FIRNZAJJ11-character variant (head office):
FIRNZAJJXXXWhether funds come from abroad or another local account, here's how to receive — and what it costs.
Sender uses FIRNZAJJ + your account number.
Sender uses Wise, LemFi, or Sendwave to deposit into your account.
Receive into TymeBank, then move to FNB if needed.
South African banks use a 6-digit universal branch code; PayShap enables low-value real-time payments using a phone-number ShapID.
South Africa is more bank-centric than wallet-centric, but PayShap and apps allow real-time transfers, and wallets like TymeBank and Shoprite Money are growing.
Rail operator: www.bankservafrica.com
When you actually need a SWIFT code: only for receiving money from another country. PayShap handles every domestic south africa bank-to-bank, bank-to-wallet, and wallet-to-bank transfer at near-instant speed. If the sender is in the same country, SWIFT isn't involved at all — they just need your universal branch code or phone number.
For inbound international flows, PayShap also matters: most modern remittance operators (Wise, Sendwave, LemFi, WorldRemit, TapTap Send) terminate their payouts via this rail rather than via correspondent SWIFT relationships. That's how they deliver in minutes instead of days — and why their all-in cost can be a fraction of a classic SWIFT wire.
Cash pickup is the fourth node in the receiving graph: Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, RemitOne. These remain expensive but are the only option in some last-mile situations (no bank account, no wallet, urgent cash need). Mobile money cash-out via an agent network is increasingly the cheaper alternative — see our country mobile-money fee page for current cash-out rates.
One practical tip: if you're expecting a payment from abroad, ask the sender to choose the destination based on speed and amount. Small frequent payments below US$1,000 are almost always cheaper via a remittance app to your wallet. Mid-size payments (US$1,000–10,000) work well to your bank account via the same apps. Genuinely large payments (above US$50,000) are usually only practical via a SWIFT wire, even though they're the most expensive per dollar at that band.
| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| FIRN | ZA | JJ |
| FNB | ZA (South Africa) | Johannesburg |
An 11-character variant like FIRNZAJJXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'FIRNZAJJ001') refer to specific branches.
Check any SWIFT/BIC code is correctly formatted before a transfer.
vs ZAR (South African Rand)
First National Bank (FNB) is one of South Africa's "Big Four" commercial banks and is part of FirstRand Group, which also owns RMB (Rand Merchant Bank) and WesBank. FNB traces its history to the Eastern Province Bank, founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest banks in South Africa. The bank operates around 600 branches in South Africa plus subsidiaries in Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia. FNB is renowned for its digital banking innovation. SWIFT code FIRNZAJJ — using bank code FIRN from "FirstRand" — identifies the Bank City head office in Johannesburg. The long form is FIRNZAJJXXX. FirstRand Group is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
FNB Bank City, Simmonds Street, Johannesburg
Map centred on Johannesburg. Click "View on OpenStreetMap" below for precise location.
First National Bank — South Africa's commercial bank, one of the country's oldest institutions (founded 1838) — has the SWIFT/BIC code FIRNZAJJ. The 8-character base BIC FIRNZAJJ targets the Johannesburg head office; the 11-character variant FIRNZAJJXXX names that same head office explicitly. You only need it for receiving an INTERNATIONAL wire (from another country). For transfers from another South Africa account, you just use your account number plus the domestic rail (PayShap).
Yes. Operators like WorldRemit, Sendwave, Afriex, and Flutterwave Send let a sender abroad deposit directly into TymeBank without going through your FNB account. It's usually faster and cheaper than a SWIFT wire for smaller amounts. You can then move funds to FNB via PayShap if needed.
Via PayShap, which interconnects banks and wallets in real time. From the FNB app: add TymeBank as a beneficiary with your phone number, and the transfer arrives instantly. See our South Africa mobile money fees page for the exact cost.
For amounts under ~US$5,000, a remittance app (Wise, LemFi, Sendwave) depositing direct to your FNB account is almost always cheaper than a classic SWIFT wire — lower fees and a rate closer to mid-market. For larger amounts, compare SWIFT vs app on our South Africa inbound transfer comparison.
Yes. FNB is connected to PayShap, which enables near-instant transfers to other South Africa banks and to mobile money wallets (TymeBank, Shoprite Money, Capitec Pay). This is the infrastructure remittance apps use behind the scenes to deliver in real time.
Source: FNB'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.