# SWIFT code vs routing number: which one to give

> A routing number is 9 digits and works inside the US; a SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters and is used for wires from abroad. Compared, with bank numbers.

- Canonical URL: https://swiftcodelookup.com/swift-code-vs-routing-number/
- Source: [Chase, SWIFT code vs routing number](https://www.chase.com/personal/banking/education/basics/swift-code-vs-routing-number)
- Checked: 2026-10-26
- Structured data: https://swiftcodelookup.com/data/swift-code-vs-routing-number.json

## The one-line answer

**Being paid from inside the US?** Give your routing number and account number. **Being paid from another country?** Give your bank's SWIFT/BIC code and your account number. Chase puts it this way: "SWIFT codes are required for international transfers, while routing numbers are used for domestic U.S. transactions" ([Chase](https://www.chase.com/personal/banking/education/basics/swift-code-vs-routing-number)).

## Side by side

| | Routing number (ABA) | SWIFT/BIC code |
|---|---|---|
| What it identifies | A bank or credit union in the US | A bank or other organisation anywhere in the world |
| Shape | Always 9 digits | 8 or 11 letters and digits |
| Who created it | The American Bankers Association | Registered under ISO 9362, with Swift as registration authority |
| Used for | Direct deposit, bill pay, transfers and wires inside the US | Wires that cross a border |
| Example | 021000021 (Chase, domestic wires) | CHASUS33 (Chase) |

Sources: [Chase](https://www.chase.com/personal/banking/education/basics/swift-code-vs-routing-number), [Swift FAQ](https://www.swift.com/swift-resource/252025/download), [Chase wire FAQ](https://www.chase.com/digital/wire-transfer/faqs).

Wells Fargo says the same from the other side: the SWIFT code "is used instead of a routing number for international wire transfers" ([Wells Fargo](https://www.wellsfargo.com/help/routing-number/)).

## Why you cannot swap them

A sender abroad pays through their own bank, which sends a payment message over the Swift network. Swift carries messages, not money: Chase notes that SWIFT "isn't a financial institution and doesn't hold or transfer funds" ([Chase](https://www.chase.com/personal/banking/education/basics/how-the-swift-banking-system-works)). A message has to be addressed to a BIC. A 9-digit routing number does not fit the 8-or-11-character shape, so the sender's bank cannot use it as the address. The [format checker](https://swiftcodelookup.com/) shows the shape rule.

In the other direction, a payment between two US banks uses the routing number, as Chase's comparison says.

## The wire routing number can differ from the one on your cheques

Bank of America warns that some banks use different routing numbers for wires and for ACH transfers ([Bank of America](https://info.bankofamerica.com/en/digital-banking/wire-transfers)). PNC says incoming wires have a different routing number than the one shown on your account ([PNC](https://www.pnc.com/en/customer-service/routing-number.html)). Before you give out a number for a wire, use the one your bank labels for wires.

| Bank | Routing number the bank gives for wires | SWIFT/BIC for wires from abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Chase | 021000021 | CHASUS33 |
| Bank of America | 026009593 | BOFAUS3N (US dollars), BOFAUS6S (foreign currency) |
| Wells Fargo | 121000248 | WFBIUS6S |
| PNC | 043000096 | PNCCUS33 |

All four read from the banks' own pages on 26 October 2026; links and more banks are on [US bank SWIFT codes](https://swiftcodelookup.com/us-bank-swift-codes/).

## What about IBAN and sort codes?

An IBAN identifies an *account*. A routing number and a SWIFT code identify a *bank*. Chase says it does not use IBANs ([Chase](https://www.chase.com/digital/wire-transfer/faqs)), so a US account is identified by its account number. If you are paying *into* Europe, the payee will have an IBAN; see [do you need a BIC?](https://swiftcodelookup.com/bic-iban-sepa/).

## Common slips

- Giving the SWIFT code to a US employer for direct deposit. Payroll needs the routing number.
- Giving the routing number to a relative abroad. Their bank needs the SWIFT/BIC.
- Using the cheque routing number for an incoming wire at a bank that uses a separate wire number.
- Copying a code from an unofficial list. Take it from the bank's site or app, or check it in Swift's own search: [finding a SWIFT code](https://swiftcodelookup.com/find-a-swift-code/).

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