Accounts & IBAN
What is an IBAN, and how does a personal IBAN work?
When someone wants to pay you by bank transfer, they usually ask for your IBAN first. This guide explains what it means, when it is fine to share it, and how a virtual IBAN in your own name works.
What is an IBAN?
IBAN stands for International Bank Account Number. It is an international standard (ISO 13616) for writing account numbers in one shared format. It is used across Europe and in many other countries.
A standard format helps banks check the details before the money moves, so fewer payments are delayed or sent back. You can usually find your IBAN in your banking app or on your statements. Some countries, such as the United States, don't use IBANs for their local accounts and use other account and routing details instead.
How an IBAN is built
Every IBAN has the same three parts:
Country code: two letters that show the country where the account is registered.
Check digits: two numbers that let the bank catch most typing mistakes. They can't tell whether a correct IBAN belongs to the person you meant to pay, so the payer also needs your full name.
Bank and account details: the local bank code and account number. Their length depends on the country.
The whole IBAN can be up to 34 characters. It is often printed in groups of four (for example `CC00 0000 0000 0000 00`); the spaces are not part of the number.
IBAN, account number and SWIFT/BIC: what's the difference?
Account number: the local number of your account, understood inside its own country.
IBAN: the international version, with the country code, check digits and bank code added.
SWIFT/BIC code: it identifies the bank, not your account. Some international transfers ask for the IBAN and the bank's SWIFT/BIC together.
What is a personal virtual IBAN?
A virtual IBAN is an account number in the standard IBAN format, issued in your name and linked to an account with a payment provider instead of a traditional bank. With ODIX Pay, your virtual IBAN is linked to your ODIX Pay account. Anyone can use it to pay you by bank transfer, and the money lands in your ODIX Pay balance. It is a euro IBAN in your own name for getting paid, provided with our licensed account partner. Supported currencies, payment schemes and availability depend on your country and are shown in the app.
The ODIX virtual IBAN is a personal product, for individuals who get paid in their own name:
Freelancers paid by clients at home or abroad.
People who sell things online in their own name.
Salary and regular income.
Family and friends sharing costs or sending support from another country.
Need an account in a company's name? That is a different product: see Business EU IBAN.
Step by step
How to get paid with your virtual IBAN, step by step
Open your account
Download the ODIX Pay app, sign up for a personal account and verify your identity.
Find your IBAN
Your virtual IBAN in your own name is in the app, ready to copy or share in a tap.
Share your details
Give the payer your full name, your IBAN and, if you like, a reference such as an invoice number.
They pay by bank transfer
The payer makes a normal transfer from their own bank. They don't need ODIX Pay.
You get notified
The app tells you when the payment arrives, with the amount and the sender's name. Each payment stays in your history.
Use the money
Spend it with your ODIX card, send it on or convert it in the app.
Timing depends on the sender's bank and the payment network; local transfers usually arrive faster than international ones. Security and compliance checks can occasionally delay a payment, and payments that can't be matched to your account details may be returned, so ask people to use your name exactly as it appears in the app.
Is it safe to share your IBAN?
Yes. Your IBAN lets people send money to you. A few habits help:
Share it only with people you expect to pay you.
Never share passwords, one-time codes or card details with it. Nobody needs them to pay you.
Be wary of anyone who asks you to send money back urgently or to a "safe account". ODIX Pay will never ask this.
Good to know
ODIX Pay is not a bank, and your balance is not a bank deposit. Balances are not covered by deposit protection schemes such as the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Any ODIX fees are shown in the app before you confirm; for an overview, see the help centre.
Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general information only. It is not legal, financial, investment or other professional advice. Features, steps and availability depend on your country and eligibility, and they may change when the app is updated. Where fees or limits apply, the ODIX Pay app shows them before you confirm.
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