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Sweden SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code SE in positions 5-6
- Example
- ESSESESS
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + SE (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, usually in Stockholm
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read SE, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}SE[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$A Swedish SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer. Sweden sits outside the eurozone and keeps its own krona-based IBAN, so a SWIFT/BIC code still matters for cross-border payments even within the EU. Every Swedish BIC has SE fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, and Sweden’s major banks are unusually concentrated: nearly all of the country’s largest lenders base their SWIFT head office in Stockholm.
Major Swedish bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| SEB | ESSESESS | Stockholm |
| Swedbank | SWEDSESS | Stockholm |
| Svenska Handelsbanken | HANDSESS | Stockholm |
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 SE, and the location and optional branch segments use only letters and digits — entirely client-side, with nothing sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the code fits the Swedish BIC pattern, not that ESSE, SWED, or HAND still names an operating bank, or that the branch suffix is current. A BIC has no checksum digit, so a fabricated code that matches the shape still passes.
Scope: format validation only. Swedish accounts also carry a 24-character IBAN with its own mod-97 checksum, plus a domestic clearing number system used for local transfers — neither is covered here.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for a Swedish bank?
A Swedish BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, SE fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example ESSESESS for SEB's Stockholm head office.
How do I read a Swedish BIC?
In SWEDSESS, SWED identifies Swedbank, SE is the country, and SS is the Stockholm location code — every major Swedish bank in this list shares that same SS suffix, since they're all headquartered in the same city.
Does an 8-character code work for a Swedish bank?
Yes — the 8-character BIC and its 11-character form ending XXX both point to the same head office and are accepted interchangeably.