Does a US bank account have an IBAN? What to give a European payer instead
A European client's payment form asks for your IBAN. Your US account does not have one. Here is what to enter, and how to avoid the problem altogether.
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"Iban for us bank account" and "iban for chase bank" are searched thousands of times because European payment forms ask for an IBAN and US accounts do not have one. Here is what to give instead, and when it is worth getting a real IBAN.
Does a US bank account have an IBAN?
No. The United States does not use the International Bank Account Number standard. No US bank issues IBANs, whatever online generators say. US accounts are identified by an ABA routing number, which identifies the bank, and an account number.
Swift maintains the official IBAN registry, which lists every country that uses IBANs and their formats. The US is not on it.
What a European payer needs instead
To send an international wire to a US account, the payer's bank needs:
| Detail | Example format | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Account holder name | As registered | Your account |
| Account number | Usually 8 to 17 digits | Your account |
| SWIFT/BIC code | 8 or 11 characters | Your bank's wire instructions |
| ABA routing number for wires | 9 digits | Your bank's wire instructions |
| Bank name and address | Your bank's wire instructions |
Some banks use a different routing number for incoming wires than for ACH. Use the wire one. The USD account details guide explains each field.
Why not just generate an IBAN?
Some websites will produce something that looks like a US IBAN. It is not real. A payment sent to it will be rejected or, worse, held while banks work out where it should go. Never put a generated IBAN on an invoice.
What if the form only accepts IBANs?
Many European accounting and payroll systems have a separate path for non-IBAN countries. Ask the payer's finance team. If their system truly only accepts IBANs, the clean fix is to give them EUR or GBP details with a genuine IBAN.
The cheaper option for regular EU clients
A wire from Europe to a US account goes over SWIFT. The client pays a sending fee, intermediary banks may take a cut, and if they pay in euros, someone converts at a rate neither of you chose.
EUR details with a real IBAN on the SEPA network change that. Your European client pays you a SEPA transfer, like any local supplier: cheap, usually same or next day, and no name-check warnings if your account name matches your invoices. You decide when to convert to USD. The SEPA guide covers the rules.
On Rivet
Rivet's Growth plan includes EUR details with an IBAN and GBP details in your company's name, alongside your USD details. European clients pay the IBAN by SEPA, UK clients pay the GBP details by Faster Payments, and US clients pay the USD details by ACH or wire. See Bank accounts.
Questions people ask
What is the IBAN for a Chase or Bank of America account?
There is none. US banks do not issue IBANs. For an incoming international wire, give the payer the bank's SWIFT code, your account number, the account holder name, and the bank's wire routing number. Your bank publishes its SWIFT code and wire instructions.
Which countries use IBANs?
Most of Europe, much of the Middle East, and parts of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Swift maintains the official IBAN registry with each country's format. The US, Canada, Australia, China and India are among the countries that do not use IBANs.
What do I enter if a form insists on an IBAN?
Do not invent one. Ask the payer whether their system has an option for countries without IBANs, usually a field for account number plus SWIFT code. If not, offer EUR or GBP details with a genuine IBAN, which their system will accept.
Is a SWIFT code the same as an IBAN?
No. A SWIFT/BIC code identifies a bank. An IBAN identifies an individual account, including the country, a check number and the bank and account details. International wires to IBAN countries need both.
Sources
Rashidatou writes Rivet's guides to how money moves between countries: the payment rails, what each one costs, and the account details a company needs to get paid in another currency. Every figure in Rashidatou's articles is traced to the scheme rulebook, the regulator or the provider's published price list, and those sources are listed at the end.
More from Rashidatou K. →This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; check the sources above and the provider’s current terms before you act on them.
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