What does IBAN stand for?
IBAN stands for International Banking Account Number and it is used to identify bank account details of a recipient. The format of an IBAN consists of a two digit country code, two check numbers, a four digit bank code, a six digit bank branch code and an eight digit bank account number.
Who uses IBAN numbers?
The system was originally developed by the European Committee of Banking Standards (ECBS) in 1997, as a way of creating a standardised method of identifying international bank accounts. The system has since been adopted by banks and financial institutions in countries all over the world, with 80 regions now using IBAN numbers.
How does an IBAN work?
Used when transferring money overseas to a foreign country, IBAN numbers are formatted in the following order, containing the following information:
Country code – A code that is specific to a certain country
Check number – A two-digit code used as a redundancy check to detect errors on identification numbers
Bank identifier – The unique identifier for the domestic bank
Account number – The bank account identifier
What is an IBAN calculator?
Unlike an IBAN checker, which checks if an IBAN number is correct by confirming information such as the BIC/SWIFT code, bank name, address and country, a calculator is used to calculate exact bank account information for those who need to find out an IBAN.
Banks arrange national or local account details into a string of alphanumeric characters and so IBAN calculators are used to convert this information into the International Bank Account Number needed when transferring funds to an international account.
What are the best IBAN calculators?
The official IBAN website has its own calculator, which effectively lets you calculate an IBAN number using the bank code and account number. In addition to this online tool, and those offered by banks around the world, there are also a number of money transfer companies that offer the same free service. By doing so, this streamlines the process, making these remittance companies a one-stop shop for customers arranging global money transfers.
XE
This world-class website has proven time and again that it is a leading authority in the foreign exchange and remittance industry. As well as the XE online currency converter tool, the company also offers a state of the art IBAN calculator. Using the SWIFT IBAN registry, this IBAN calculator is easy to use, with XE providing two options: to validate IBAN format or view an example IBAN format by country.
Wise
Wise, formerly Transferwise, has become a titan of industry over the last decade. It offers customers easy and efficient money transfer services to countries around the world. Like the rest of their services, the company’s IBAN calculator is simple and straightforward to use. Customers are asked to select the country and enter the relevant bank account details, and then Wise calculates the IBAN. Once calculated, users have the option to arrange their money transfer with Wise or simply take note of the IBAN number and go elsewhere.
Bottom line
There are several ways to calculate an International Bank Account Number, whether it be for yourself or for the recipient in a foreign country. We hope this guide has provided enough information to equip our readers with the advice they need to efficiently source the details needed to successfully transfer funds from an account in one country to another account in a different country. For more guidance and advice on IBANs, SWIFT codes and other international banking information, readers can check out the full list of MoneyTransfer guides here.
