If you're sending or receiving money overseas using your bank account, knowing your SWIFT Code or Bank Identification Code (BIC) can help you make it happen.
But what is a SWIFT Code or BIC? Does a SWIFT Code have anything to do with Taylor and is a BIC related to a ball point pen? Here's a quick look at how it all works.
What are SWIFT Codes or Bank Identification Codes?
Just like how a postcode helps classify specific suburbs, banks rely on SWIFT Codes or Bank Identification Codes (BICs) to identify themselves internationally.
SWIFT Codes or Bank Identification Codes mean the same thing — an 8 to 11-character code used to identify a particular bank when you make an international bank transfer. The code is made up of letters and numbers in a set pattern consisting of 4 smaller codes. Please note, there are no hyphens or spaces when using a SWIFT Code or BIC.
ING's SWIFT Code or Bank Identification Code is INGBAU2S. Here's what that means:
- INGB is our bank code.
- AU is our country code (Australia represent).
- 2 is our location code, identifying where our head office is.
- S is our branch code.
While this SWIFT Code or BIC is unrelated to Taylor Swift or your trusty pen, it helps international transactions be processed via a computer network connecting over 900 banks worldwide. This network is called Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, or SWIFT for short.
So it's easy to know ING's SWIFT Code of INGBAU2S all too well.
What else are SWIFT Codes or Bank Identification Codes known as?
There are different terms used for these Codes, but don't sweat it because they all refer to the same thing. Other names you may see floating around include:
- SWIFT Number
- SWIFT No.
- SWIFT Identifier
- BIC/SWIFT Code
- SWIFT-BIC
- Bank SWIFT Code
- BSC (Bank Sort Code).
When would I use SWIFT Codes or Bank Identification Codes?
If you're sending someone money overseas, you'll need their IBAN/account number, full name and street address, plus:
- their SWIFT Code/BIC, or
- their bank name, its full street address and country.
Please note, you're unable to send funds internationally directly from your ING account. If you wish to transfer money overseas, you'll need to use a third-party service.
If you're receiving money into your ING account from overseas, you’ll need to provide:
- the ING SWIFT Code: INGBAU2S
- the ING BSB number: 923-100
- your ING account number.
Remember: if you are receiving money into your ING account, it needs to be in AUD to ensure it is processed correctly and without additional conversion fees.
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