International

The Bank Identifier Code, also called SWIFT code: a globally unique code identifying banks and financial institutions for international transfers.

Format: 8 or 11 characters.

• Characters 1-4: bank code
• Characters 5-6: country code
• Characters 7-8: location code
• Characters 9-11 (optional): branch code

Example: DEUTDEFF (Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt).

Used alongside the IBAN to route cross-border payments to the right bank.

The Primary Account Number: the number printed on a credit or debit card, identifying the card account.

Format: 13 to 19 digits.

Example: 4111 1111 1111 1111 (Visa test card).

Used worldwide for card payments and transaction processing.

The International Bank Account Number: a standardised format for identifying bank accounts, designed to make international transfers reliable.

Structure:

• Country code: two letters, e.g. CH for Switzerland or FR for France.
• Check digits: two digits that validate the IBAN and catch typing errors.
• Bank code: identifies the account-holding bank.
• Branch code: in some countries, identifies the branch.
• Account number: the individual account.

Length: fixed per country: 21 characters in Switzerland, 22 in the UK, 27 in France.

Example: CH93 0076 2011 6238 5295 7.

An IBAN contains no information about the account holder's name or balance.

How IBAN compares with other bank codes