SBICKENX11-character variant (head office):
SBICKENXXXX| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| SBIC | KE | NX |
| Stanbic Kenya | KE (Kenya) | Nairobi |
An 11-character variant like SBICKENXXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'SBICKENX001') refer to specific branches.
Stanbic Bank Kenya is part of South Africa's Standard Bank Group via its subsidiary Stanbic Holdings Plc, which is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The Kenya operation traces its history to 1958 and now runs around 30 branches alongside a strong corporate-banking and treasury franchise. The bank's SWIFT code SBICKENX uses the Standard Bank Group's standard SBIC bank-code prefix, mirroring Stanbic IBTC Nigeria (SBICNGLX), Stanbic Ghana (SBICGHAC), and Stanbic Tanzania (SBICTZTX). For corporate flows, this allows efficient intra-group routing across the Standard Bank correspondent network. Long form: SBICKENXXXX.
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SWIFT and BIC are two names for the same identifier: an 8 or 11-character code standardised by ISO 9362 that identifies a bank in the SWIFT payment network. For a wire to Stanbic Kenya, your sending bank needs this code (SBICKENX) to route the payment message through correspondent banks to Stanbic Bank Kenya in Nairobi.
An IBAN, by contrast, identifies a specific bank account — not the institution. IBANs are mandatory in the European Economic Area, the UK, most of the Middle East, and several African countries (but Kenya does not use IBANs universally). For most wires to Kenya, you will supply SWIFT code SBICKENX + the recipient's account number, not an IBAN.
UK sort codes (6 digits) and US routing numbers (9 digits) are domestic-only equivalents — they do not work for international wires. If a US-based sender wants to wire to Stanbic Kenya, they need the SWIFT code, not the US routing number of the correspondent bank (although their bank may use the routing number internally to route their side of the wire).
One final technical detail on the 11-character form: the last three characters identify a specific branch. When they read 'XXX' (as in SBICKENXXXX), they conventionally designate the head office itself. Most international wires use either the 8-character form or the 11-character form with XXX; unless your recipient explicitly tells you otherwise, that is the right choice.
Stanbic Bank Kenya's SWIFT/BIC code is SBICKENX. This 8-character code identifies the bank's Nairobi head office for international wire transfers.
Yes. SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) and BIC (Business Identifier Code) are two names for the same 8 or 11-character identifier standardised by ISO 9362. You will see Stanbic Kenya's code referenced under either name on different financial platforms.
Yes. For an international wire to reach your Stanbic Kenya account, the sender needs SWIFT code SBICKENX AND your account number. Some sending banks also request the recipient bank's full address (Stanbic Centre, 16 Westlands Road, Nairobi).
Typically 1 to 5 business days. The timing depends on the intermediary (correspondent) banks between the sending bank and Stanbic Kenya. Wires from major global banks (HSBC, Barclays, JPMorgan, Citi) usually clear fastest.
For smaller amounts to Kenya, operators such as Wise, LemFi, Sendwave, and TapTap Send typically offer a rate closer to mid-market and lower fees than a classic SWIFT bank wire. See our Kenya inbound corridor comparison for side-by-side pricing.
Source: Stanbic Kenya's official website + Wise SWIFT directory. Last verified: 2026-06-04. SWIFT codes change rarely but always confirm with your bank before initiating a transfer. Educational only — not financial advice.