Finding your routing number or SWIFT/BIC code

Which number do I need?

It depends on where your bank account is held. The form asks for whichever one applies once you have picked your bank's country, so you will only ever see one of the two.

• US bank account — a 9-digit routing number (ABA).
• Anywhere else — a SWIFT/BIC code, which is 8 or 11 characters.

US accounts: use the electronic (ACH) routing number

This is the step most people get wrong, and it is worth reading even if you already know your routing number.

Many US banks have more than one routing number for the same account: an electronic / ACH number used for direct deposits, and a paper / wire number used for cheques and wire transfers.

We pay you by ACH, so you must enter the electronic (ACH) number. The number printed along the bottom of a cheque is often the paper one, which is the usual cause of a rejected or delayed payout.

Where to find it

1. Log in to your online banking or mobile app.
2. Open the account you want to be paid into.
3. Look for Account details, Direct deposit, or Account and routing numbers.
4. If two routing numbers are listed, pick the one labelled ACH, electronic, or direct deposit — not wire or paper.

If your bank shows only one routing number, that number works for both and you can use it.

If you cannot tell which is which, call your bank and ask: “What is the ACH routing number for my account?” Many banks also publish it on a direct deposit form you can download.

Everywhere else: finding your SWIFT/BIC code

A SWIFT/BIC code identifies your bank internationally. It is 8 or 11 characters, letters and digits, and looks like ABORMMXXX. You can find it in any of these places:

• Your bank statement — usually printed in the header or footer.
• Online banking — under account details, or a section named international payments, incoming transfers, or IBAN and SWIFT.
• Your bank's website — often on a help or international-payments page.
• Ask your bank directly — request the SWIFT/BIC for incoming international transfers.

A few things to watch for

• A SWIFT/BIC belongs to the bank, not to you personally. Several customers of the same bank share the same code.
• Some banks publish a branch-specific code. Use the one your bank tells you to use for incoming transfers.
• An 8-character code is valid — it refers to the bank's head office. An 11-character code adds a branch identifier.
• Do not confuse the SWIFT/BIC with your IBAN, which is your individual account number and is much longer.

Common problems

“The routing number matches a bank, but the account number is invalid.”

The routing number was recognised but the account number was not accepted. Check it for missing or extra digits, and confirm you are using a chequing or current account rather than a card number.

My payout was returned or delayed

On a US account the most common cause is a paper or wire routing number entered where the electronic (ACH) one was needed. Check the number against the direct deposit section of your online banking and update it if it differs.

I have more than one account at the same bank

Routing and SWIFT/BIC codes are the same across accounts at the same bank, but the account number is not. Make sure the account number belongs to the account you actually want to be paid into.

Still stuck?

Your bank is the authority on these numbers — we cannot look them up for you. Ask them for the details for incoming direct deposits (US) or incoming international transfers (elsewhere), then come back and finish adding your account.