Bank of China Limited (BoC) SWIFT Code

Bank of China operates two licensed branches in the UAE, each with its own SWIFT code. BKCHAEAA is the SWIFT/BIC code for the Abu Dhabi Branch (onshore wholesale banking), and BKCHAEAD is the SWIFT/BIC code for the Dubai (DIFC) Branch. Always confirm with the beneficiary which branch holds their account before sending funds.

Yes. Both formats are valid. The 8-character version (BKCHAEAA) automatically defaults to the head office of the Abu Dhabi Branch. International banking systems accept both, though some foreign payment platforms require exactly 11 characters – in which case use BKCHAEAAXXX. The same rule applies to BKCHAEAD / BKCHAEADXXX.

The two codes identify different legal branches of Bank of China in the UAE. BKCHAEAA (location code “AA”) is the Abu Dhabi Branch, regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE and located on Al Reem Island. BKCHAEAD (location code “AD”) is the Dubai Branch, regulated by the DFSA and located inside the DIFC at Currency House Tower 2. Funds sent to the wrong branch may be returned or significantly delayed.

The Bank of China Abu Dhabi Branch is located at Unit 4608-4611, 46th Floor, Addax Commercial Tower, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE. The branch opened at the end of 2014 and holds an onshore wholesale banking license issued by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates. Phone: +971 2 418 0999.

The Bank of China (Dubai) Branch is located at Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4, Level 11 and Unit 01, 04, Level 12, Al Fattan Currency House – Tower 2, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), P.O. Box 118842, Dubai, UAE. The branch is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).

Yes. The Abu Dhabi Branch is active in RMB (Chinese Yuan) clearing, trade financing, wholesale loans and money market operations, serving both Chinese corporates operating in the UAE and local clients conducting business with China. RMB transfers should still use the standard SWIFT codes BKCHAEAA or BKCHAEAD depending on the receiving branch.

If you send funds with the wrong branch SWIFT code (for example BKCHAEAA when the beneficiary’s account is at the Dubai DIFC branch), the receiving branch will typically return the funds to the sender or request manual re-routing instructions. This usually causes a delay of 2-5 business days and may incur additional correspondent bank fees. Always confirm the correct SWIFT code with the beneficiary before initiating the transfer.

No. The SWIFT code is independent of the account currency. The same code routes payments to Bank of China accounts denominated in AED, USD, EUR, CNY/RMB, GBP and any other currency the bank handles. Currency is identified through a separate field within the SWIFT MT103 message format.

The global head office of Bank of China Limited is in Beijing, China, with SWIFT code BKCHCNBJ. However, for transfers destined for UAE-based accounts, you must use the local UAE branch codes (BKCHAEAA for Abu Dhabi or BKCHAEAD for Dubai DIFC) and not the Beijing head office code, otherwise the transfer will be misrouted to China.

No. Bank of China in the UAE operates under wholesale and DIFC licenses, focusing on corporate banking, trade finance, syndicated loans, RMB clearing and treasury services. It does not provide retail current accounts, personal loans or consumer credit cards in the UAE. For retail services, customers should consider local UAE banks.