Home SWIFT/BIC code Vietnam
Vietnam SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code VN in positions 5-6
- Example
- BFTVVNVX
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + VN (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 — Vietnam's largest state-linked banks are all headquartered in Hanoi, not Ho Chi Minh City
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read VN, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}VN[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$A Vietnamese SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer into or out of Vietnam. Every Vietnamese BIC has VN fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code. Vietnam’s three largest state-linked banks are all headquartered in Hanoi, the capital, rather than Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s larger commercial hub — a legacy of when these institutions were founded.
Major Vietnamese bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Vietcombank | BFTVVNVX | Hanoi |
| VietinBank | ICBVVNVX | Hanoi |
| BIDV | BIDVVNVX | Hanoi |
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 VN, 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 Vietnamese BIC pattern, not that BFTV, ICBV, or BIDV 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, and only for the SWIFT/BIC used on cross-border transfers — it does not check a domestic Vietnamese account or interbank code.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for a Vietnamese bank?
A Vietnamese BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, VN fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example BFTVVNVX for Vietcombank's head office.
Why are Vietnam's biggest banks headquartered in Hanoi rather than Ho Chi Minh City?
Vietcombank, VietinBank, and BIDV are all state-linked banks that trace back to the country's central-planning era, when Hanoi, the capital, was the natural seat for major financial institutions — a pattern that has persisted even as Ho Chi Minh City grew into the larger commercial centre.
Does an 8-character code work for a Vietnamese bank?
Yes — the 8-character BIC and its 11-character form ending XXX both identify the same head office and are accepted interchangeably on international wire instructions.