Hong Kong payment routing
Hong Kong bank transfers may ask for a bank clearing code, a branch code, a SWIFT BIC, or a clearing system status. This guide explains how those values fit together and links to the searchable HKBankCode.com directory.
A clearing code identifies the bank or clearing participant in Hong Kong payment systems. A branch code identifies the branch or service point under that institution. Together, the values route a local payment instruction to the right bank record.
HKBankCode.com shows these values as a combined code such as clearing code plus branch code. On branch pages, the combined code appears in the page title, summary and structured data.
A SWIFT BIC is normally used for international bank messaging and cross-border transfer instructions. A Hong Kong clearing code and branch code are local routing values. Some payment forms ask for both kinds of information, so it helps to confirm the bank page and the branch page before submitting details.
The clearing and branch code directory was refreshed from HKICL data dated 23 June 2026. The BIC data was refreshed from HKICL data dated 20 May 2026.
You can browse the full Hong Kong SWIFT BIC directory or open a bank page to see BIC values alongside clearing and branch code records.
A status value such as MDDM has four positions. The positions map to HKD, USD, EUR and RMB clearing participation.
| Position | Currency | Values shown in the directory |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HKD | M = clearing member, N = not a clearing member |
| 2 | USD | D = direct participant, I = indirect participant, C = indirect CHATS user, N = not a participant |
| 3 | EUR | D = direct participant, C = indirect CHATS user, N = not a member |
| 4 | RMB | M = clearing member, N = not a clearing member |
No. A Hong Kong clearing code identifies the bank or clearing participant, while a branch code identifies a specific branch or service point under that bank.
Most local payment forms use the clearing code followed by the branch code, often shown with a hyphen such as 004-123.
Use a SWIFT BIC for many international bank transfers. Use a Hong Kong clearing code and branch code when a local Hong Kong transfer form asks for bank and branch routing codes.
The four positions describe HKD, USD, EUR and RMB clearing participation. For example, MDDM means HKD clearing member, USD direct participant, EUR direct participant and RMB clearing member.
