SWIFT Code BCANCAW2 — BANK OF CANADA, OTTAWA

About SWIFT Code BCANCAW2 — BANK OF CANADA, OTTAWA

SWIFT code BCANCAW2 is the official 8-character head-office BIC (Bank Identifier Code) for BANK OF CANADA in OTTAWA, Canada. Standardised under ISO 9362 and maintained by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), this code is used exclusively for cross-border wire transfers and is recognised by financial institutions in over 200 countries.

This code must be provided to the sender when receiving money from abroad, and is required by BANK OF CANADA for all outward international remittances from OTTAWA. Without the correct SWIFT code, international transfers to or from this branch cannot be processed.

How to Read SWIFT Code BCANCAW2

The code BCANCAW2 follows the ISO 9362 standard and breaks down as follows:

When to Use SWIFT Code BCANCAW2

Receiving International Wire Transfers

To receive money from abroad at your BANK OF CANADA account in OTTAWA, share SWIFT code BCANCAW2 with the sender along with your full account number, your name as on the account, and the branch address.

NRI Remittances

Non-Resident Indians sending money to NRO/NRE accounts at BANK OF CANADA, OTTAWA must provide SWIFT code BCANCAW2. Major remittance platforms — including Wise, Remitly, Western Union, and MoneyGram — use this code to route transfers accurately.

Trade Finance and Foreign Payments

Importers and exporters using BANK OF CANADA in OTTAWA rely on SWIFT code BCANCAW2 for letters of credit, bank guarantees, and foreign currency settlements.

SWIFT Code vs IFSC vs MICR vs BSR — Key Differences

Need the IFSC code for domestic NEFT, RTGS, or UPI transfers? View the IFSC code for BANK OF CANADA →

For cheque clearing or NACH mandates, use the MICR code for BANK OF CANADA →

For TDS challan deposits, find the BSR code for BANK OF CANADA →

How SWIFT Code BCANCAW2 Routes an International Transfer

1. Initiation: The sender provides SWIFT code BCANCAW2 and account number to their bank.
2. Validation: The sending bank validates the BIC against the SWIFT registry.
3. Routing: An MT103 SWIFT message is transmitted through the network to BANK OF CANADA.
4. Correspondent bank (if needed): An intermediary bank may relay the transfer, adding 1–2 business days.
5. Credit: BANK OF CANADA receives the SWIFT message and credits the account. Total time: 1–5 business days.

Common Mistakes When Using SWIFT Code BCANCAW2

• Spaces or lowercase letters — Always enter BCANCAW2 uppercase with no spaces.
• Using the wrong city — This code is for OTTAWA only.
• Truncating to 8 characters — When 11 characters are required, always use the full code.
• Using SWIFT for domestic transfers — Use the IFSC code for any transfer within Canada.

Data Accuracy

BankZop sources SWIFT/BIC data from publicly available banking registries and official disclosures, updated regularly. For the highest-stakes transactions, always confirm BCANCAW2 directly with BANK OF CANADA's OTTAWA branch or via the SWIFT BIC Directory.