Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. SWIFT/BIC code

What WFBIUS6A means for a payment to Wells Fargo Bank, N.a.

WFBIUS6A and WFBIUS6AXXX are two ways of writing the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both point to Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. in Charlotte,nc. The code does one job: it ensures that an international payment reaches the right bank. In daily life you usually come across it on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. provides.

We wrote this page to help anyone who sends money to an account at Wells Fargo Bank, N.a.. Remember that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number takes care of that.

Sending money abroad from Wells Fargo Bank, N.a.

The price of a payment abroad has more than one component, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money changes currency, the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest cost. A simple test: put the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay lists these services next to each other, showing the amount the recipient gets before you commit. You can always keep your account at Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. to fund the transfer, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

US Dollar (USD) and conversion costs

The local currency in United States is the US Dollar (USD). A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into USD before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Every conversion costs something, even when no fee is shown.

Who converts the payment makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Check what USD arrives via several services before choosing one.

The rate for USD fluctuates constantly, so the amount you see is usually only valid for a short time. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.a.: head office code versus branch codes

Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. has 40 different SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code; the others identify branches.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code WFBIUS6AXXX works fine. When you receive a specific code, stick to it instead of replacing it with the head office code.

When in doubt, check with the recipient which code their bank gave them. Codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

Changed bank details? Be careful

A common scam goes like this: an email arrives with a message claiming that a supplier has new bank details and asking you to pay there from now on. A correct SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Do not rely on a phone number in the same message that announces the change. Be suspicious of urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Acted too fast? Contact the bank you paid from without delay and have them start a recall; also report it to the police.

Fraud can also target the receiver: someone claims to have sent more than agreed and asks you to refund the difference to a new account. Do not act before the money is actually in your account – ask Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. if something looks wrong.

How long does an international transfer to Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. take?

There is no single answer for international payments: many land the same day or the next, others take several business days. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country can add extra days. Sometimes a bank asks what the payment is for.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR. Keep your transfer receipt – you will need it for any trace request.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the sender needs to start with the bank that sent it. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation; that often settles the question quickly.

Is WFBIUS6A still correct? How to check

The most reliable place for the correct BIC is a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account details in online banking. Compare that code with WFBIUS6A on this page.

An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees along the way. A mistake in the IBAN or account number is more serious; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps check the structure of an IBAN and sometimes look up the BIC automatically – that confirms the format, not the owner. More and more banks compare the name with the account. When you pay someone new, some people send a small test amount before sending the rest.

WFBIUS6A or WFBIUS6AXXX – which one to use?

The structure of every SWIFT code never changes: a bank code of four letters, two for the country and a two-character location code, plus an optional branch code. For Wells Fargo Bank, N.a., the 8-character core is WFBIUS6A.

Most banks and apps work with either length. If a form asks for eleven characters, enter WFBIUS6AXXX.

Do not add spaces, dots when you type WFBIUS6A or WFBIUS6AXXX. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 or I versus 1.

What to give a sender who pays you at Wells Fargo Bank, N.a.

For an international payment at Wells Fargo Bank, N.a., the person paying you needs more than the SWIFT code. What they need is: your name, account number or IBAN, WFBIUS6AXXX or WFBIUS6A and, for some countries, your postal address.

Their bank might also ask for the bank address of Wells Fargo Bank, N.a.; the head office in Charlotte,nc is usually fine. A typo in the IBAN can be harder to fix than it looks.

An incoming payment does not always land for the full amount. Correspondent banks can take a fee, Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

A note on our data

This directory draws on public sources and is updated regularly. Institutions reorganise, change names and change codes. The figures we show are based on what is in our directory and not on information from Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. itself.

Before any payment of any size, check the code with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and not affiliated with Wells Fargo Bank, N.a.. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page.