Kenya — SWIFT/BIC Codes & Payment Info

Payment requirements for Kenya: Information provided by the Beneficiary: Remitter should obtain all required bank information from the Beneficiary (e.g., SWIFT BIC, account number, and beneficiary bank address).
Central Bank: For additional information, please refer to www.centralbank.go.ke.

Payment Formatting Rules for KES:
- Ordering Customer (SWIFT MT103 F50): Include account number, full name (no initials), and address of the ordering customer. Use of initials can delay receipt of funds by the beneficiary.
- Beneficiary Customer (SWIFT MT103 F59): Include account number, full name (no initials), and address of the beneficiary customer including City and Country (mandatory). Use of initials may delay receipt of funds by the beneficiary.
- Beneficiary Bank (SWIFT MT103 F57): Include SWIFT BIC with a 5-digit branch identifier (first 2 digits are bank code), full name, and address of the beneficiary bank.
If the SWIFT BIC code is provided in Field 57 instead, an update will be made to this information in Field 70 before the payment is released.
No bank clearing codes exist in Kenya for cross-border payments. SWIFT BIC is key to routing payments to the beneficiary bank. SWIFT BIC is 8 or 11 alphanumeric characters: xxxxKExx or xxxxKExxxxx.
- Reason for Payment (SWIFT MT103 F70): Purpose of payment is required (free form text). A 5-digit beneficiary bank branch code must be included in Field 70 of the payment instructions with a prefix "BANK CODE/BRANCH CODE".