IBAN is the International Bank Account Number, an identifier that can contain up to 34 letters and digits. It helps identify a particular bank account for international payments.
An IBAN begins with a two-letter country code, followed by check digits and a country-specific basic bank account number. The remaining structure differs among participating countries, so an IBAN is not simply a universal account number with the same internal layout everywhere.
IBAN is often confused with a SWIFT or BIC code. An IBAN identifies the account and includes country-specific structure, while a BIC primarily identifies a bank or financial institution. Not every country uses IBAN, and a transfer may require additional information.