Home SWIFT/BIC code Singapore
Singapore SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code SG in positions 5-6
- Example
- DBSSSGSG
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + SG (country) + 2-character location code, plus an optional 3-character branch code
- An 8-character code (or one ending XXX) refers to the bank's head office in Singapore
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read SG, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}SG[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$A Singapore SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer. Singapore is a major Asia-Pacific financial hub, and because it’s a city-state, its SWIFT location code is simply SG again — the same two letters as the country code — rather than a separate city abbreviation the way larger countries use. Every Singapore BIC has SG fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, and the country’s three homegrown banks dominate the local BIC prefixes.
Major Singapore bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| DBS Bank | DBSSSGSG | Singapore |
| OCBC Bank | OCBCSGSG | Singapore |
| UOB (United Overseas Bank) | UOVBSGSG | Singapore |
How this validator works
This tool checks that the code is 8 or 11 characters, the first 4 characters are letters, positions 5-6 read SG, and the location and optional branch segments use only letters and digits — entirely in your browser, with nothing sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the code fits the Singapore BIC pattern, not that DBSS, OCBC, or UOVB still names an operating bank, or that the branch suffix is current. There’s no checksum digit built into a BIC, so an invented code that matches the shape still validates.
Scope: format validation only. Singapore uses local bank and branch codes for domestic GIRO and FAST transfers — the SWIFT/BIC code is what cross-border payments rely on instead.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for a Singapore bank?
A Singapore BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, SG fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example DBSSSGSG for DBS Bank's head office.
How do I read a Singapore BIC?
In OCBCSGSG, OCBC identifies Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, SG is the country, and SG (repeated) is the location code — Singapore is small enough that its city-state location code doubles as the country code.
Does an 8-character code work for a Singapore bank?
Yes — the 8-character BIC and its 11-character form ending XXX both identify the bank's head office and are accepted interchangeably.