BDO Unibank SWIFT Code: BNORPHMM

BDO Unibank SWIFT Code: BNORPHMM

BDO Unibank's SWIFT code is BNORPHMM — the identifier used by international banks to route wire transfers to BDO Unibank, Inc., the Philippines' largest bank by assets and total loans.

What Is the BDO Unibank SWIFT Code?

The BDO Unibank swift code Philippines is BNORPHMM. It is the primary SWIFT/BIC code for BDO Unibank, Inc. and applies to international wire transfers sent to BDO accounts from outside the country. You may also see it written as BNORPHMMXXX — the XXX suffix indicates no specific branch, and both formats are accepted by international sending banks.

BDO Unibank's full legal name — as opposed to its commercial name BDO — is relevant for wire instructions. Using either "BDO Unibank, Inc." or "BDO" is generally accepted, but the full legal name is more precise and may prevent processing friction at correspondent banks that cross-reference the beneficiary institution name.

How to Send a Wire from the US to BDO Unibank

To send an international wire from the U.S. to a BDO Unibank account, provide your bank with the following:

• Recipient name: Full legal name, exactly as it appears on the BDO account
• Account number: Full BDO account number (10 digits — confirm directly with recipient)
• SWIFT/BIC code: BNORPHMM
• Bank name: BDO Unibank, Inc.
• Bank address: BDO Unibank Corporate Center, 7899 Makati Avenue, Makati City 0726, Metro Manila, Philippines
• Purpose of remittance: Specific description of the commercial basis for the payment
• Recipient address: Full physical address of the account holder

The Philippines does not use IBANs — account numbers are the standard identifier. If your wire form has an IBAN field, leave it blank.

The purpose of remittance is required by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for all incoming international wire transfers. Use specific, invoice-linked language — "payment for software engineering services — invoice [number]" or "vendor payment per supply agreement dated [date]." A vague or generic purpose triggers compliance review before BDO releases funds to the recipient's account.

BDO USD vs PHP Account: Which to Use for Business Payments?

Wiring USD to a BDO USD account (FCDU). BDO offers Foreign Currency Deposit Unit accounts that receive and hold USD without immediate conversion to Philippine pesos. For U.S. businesses paying Filipino contractors, agencies, or vendors who invoice in USD, this is the optimal structure — the recipient holds USD, avoids forced conversion at BDO's rate, and converts to PHP on their own schedule. Confirm that the recipient holds a BDO FCDU account and obtain the correct FCDU account number before the first transfer — FCDU account numbers differ from standard PHP account numbers.

Wiring USD to a standard BDO PHP account. If the recipient holds a standard BDO savings or checking account denominated in pesos, BDO converts incoming USD to PHP at its prevailing rate on receipt. The rate is influenced by BSP reference rates and includes BDO's spread above the mid-market rate. The recipient receives PHP — the exact amount depends on BDO's rate at the time of processing, which neither the sender nor recipient controls.

Business implications. For recurring contractor or vendor payments where the recipient needs to receive a predictable net amount in PHP, conversion variability creates reconciliation friction. The cleanest solution for ongoing business relationships: denominate contracts in USD, confirm the recipient holds a BDO FCDU account, and wire USD directly. For one-time or lower-value payments where the recipient prefers PHP immediately, a standard PHP account wire works despite the conversion spread.

BSP Remittance Compliance for BDO Transfers

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulates all incoming international wire transfers and applies its AML/CFT framework through BDO to every inward remittance.

FCDU account requirements. Access to BDO's foreign currency deposit accounts is governed by BSP regulations on foreign currency holdings. FCDU accounts are available to Filipino residents, non-resident Filipinos, and foreign nationals under BSP's FCDU framework. For business customers, BDO may require documentation of the source of foreign currency deposits — a contract or service agreement between the Filipino recipient and the U.S. sender is standard supporting documentation.

Anti-Money Laundering Act thresholds. Incoming transfers above USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be reported by BDO to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) under the Philippines' AMLA. This reporting is handled by BDO — the recipient doesn't file directly — but recipients may be asked to provide supporting documentation before BDO credits the account. Having a contract or invoice on file for amounts above this threshold prevents delays.

Foreign Currency Transaction Form. BDO requires recipients to complete a Foreign Currency Transaction Form for incoming international wires. This is a BSP requirement across all Philippine banks. For recipients receiving regular payments from the same U.S. sender, BDO's familiarity with the relationship over time reduces the documentation burden on each individual transfer.

First-time sender review. BDO applies additional compliance scrutiny to the first wire from any new international sender. Inform recipients to expect a longer processing window on the first payment — typically two to three additional business days — while BDO establishes the remitting relationship.

BDO Unibank Business Banking: Receiving International Wires

BDO's corporate banking division offers dedicated business account structures relevant for Philippine businesses or U.S. companies with Philippine subsidiaries that regularly receive international payments.

Business account vs personal account. BDO business accounts — held in a registered business entity's name — are better suited for receiving recurring international business payments than personal savings accounts. Business accounts can hold FCDU balances in USD, provide cleaner accounting separation between business and personal funds, and handle higher transaction volumes without triggering personal account anomaly reviews.

BDO corporate cash management. For U.S. companies with Philippine subsidiaries or BPO operations, BDO's corporate cash management platform offers multi-currency balance visibility, automated reconciliation, and dedicated relationship management. For high-volume international payment relationships, the corporate banking relationship provides more structured support than retail account services.

Processing times for BDO business accounts. Incoming international wires to BDO business accounts typically settle within one to two business days after the sending bank releases funds. First-time transfers from new U.S. senders may take longer during BDO's initial compliance review.

Common Mistakes When Wiring to BDO Unibank

Wrong account number format or length. BDO account numbers are 10 digits for standard accounts. FCDU accounts may have different account number formats. A truncated, padded, or transposed account number causes the wire to be rejected or posted to the wrong account. Confirm the full account number directly from the recipient's BDO online banking portal or bank-issued documentation.

Missing beneficiary address. U.S. sending banks and BDO's compliance system both frequently require the account holder's physical address. Omitting it triggers holds that delay fund release. Collect the recipient's complete Philippine address before initiating.

Currency account mismatch. Wiring USD to a PHP-only BDO account when the recipient expects to hold USD — or specifying the wrong account number for a multi-currency setup — causes unintended conversion at BDO's rate or requires manual handling. Confirm both the account type (PHP vs FCDU) and the specific account number for each currency with the recipient before the first payment.

Purpose declaration absent or vague. BSP compliance requirements make the purpose declaration mandatory. Generic entries consistently trigger review holds. Specific, invoice-linked language resolves this proactively and keeps recurring payments moving without friction.

How Slash Helps

U.S. companies with Philippines-based development teams, BPO operations, or vendor networks deal with the same documentation-heavy wire process for every BDO payment — BSP purpose declarations, AMLC reporting for large transfers, FCDU vs PHP account coordination, and first-transfer compliance delays. For businesses running regular payroll or vendor payments, that friction compounds.

Slash is built for U.S. businesses managing distributed international teams. For BDO account holders who accept card payments, Slash virtual cards let you pay directly without initiating a wire — no purpose code, no BSP documentation hold, no PHP conversion at BDO's rate per transaction. For payments that require a bank wire, Slash's real-time spend tracking records every transaction at initiation with vendor-level categorization, giving your finance team a timestamped, organized record of every payment made to Philippine counterparties. When BDO or AMLC asks about a specific transfer, the record is already structured and accessible. Transparent FX rates mean the cost of every peso-denominated payment is visible before you approve it.