Published: April 2, 2019 | Updated: October 13, 2020 | Posted by: Venus Zoleta | Personal Finance
When making international money transfers, you’re usually required to enter the SWIFT code (or bank code for PayPal transactions).
Just what are these codes and what are they used for? How can you find them?
Fortunately, these unfamiliar codes are actually simple to decode. This guide provides everything you need to know about SWIFT codes and bank codes in the Philippines.
Table of Contents
The SWIFT code is an international code used for identifying business parties—usually banks—and routing financial transactions worldwide. This ensures that funds are transferred quickly and securely to the right bank.
The SWIFT code is also known as BIC (Business Identifier Code), BIC code, SWIFT-BIC, or SWIFT ID. It consists of eight to 11 characters with the following format:
SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, a network based in La Hulpe, Belgium that manages SWIFT codes.
The BIC tells banks and remittance companies where to send the money. This is why you need this code each time you transfer funds internationally.
If you’re sending cash abroad, you need to get the SWIFT code of the recipient’s bank before you can make a money transfer.
On the other hand, if you’re receiving money from abroad, you need to provide your bank’s SWIFT code to the sender.
It’s important to use the correct BIC because money transfers can’t be transmitted with the wrong code.
To make sure you’re getting the right code, visit the SWIFT website and search for your particular bank.
Alternatively, you may call your bank’s customer service hotline to ask for its SWIFT code.
To save you time and effort, here’s a full list of SWIFT codes of major banks in the Philippines:
Bank | SWIFT Code |
---|---|
Asia United Bank Corporation (AUB) | AUBKPHMM |
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited | ANZBPHMX |
Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited, Manila Branch | BKKBPHMM |
Bank of America, N.A. Manila | BOFAPH2X |
Bank of China, Manila Branch | BKCHPHMM |
Bank of Commerce | PABIPHMM |
Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) | BOPIPHMM |
BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) | BNORPHMM |
BNP Paribas, Manila Offshore Branch | BNPAPHMM |
BPI Direct | BPDIPHM1 |
BPI Family Savings Bank | BPFSPHM1 |
BPI Globe Banko Inc. | BPGOPHM1 |
Cathay United Bank Co., LTD. Manila Branch | UWCBPHMM |
China Banking Corporation (China Bank) | CHBKPHMM |
China Bank Savings, Inc. | CHSVPHM1 |
Citibank, N.A. – Makati Branch | CITIPHMX |
Citibank, N.A. – Manila Branch | CITIPHMXTSU |
Citibank, N.A. – Cebu Branch | CITIPHMXCBU |
CTBC Bank (Philippines) Corp. | CTCBPHMM |
Deutsche Bank AG | DEUTPHMM |
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) | DBPHPHMM |
East West Banking Corporation (EastWest Bank) | EWBCPHMM |
Equicom Savings Bank, Inc. | EQSNPHM1 |
First Commercial Bank, Ltd., Manila Branch | FCBKPHMM |
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd – Philippine Branch (HSBC Philippines) | HSBCPHMM |
HSBC Savings Bank (Philippines) Inc. | HBPHPHMM |
Hua Nan Commercial Bank, Ltd., Manila Branch | HNBKPHMM |
Industrial Bank of Korea, Manila Branch | IBKOPHMM |
ING Bank N.V. | INGBPHMM |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Manila Branch | CHASPHMM |
KEB Hana Bank | KOEXPHMM |
Land Bank of the Philippines | TLBPPHMM |
Maybank Philippines, Inc. | MBBEPHMM |
Mega International Commercial Bank Co., Ltd., Manila Branch | ICBCPHMM |
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) | MBTCPHMM |
Mizuho Bank, Ltd., Manila Branch | MHCBPHMM |
MUFG Bank, Ltd., Manila Branch (formerly Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ) | BOTKPHMM |
Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCOM) | CPHIPHMM |
Philippine Business Bank | PPBUPHMM |
Philippine National Bank (PNB) | PNBMPHMM |
Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) | PHSBPHMM |
Philippine Veterans Bank | PHVBPHMM |
Philtrust Bank (Philippine Trust Company) | PHTBPHMM |
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) | RCBCPHMM |
Robinsons Bank Corporation | ROBPPHMQ |
Security Bank Corporation | SETCPHMM |
Shinhan Bank Manila Branch | SHBKPHMM |
Standard Chartered Bank – Makati Branch | SCBLPHMM |
Standard Chartered Bank – Manila Branch | SCBLPHMMEQI |
Sterling Bank of Asia Inc. | STLAPH22 |
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Manila Branch | SMBCPHMM |
Taiwan Cooperative Bank Manila Offshore Banking Branch | TACBPHMM |
Union Bank of the Philippines | UBPHPHMM |
United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) | UCPBPHMM |
United Overseas Bank Limited – Manila Branch | UOVBPHMM |
Yuanta Savings Bank (formerly Tong Yang Savings Bank) | TYBKPHMM |
A bank code, also called the Bank Routing Symbol Transit Number (BRSTN), is a nine-digit code assigned to a bank used for identifying its name, city, and country in financial transactions. This code is the standard bank identifier for sending and receiving money in the Philippines.
