To ensure a more secure and easier financial transaction, identification codes have been designated to banks or their specific branches. These codes are known as the bank codes and the SWIFT codes.

Whether you’re transferring funds locally or overseas (e.g., using Paypal), chances are you will be asked to provide either of these identification codes. 

Wondering where to find these codes? Save time looking for them as we have provided the ultimate list of Philippine bank codes and SWIFT codes in this article.

Related: An Ultimate Guide to the Best Banks in the Philippines

What Is a Bank Code?

A bank code is a nine-digit code used to identify a bank in the Philippines. This is usually used for local bank transactions or when transferring funds from Paypal to a Philippine bank.

Bank codes are also known as Bank Routing Symbol Transit Numbers (BRSTN).

Although bank codes can be located in your bank statement, it is not always the case. Thus, you may use our list below to quickly find the Philippine bank code you’re looking for.

Updated List of Philippine Bank Codes

What Is a SWIFT Code?

SWIFT (Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) code is used for international financial transactions. Most of the time, you need to provide the recipient’s bank’s SWIFT code if you are sending funds internationally.

SWIFT code is also known as Business (or Bank) Identifier Code (BIC). When you are receiving money from a bank abroad, you have to provide your bank’s BIC to allow the transfer of funds to your account.

Basically, SWIFT code and BIC refer to the same thing¹ since it is an identification of the recipient’s bank. 

A SWIFT code consists of 8 to 11 letters and numbers (alphanumeric characters):

• The first four letters indicate the bank code 
• The next two letters indicate the bank’s country
• The next two letters or numbers indicate the location of the bank
• Additional three characters can be included to provide additional details about the bank.

For example, the SWIFT code AUBKPHMMXXX means:

• AUBK tells that the bank is Asia United Bank
• PH tells that the bank is in the Philippines
• MM tells that the bank’s branch is in Metro Manila

How To Find Bank’s SWIFT Code or BIC

To identify the SWIFT code or BIC of a specific bank or institution, follow these steps:

1. Visit the SWIFT website. 
2. Enter your bank’s name in the field marked with Enter Institution name.
3. Select Philippines as the country.
4. Enter the CAPTCHA code and click the Search button.

Upon clicking the search button, your bank’s BIC code will be shown. 

You can also refer to the next section for the updated list of bank SWIFT codes in the Philippines:

Updated List of Philippine SWIFT Codes

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the GCash bank code?

Just like Philippine banks, GCash also has its own bank code. This is the nine-digit code designated for GXchange Inc., the financial subsidiary of Globe that offers GCash. GCash’s bank code is 018040010.

References

1. Salcman, N. (2019). What Is the Difference Between BIC and SWIFT?. Retrieved 5 January 2022, from https://www.rewire.com/blog/2019/08/10/what-is-the-difference-between-bic-and-swift/