly. It is possible that information on this page is no longer current. Figures such as the number of codes are from our own dataset and may differ from what Citibank International publishes.

Treat our data as a starting point, not as the last word: the recipient’s bank details come first. GoldexPay is a comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Citibank International. Should you notice a mistake, we appreciate a message.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

One of the most common tricks goes like this: you receive a message claiming that a contact has new bank details and asking you to pay there from now on. That CITIUS33 is a real code is no guarantee that a request mentioning it is legitimate – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Check changed bank details through a different channel like a call to a number from an earlier contract, not by replying to the message. Pressure or secrecy 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.

Scams also target the receiver: someone sends too much and asks you to refund the extra. Do not act before the money has really arrived and check with Citibank International if anything seems off.