Societe Generale SWIFT/BIC code

What SOGEUS33 means for a payment to Societe Generale

SOGEUS33 and SOGEUS33XXX are two ways of writing the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Societe Generale in New York,ny. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain which institution should receive the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. In daily life you mostly see it on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and in the bank details that Societe Generale provides.

Below we go through the practical side: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to verify a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. Keep in mind that the BIC just identifies the bank, not the account: the account number or IBAN does that part.

Tracking a transfer to or from Societe Generale

An international transfer typically takes one to a few business days. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later. Occasionally a bank wants to know what the payment is for.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to trace it. Save the payment confirmation.

A missing payment has to be investigated from the sending side. On the receiving end, you can look at your account to see a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.

Sending USD to Societe Generale

United States pays in the US Dollar, code USD. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into USD on its way to Societe Generale, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Sending the amount already in USD often avoids a second conversion by Societe Generale.

Rates for USD move during the day, and some providers let you lock in a rate. For regular payments, a slightly better rate make a real difference over time.

Getting paid from abroad into a Societe Generale account

For a transfer from abroad at Societe Generale, the sender has to have more than the SWIFT code. In practice that means: your name as registered with Societe Generale, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code SOGEUS33XXX (or SOGEUS33) and usually your postal address.

You can include Societe Generale and New York,ny too. Check each detail before you send them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

An incoming payment does not always land in full. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank. On invoices, it is common to state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Sending money abroad from Societe Generale

An international bank payment can cost more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between may take a cut, and if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: the bank converts using an exchange rate with a margin built in. A simple test: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay lists transfer providers side by side so you can see the amount the recipient gets for the same amount sent. You can always keep your account at Societe Generale as the source of the money, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Fraudsters often send fake invoices with new bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. The fact that SOGEUS33 exists is no guarantee that the account is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Do not trust contact details from the same email that announces the new account. Urgency or requests to keep it quiet are red flags. Already paid? Call the bank you paid from without delay and have them start a recall and report the fraud.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to send back the difference to another account. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof – check your own account.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

This directory is based on public sources and we update it periodically. Even so, banks merge or retire codes. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory and may differ from what Societe Generale publishes.

Use this page as a starting point, rather than as the last word. GoldexPay is not affiliated with Societe Generale, we only compare transfer services. Found an error? Let us know via our contact form so we can correct it.

Which of the 3 codes of Societe Generale do you need?

Having 3 codes in 1 locations, Societe Generale belongs to the banks that use separate codes for branches and departments. The main code remains SOGEUS33XXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with SOGEUS33XXX. Just use a branch code when your contact explicitly asks for it, for example on a letter or invoice.

Unsure which code to use? Ask the recipient. Codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise.

Before you send: check the Societe Generale code

Ask the recipient to copy their account details straight from their banking app. If the code you have differs from SOGEUS33 or SOGEUS33XXX, stop and ask: check with the recipient or with Societe Generale directly.

If the code is wrong, the transfer might get stuck, bounce back or end up costing more. Remember the account number: an error there is harder to undo than a wrong BIC.

A validity check in your banking app merely tells you that the IBAN is valid. If your bank offers it, a name check before sending adds an extra layer of safety. A small test payment is a sensible step for a large first payment.

8 or 11 characters: SOGEUS33 versus SOGEUS33XXX

Each SWIFT/BIC code starts with an 8-character core: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. The result is SOGEUS33 for Societe Generale.

XXX at the end of SOGEUS33XXX does not stand for a missing value or an error: it stands for the head office of Societe Generale. Some banking apps insist on 11 characters, in which case you simply add XXX behind SOGEUS33.

As a rule the code is written in capitals. Watch for the letter O and the digit 0 or I versus 1.