Fintech

IBAN

By Paul Brock·Updated on 22-04-2026
TL;DR

IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is the internationally standardised format for bank account numbers, mandatory within SEPA.

The IBAN format is variable per country: Netherlands 18 characters (NL91ABNA0417164300), Germany 22. It contains: country code, check digits, bank code, account number. The check digits guarantee typos are detected automatically — valuable protection against wrong transfers.

Example

NL IBAN structure: 'NL' (country) + '91' (check) + 'ABNA' (bank) + '0417164300' (account). Type one wrong character and the check fails — the bank app refuses the transaction.

Frequently asked questions

Difference between IBAN and BIC?

IBAN identifies the account, BIC (or SWIFT code) the bank. Within SEPA: IBAN suffices. Outside SEPA: often both needed.

Related terms

SEPABanking-as-a-Service (BaaS)NeobankAML (Anti-Money Laundering)SWIFT

Further reading

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