The most familiar use of bank codes is withdrawing funds from users’ PayPal account to their local bank account.
You probably first encountered the bank code when you added a bank account to your PayPal account for transferring funds.
Read more:
You can access PayPal’s list of bank codes in the Philippines when you sign in to your account. Here’s you must do after logging in:
However, it’s quite hard to quickly find the BRSTN on PayPal’s list. Here’s a more organized list that arranges banks alphabetically. Below, bank codes for the country’s top banks are listed separately as well for your easy reference.
Bank | Bank Code |
---|---|
Asia United Bank Corporation (AUB) | 011020011 |
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited | 010700015 |
Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited | 010670019 |
Bank of America, N.A. | 010120019 |
Bank of China | 011140014 |
Bank of Commerce | 010440016 |
Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) | 010040018 |
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Limited | 010460012 |
BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) | 010530667 |
China Banking Corporation (China Bank) | 010100013 |
China Bank Savings, Inc. | 011129996 |
Citibank, N.A. | 010070017 |
CTBC Bank (Philippines) Corp. | 010690015 |
Deutsche Bank AG | 010650013 |
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) | 010590018 |
East West Banking Corporation (EastWest Bank) | 010620014 |
Equicom Savings Bank, Inc. | 010960017 |
First Consolidated Bank | 020780012 |
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd – Philippine Branch (HSBC Philippines) | 010060014 |
Industrial Bank of Korea | 011310019 |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | 010720011 |
KEB Hana Bank | 010710018 |
Land Bank of the Philippines | 010350025 |
Maybank Philippines, Inc. | 010220016 |
Mega International Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. | 010560019 |
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) | 010269996 |
Mizuho Bank, Ltd. | 010640010 |
MUFG Bank (formerly Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ) | 010460012 |
Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCOM) | 010110016 |
Philippine National Bank (PNB) | 010080010 |
Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) | 010470992 |
Philippine Veterans Bank | 010330016 |
Philippine Trust Company | 010090039 |
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) | 010280014 |
Robinsons Bank Corporation | 011070016 |
Security Bank Corporation | 010140015 |
Shinhan Bank | 011300016 |
Standard Chartered Bank | 010050011 |
Sterling Bank of Asia Inc. | 011190019 |
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation | 011280013 |
Union Bank of the Philippines | 010419995 |
United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) | 010299995 |
United Overseas Bank Philippines | 010270341 |
Yuanta Savings Bank (Formerly Tong Yang Savings Bank) | 011130011 |
Can’t find your bank on the list? It could mean that PayPal doesn’t authorize withdrawals to your bank. Consider using another bank account or opening a new one.
If you still can’t find your SWIFT code or bank code (or you’re having trouble completing your transaction using the code), call your bank immediately to verify the code and ask for assistance.
Venus is the Head of Content at Moneymax, with over 15 years of combined experience in digital marketing, corporate communications, PR, and journalism. She invests in stocks, mutual funds, VUL, and Pag-IBIG MP2. Outside of work, she’s crazy about cats and Korean dramas. Follow Venus on LinkedIn.