HSBC UAE SWIFT Code: BBMEAEAD for Receiving & Sending Money

The HSBC UAE SWIFT code is BBMEAEAD, or BBMEAEADXXX when a form asks for 11 characters. Both identify HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, and personal accounts at every UAE branch use the same code.

HSBC’s own pages print it as BBME AEAD. SWIFT codes contain no spaces, so type it as one unbroken eight-letter code.

A sender needs more than the code. They also need your account number and your 23-character IBAN. The steps and fees for sending money out of an HSBC UAE account follow further down.

HSBC UAE SWIFT code quick details

Detail	Value
Bank name	HSBC Bank Middle East Limited
SWIFT/BIC, 8 characters	BBMEAEAD
SWIFT/BIC, 11 characters	BBMEAEADXXX
Bank code	BBME
Country code	AE
Location code	AD
Branch code	XXX (primary office, can be left off)
IBAN length	23 characters, starting with AE

BBME is the bank code for HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, AE is the UAE and AD is the location code. XXX stands for the primary office, so BBMEAEAD and BBMEAEADXXX reach the same destination. Enter whichever length the payment field accepts.

Branch & office SWIFT codes

Personal accounts use BBMEAEAD, including at branches outside Dubai. Four more codes under the same BBME bank code are registered to individual offices:

Code	Office	Location
BBMEAEAD	Main code	Dubai
BBMEAEADDIF	DIFC branch	Dubai International Financial Centre
BBMEAEADABU	Abu Dhabi office	Abu Dhabi
BBMEAEADSHJ	Sharjah office	Sharjah
BBMEAEADRKS	Ras Al Khaimah office	Ras Al Khaimah

How to receive an international transfer

Give the sender these five details so the payment reaches the right account:

• Your full name and address
• Bank name and address: HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, P.O. Box 66, Dubai, UAE
• Your HSBC account number
• Your 23-character IBAN
• The SWIFT code BBMEAEAD

Your IBAN is printed at the top of the first page of every statement. It also appears under account details in online banking and under View account details in the app. If you only have the account number, the IBAN generator builds the full IBAN from it.

Inward transfers are open to existing customers who hold a valid account.

Which currency the sender should choose

There are two routes, and the better one changes from day to day:

• Home currency: your bank back home sends the money in its own currency, and HSBC UAE converts it to AED at HSBC’s rate.
• AED: the sender’s bank does the conversion before the money leaves.

Compare the rate your sender’s bank quotes for AED against HSBC’s rate on the day of the transfer, then pick the cheaper route. HSBC Premier customers receive preferential rates, but HSBC makes no promise that its rate beats other banks, so the comparison is worth doing.

How to send an international transfer from HSBC UAE

You need an active HSBC account that is registered for online and mobile banking. The first payment to a new payee asks for a one-time code generated on your Secure Key.

In the HSBC UAE app

1. Log on and select Pay.
2. Select International payments, then the country or territory you are sending to.
3. Choose HSBC to HSBC Payment for another HSBC account, or HSBC Global Money Transfer for any other bank.
4. Select the currency and enter the amount.
5. Pick an existing payee or add a new one.
6. Review the details and select Confirm.

A confirmed payment cannot be cancelled.

In online banking

1. Log on and select Pay and transfer.
2. Select the account you are sending from, then the options for your payee.
3. Enter the payment details.
4. Review the details and select Confirm.

The app reaches more than 200 destinations in 60 currencies. Online banking covers over 20 currencies to 200 countries and regions. Neither channel supports future-dated or recurring Global Money Transfers and HSBC to HSBC Payments.

AED payments to the UK are no longer available in the app. Online banking still handles them, and fees apply.

To track a payment, open the app, select Pay, then Payment management and Track payments. The tracker keeps 60 days of history, and your statement covers anything older.

SWIFT code vs IBAN vs account number

	SWIFT/BIC	IBAN	Account number
What it identifies	The bank	Your account, in international format	Your account inside the bank
HSBC UAE value	BBMEAEAD	23 characters starting with AE	The number on your HSBC statement
Who uses it	The sender’s bank, to route the payment to HSBC UAE	The sender, to name your account	The sender, alongside the IBAN

A UAE IBAN is made of AE, two check digits, a 3-digit bank code and a 16-digit account number. For an incoming payment, give the sender all three identifiers together.

Fees, exchange rates & limits

HSBC’s own charge for an international transfer to a non-HSBC bank depends on the channel and your account tier:

Channel	Premier	Advance & Personal Banking
Branch	AED 73.5	AED 105
Online banking	AED 42	AED 52.5
Mobile app	AED 0 in the destination’s local currency, AED 78.75 in any other currency	AED 0 in the destination’s local currency, AED 78.75 in any other currency

The currency rule in the last row decides most app fees. A USD payment to an Oman account costs AED 78.75 per transfer, while the same payment in OMR has no HSBC fee. Private Bank customers pay no transfer fees in any channel.

Other costs and limits that apply:

• The OUR charge option adds AED 105 in a branch or in online banking.
• Correspondent and receiving banks can deduct their own fees before the money arrives.
• Incorrect or incomplete remittance details can bring penalties, a rejection or a delay.
• Global Transfers between your own linked Premier or Advance accounts in different countries cost AED 0 and move up to USD 400,000 a day.
• Global Money transfers within HSBC complete in about 6 seconds.
• Live exchange rates refresh every 90 seconds in online banking and at branches on international weekdays, and they stay fixed over the weekend.

When a transfer goes wrong

To recall a payment, call 800 4525 within the UAE or +971 4 227 4310 from abroad as soon as possible. HSBC may charge a recall fee, the refund can use a different exchange rate from the original transfer, and a successful recall is not guaranteed.

Phone banking also handles transfers around the clock. Use the line for your account tier:

Account tier	Within UAE	Outside UAE
Premier	800 4320	+971 4 224 1000
Advance	600554722	+971 4 228 8007
Personal Banking	600 55 4722	+971 4 228 8007
Private Bank	800 4722 472	+971 436 69035

FAQ

What is the HSBC UAE SWIFT code?

BBMEAEAD. The 11-character form is BBMEAEADXXX.

Is BBMEAEAD the same as BBMEAEADXXX?

Yes. XXX stands for the primary office, so both reach HSBC Bank Middle East Limited in the same way. Use the 8-character form unless the field requires 11.

Do HSBC UAE branches have different SWIFT codes?

Personal accounts use BBMEAEAD at every branch. The DIFC, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah offices have their own registered codes, listed in the office codes table above.

What bank details does my employer need for HSBC UAE salary payments?

Your full name as it appears on the account, your 23-character IBAN and the SWIFT code BBMEAEAD. Check your first salary payment against your payslip and your online banking statement.

Can I send AED to the UK from the HSBC UAE app?

No. AED transfers to the UK are no longer available in the app. Online banking still handles them, and fees apply.

How do I track an international transfer from HSBC UAE?

Open the app, select Pay, then Payment management and Track payments, and choose the transfer. The history runs back 60 days.

Before you send or receive money

• Copy BBMEAEAD without a space and without extra characters.
• Pull your IBAN from the app, online banking or the top of a statement, and enter it as one continuous string with no spaces.
• Send the five receiving details to the sender in one message.
• Ask the sender to compare the AED rate with HSBC’s rate before choosing a currency.
• For an outgoing payment from the app, send in the destination’s local currency to avoid the AED 78.75 fee.