Transferring money in between banks internationally may seem like it should be very simple, such as a Wells Fargo wire transfer. However, what goes on behind the scenes of an international transfer is the work of a SWIFT code.
SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, the cooperative utility that created the SWIFT messaging network banks use to facilitate these international funds transfers. This network connects more than 11,000 entities, including banking and securities organizations, in more than 200 countries and territories. Continue reading to learn more on Wells Fargo SWIFT codes.
What Is a SWIFT Code?
A SWIFT code — also known as a bank identifier code, or BIC — is what banks use during international wire transfers to identify the particular bank to which the funds will be sent. SWIFT codes contain either eight or 11 characters.
The first four characters of the SWIFT code serve as a bank identification code and are often closely related to the bank’s name in some way, such as an abbreviated version of the name or an acronym. The next two letters are the country code, which identifies the country where the bank is located. Next in the sequence is the city code — two letters or numbers that identify the city where the bank’s headquarters is located. Finally, if the SWIFT code contains the three additional and optional characters — either letters or numbers — those are the branch code, which identifies the bank’s branch office.
How To Find Your Wells Fargo SWIFT Code
Your Wells Fargo’s SWIFT code will depend on where you live. Find your SWIFT code here. Additionally, you can contact your local Wells Fargo branch, log in to your online banking account or reference the following table to find your bank’s SWIFT code.
| Location | Bank Name | SWIFT Code |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Foreign Exchange | WFBIUS6WFFX |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. International Processing Center Trade Operations |
PNBPUS33CHA |
| Los Angeles | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. International Processing Center Trade Operations | PNBPUS6L |
| New York | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. International Branch | PNBPUS3NNYC |
| New York | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Foreign Exchange | WFBIUS6WFFX |
| Philadelphia | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. International Processing Center | PNBPUS33 PNBPUS33PHL |
| San Francisco | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Foreign Exchange | WFBIUS6WFFX |
| Winston-Salem | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Standby Letters of Credit | PNBPUS33SLC |
| Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Irvine, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Palo Alto, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle | International Bank Trade Services Centers | WFBIUS6S |
You’ll also need the Wells Fargo address for transactions using the SWIFT codes:
Wells Fargo Bank
420 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
How Is Your Wells Fargo SWIFT Code Used?
SWIFT codes aren’t just for international wire transfers, this includes your Wells Fargo SWIFT code. They can be used for Single Euro Payments Area, or SEPA, payments, buying and selling securities and sending corporate messages.
If you do send a Wells Fargo international wire transfer, you will need the following information:
- Name and address of the person receiving the funds
- Name and address of the recipient’s bank
- SWIFT code for the recipient’s bank
- Recipient’s bank account number
- International Bank Account Number and International Routing Code, in some cases
- Purpose of the payment you’re transferring
When you’re the recipient of an international money transfer to your Wells Fargo bank account, this is the information you’ll need to provide to the person sending the payment:
- Your Wells Fargo bank account number, including leading zeros
- The name on the account, exactly as it appears on your bank statement
- Name of your bank
- Address of your bank
- Your bank’s SWIFT code
Wells Fargo international wire transfers will come with a fee that applies to both incoming and outgoing transactions:
- Incoming international wire transfers, U.S. or foreign currency: $16
- Outgoing international wire transfers, U.S. or foreign currency: Disclosed at the time of the international transaction
Wells Fargo SWIFT Code vs. Routing Number
SWIFT codes and an American Bankers Association routing number may sound the same, but they are not. Here is a quick run down on their differences.
SWIFT Code:
- Also known as a bank identifier code, or BIC
- Made up of eight or 11 characters
- Used for international transfers via the SWIFT network
- Based on the international bank’s name, branch, country and location
ABA Routing Number:
- Also known as a routing transit number, or RTN
- Nine numbers
- Used for domestic transfers
- Based on the U.S. bank where the account was opened
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Bottom Line
If you are trying to send money to friends and family overseas, then it is imperative that you know your SWIFT code. This is especially the case if you are also a Wells Fargo customer. They have their own unique set of SWIFT codes and it will depend on where you are located. For more post like this, check out our list of bank guides and bank bonuses!
