International Development Association SWIFT/BIC code

What IDAWUS33 means for a payment to International Development Association

The short code IDAWUS33 and the 11-character code IDAWUS33XXX refer to one and the same institution: International Development Association in Washington,dc, United States. Banks worldwide use BIC codes to direct payments between countries to the right institution. You will need it mostly for transfers between countries.

Further down we go through the practical questions: money coming in from abroad, paying someone in another country and how to check the code before you confirm a payment. Remember that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN does that part.

Verifying the SWIFT code of International Development Association

Ask the recipient to send you the account details straight from a recent statement. If the code you have differs from IDAWUS33 or IDAWUS33XXX, do not guess: check with the recipient or with International Development Association directly.

If the code is wrong, the transfer might be delayed, be returned or cost extra – sometimes after weeks of searching. A mistake in the account number is a bigger problem, so check that just as carefully.

Many banking apps check the structure of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC. If your bank offers it, a payee name check on the recipient gives extra certainty. A small test payment is a sensible step for large sums.

A note on our data

This directory draws on public sources and is updated regularly. It is possible that information here is no longer current after a merger or reorganisation. The number of codes on this page reflect our own data, not official figures from International Development Association.

For any payment of any size, confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank or the recipient. We are an independent comparison service and not part of International Development Association. Found an error? Tell us through the contact page so we can correct it.

Head office or branch code at International Development Association?

Having 2 codes in 1 cities, International Development Association belongs to the banks that use individual codes for branches and departments. The main code remains IDAWUS33XXX.

For the vast majority of incoming transfers, the head office code IDAWUS33XXX works fine. When you receive a specific code, use it as it is instead of swapping it for the head office code.

When in doubt, check with the recipient for the exact BIC in their bank details. Codes can change over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

US Dollar (USD) and conversion costs

Most accounts at International Development Association are typically held in USD, the local currency of United States. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into USD – and the bank that does it picks the rate. There is rarely a separate line for the conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Which bank converts the money matters: every bank has its own margin. Transferring the amount already in USD often avoids a second conversion.

Exchange rates move all the time, and some providers let you lock in a rate. If you pay regularly, a slightly better rate add up over time.

What the XXX in IDAWUS33XXX means

The layout of every SWIFT code never changes: four characters for the institution, two for the country and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. Together, these eight characters form IDAWUS33 – the version you usually see online.

XXX at the end of IDAWUS33XXX is not a placeholder or an error: it stands for the main office of International Development Association. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, and then you simply add XXX behind IDAWUS33.

As a rule the code is typed in capitals and without spaces. A wrong letter can send a payment to a different institution, so copy it carefully.

What a transfer from International Development Association abroad really costs

If you transfer money abroad through International Development Association, the fee you see is only part of the cost. Besides the transfer fee, banks in between may deduct a fee, and when the money changes currency the bank often uses a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee: many banks convert using an exchange rate with a margin built in. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the exchange rate. Next time you send money, it is worth to compare the total cost on GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. You can still keep your account at International Development Association to fund the transfer, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

How long does an international transfer to International Development Association take?

How quickly a transfer arrives at International Development Association is determined by a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday usually go out a business day later. Occasionally a bank wants to know what the payment is for, which can hold things up.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi. Each payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking online so you can see how far the payment has got.

The bank that sent the money is able to start an official trace; the receiving side usually has nothing to trace yet. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

One of the most common tricks goes like this: you receive a message claiming that a company now has new bank details and asking you to pay there from now on. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account – scammers simply use real codes.

Never rely on contact details from the same email that contains the change. Pressure or secrecy are red flags; a genuine business can wait for you to check. When a payment was sent to the wrong account, call your bank right away: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

People receiving money are targeted too: one known trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to refund the difference abroad. Wait until the money is actually in your account and check with International Development Association if anything seems off.

What to give a sender who pays you at International Development Association

When you expect money from abroad, send the payer a complete set of details. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, SWIFT code IDAWUS33XXX and your address.

You can add the bank name and its city too, since some forms ask for it. A mistake in your account number is more trouble than you might think, so copy the details from your online banking.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. For business payments, it is common to state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.