A SWIFT code is a unique standardized international identifier for financial institutions and banks, used when making international wire transfers between banks. Banks use SWIFT codes to identify themselves and their customers in order to send or receive money.
If you’re making an international wire transfer, you’ll need the recipient’s SWIFT code in order to send them money. Without it, your bank may not be able to process the transfer. In some cases, the SWIFT code is also referred to as a BIC (Bank Identifier Code).
Let’s go deeper into what SWIFT codes are and how they are used. We’ll also provide a list of SWIFT codes for banks in Hong Kong to help you when making bank transfers at the end of the article.
What is SWIFT Code?
A SWIFT code is a unique identification code assigned to financial institutions to facilitate international money transfers, making it a key requirement to have the correct code for the relevant institution.
When is the SWIFT Code needed?
SWIFT Codes are needed during bank transfers, especially international transfers. To send or receive money via international wire transfer, both the sender and recipient banks will need to input a SWIFT code. This helps to ensure that the money ends up in the correct bank account and that both banks are able to process the transaction.
The Format of SWIFT Code
A SWIFT code consists of eight or eleven characters, including four characters for the bank code, two characters for the country code, and two characters for the location code. The last three codes are optional and represent the branch code, which is used to identify a specific branch of a bank.
For example, the BOCHK SWIFT code is BKCH-HK-HH-(XXX) (hyphenated for easier reading), where BKCH is the Bank code, HK is the Country code, HH is the Location code, and may be followed by the Branch code (XXX).
List of SWIFT Codes for Popular Banks in Hong Kong
SWIFT codes for banks incorporated in Hong Kong
| Bank code | Bank Name (Eng) | Bank Name (Chi) | SWIFT Code |
| 003 | STANDARD CHARTERED BANK (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 渣打銀行(香港)有限公司 | SCBLHKHH |
| 004 | HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION LIMITED (THE) | 香港上海滙豐銀行有限公司 | HSBCHKHH |
| 009 | CHINA CONSTRUCTION BANK (ASIA) CORPORATION LIMITED | 中國建設銀行(亞洲)股份有限公司 | CCBQHKAX |
| 012 | BANK OF CHINA (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 中國銀行(香港)有限公司 | BKCHHKHH |
| 015 | BANK OF EAST ASIA, LIMITED (THE) | 東亞銀行有限公司 | BEASHKHH |
| 016 | DBS BANK (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 星展銀行(香港)有限公司 | DHBKHKHH |
| 018 | CHINA CITIC BANK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED | 中信銀行(國際)有限公司 | KWHKHKHH |
| 020 | CMB WING LUNG BANK LIMITED | 招商永隆銀行有限公司 | WUBAHKHH |
| 024 | HANG SENG BANK, LIMITED | 恒生銀行有限公司 | HASEHKHH |
| 025 | SHANGHAI COMMERCIAL BANK LIMITED | 上海商業銀行有限公司 | SCBKHKHH |
| 028 | PUBLIC BANK (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 大眾銀行(香港)有限公司 | CBHKHKHH |
| 029 | INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA (ASIA) LIMITED | 中國工商銀行(亞洲)有限公司 | UBHKHKHH |
| 035 | OCBC WING HANG BANK LIMITED | 華僑永亨銀行有限公司 | WIHBHKHH |
| 038 | TAI YAU BANK, LIMITED | 大有銀行有限公司 | TYBLHKKW |
| 039 | CHIYU BANKING CORPORATION LIMITED | 集友銀行有限公司 | CIYUHKHH |
| 040 | DAH SING BANK LIMITED | 大新銀行有限公司 | DSBAHKHH |
| 041 | CHONG HING BANK LIMITED | 創興銀行有限公司 | LCHBHKHH |
| 043 | NANYANG COMMERCIAL BANK, LIMITED | 南洋商業銀行有限公司 | NYCBHKHH |
| 061 | TAI SANG BANK LIMITED | 大生銀行有限公司 | TSBLHKHH |
| 128 | FUBON BANK (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 富邦銀行(香港)有限公司 | IBALHKHH |
| 250 | CITIBANK (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 花旗銀行(香港)有限公司 | CITIHKAX |
| 382 | BANK OF COMMUNICATIONS (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 交通銀行(香港)有限公司 | COMMHKHK |
| MORGAN STANLEY BANK ASIA LIMITED | 摩根士丹利銀行亞洲有限公司 | MSHKHKHX |
SWIFT codes for virtual banks incorporated in Hong Kong
| Bank code | Bank Name (Eng) | Bank Name (Chi) | SWIFT Code |
| 387 | ZA BANK LIMITED | 眾安銀行有限公司 | AABLHKHH |
| 388 | LIVI BANK LIMITED | LIVIHKHH | |
| 389 | MOX BANK LIMITED | MOXBHKHK | |
| 390 | WELAB BANK LIMITED | 匯立銀行有限公司 | WEDIHKHH |
| 391 | FUSION BANK LIMITED | 富融銀行有限公司 | IFFUHKHH |
| 392 | PING AN ONECONNECT BANK (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 平安壹賬通銀行(香港)有限公司 | PONCHKHH |
| 393 | ANT BANK (HONG KONG) LIMITED | 螞蟻銀行(香港)有限公司 | ASEHHKHH |
| 395 | AIRSTAR BANK LIMITED | 天星銀行有限公司 | AIRRHKHH |
SWIFT Code FAQs
Is the SWIFT code the same as IBAN?
No, SWIFT codes and IBANs are not the same. A SWIFT code is used when identifying a specific bank during international transactions. An IBAN is used to identify individual bank accounts in international transactions. IBANs can have up to 34 characters, while SWIFT codes are made up of up to 11 characters.
An example of a SWIFT code is AAAAUS33, while an example of an IBAN is GB29NWBK60161331926819.
What is the SWIFT Code for HSBC Hong Kong?
The SWIFT code for HSBC Hong Kong is HSBCHKHH.
How to find the SWIFT Code of Standard Chartered Bank?
The SWIFT code for Standard Chartered Bank is SCBLHKHH. However, the best way to find the SWIFT code of Standard Chartered Bank is to visit the bank’s website. Alternatively, you can contact the bank directly and ask a customer service representative to provide you with the SWIFT code and other bank transfer details you may need.
What is the SWIFT Code for BOC HK?
The SWIFT code for BOC HK is BKCHHKHH.
What is the SWIFT Code for Citibank HK?
The SWIFT code for Citibank HK is CITIHKAX.
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