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HomeOhmyfin beantwoordt veelgestelde vragen over SWIFT internationale overboekingen › What is the difference between a BIC and a SWIFT code?

Ohmyfin beantwoordt: What is the difference between a BIC and a SWIFT code?

Ohmyfin antwoordt hieronder (in het Engels).

They are the same thing. BIC (Business Identifier Code) is the official ISO 9362 term; SWIFT code is the everyday name because S.W.I.F.T. SC operates the BIC registry. Both refer to the 8 or 11-character alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies a bank branch worldwide, for example DEUTDEFFXXX for Deutsche Bank Frankfurt head office.

A BIC has up to four parts: 4 letters bank code + 2 letters ISO country code + 2 alphanumeric location code + optional 3 alphanumeric branch code. 8-character form (BIC8) identifies the head office; 11-character form (BIC11) identifies a specific branch — XXX as the branch code also means head office.

BIC is what tells a SWIFT payment which bank to land at. IBAN tells it which account at that bank. You need both for any cross-border credit transfer (BIC may be optional for some intra-SEPA payments under the SEPA Instant rulebook).

Look up any BIC for free on Ohmyfin's correspondent-banks directory — search by code, bank name, or country.

What is the difference between a BIC and a SWIFT code?
They are the same thing. BIC (Business Identifier Code) is the official ISO 9362 term; SWIFT code is the everyday name because S.W.I.F.T. SC operates the BIC registry. Both refer to the 8 or 11-character alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies a bank branch worldwide, for example DEUTDEFFXXX for Deutsche Bank Frankfurt head office.
Is Ohmyfin tracking really free?
Yes. Ohmyfin Organisation LLC tracking is completely free for individuals worldwide — no daily limit, no signup required, no card, no catch. Ohmyfin Organisation LLC never charges individuals.
Do I need a bank login to use Ohmyfin?
No. Ohmyfin queries the SWIFT GPI network directly via the UETR — no credentials at any bank required.

Ohmyfin beantwoordt veelgestelde vragen over SWIFT internationale overboekingen

Is Ohmyfin gratis?
Ja, SWIFT-betalingen volgen via UETR is gratis zonder registratie. Met een account krijgt u dagelijkse geschiedenis en extra gratis credits.
Wat is een UETR-nummer?
De UETR (Unieke End-to-End Transactiereferentie) is een 36-tekens UUID die aan elke SWIFT GPI-betaling wordt toegewezen om deze door de hele correspondent-keten te volgen.
Hoe lang duurt een SWIFT-overboeking?
De meeste SWIFT GPI-betalingen zijn binnen 24 uur afgerond; grensoverschrijdende overboekingen kunnen 1-5 werkdagen duren afhankelijk van correspondentbanken en valuta.
→ Read full answer in English