BECU Routing Number - From Boeing

Born on the Boeing factory floor

In 1935, eighteen Boeing Aircraft Company employees in Seattle pooled $18.25 - a dollar and change each - to start the Boeing Employees' Credit Union. The Great Depression was still grinding on, and traditional banks were either failing or refusing to lend to working-class factory workers. The credit union model, where members pool deposits and lend to each other at cost, was a lifeline for Boeing's machinists, engineers, and assembly line workers.

BECU's routing number, 325081403, carries the 325 prefix assigned by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Seattle processing center, a direct link to the credit union's Pacific Northwest roots. That $18.25 initial deposit has grown into over $30 billion in assets, making BECU the largest credit union in Washington state and one of the ten largest in the country.

From employees-only to Washington

For decades, you had to work at Boeing - or be related to someone who did - to join BECU. The credit union gradually expanded eligibility over the years, first to Boeing retirees and contractors, then to employees of other select companies. In 2002, BECU made its biggest leap: it dropped the "Boeing Employees'" from its official name and opened membership to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Washington state.

This expansion transformed BECU from a single-employer credit union into a de facto community institution serving over 1.4 million members. Despite dropping the Boeing name, the heritage persists - BECU still has branches near Boeing's major Washington facilities in Everett, Renton, and Auburn, and many of its longest-tenured members are Boeing retirees.

Credit union routing numbers vs. bank routing numbers

Credit unions and banks both use nine-digit ABA routing numbers for ACH and wire transfers, and the numbers work identically in the payments system. The confusion arises because credit unions are often missing from dropdown menus in payroll systems and payment apps that only list banks. When setting up direct deposit or linking accounts, BECU members sometimes need to manually enter routing number 325081403 rather than selecting from a list.

Another difference: credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) rather than the FDIC, though the coverage amount - $250,000 per depositor - is identical. BECU's routing number 325081403 processes through the same Federal Reserve infrastructure as any commercial bank's routing number, so there is no practical difference in transaction speed or reliability.

Using BECU

For ACH transfers, direct deposit, and bill pay, use BECU routing number 325081403. This applies to all BECU account types: checking, savings, money market, and certificates. BECU supports incoming and outgoing domestic wire transfers using the same routing number, with a $25 fee for outgoing domestic wires.

BECU does not have a SWIFT code for international wires, as it does not directly process international wire transfers. Members needing to receive international wires must use an intermediary bank, typically a correspondent relationship that BECU can provide details for upon request.

When your business needs more than member-owned banking

Credit unions like BECU offer excellent rates and member-first service for personal banking. But their business banking tools are often limited - basic checking, simple lending, and minimal integrations with the software finance teams rely on. Slash picks up where credit unions leave off, providing businesses with unlimited virtual and physical cards, granular spend controls, automated receipt matching, and native integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite.

For founders and finance teams who appreciate BECU's straightforward approach to personal banking, Slash brings that same transparency to business operations - without the membership restrictions or geographic limitations.