Another step to increase competition in the financial system: Allocation of identification codes for all payments service providers in the various payment systems

 

The Bank of Israel is working to promote the stability and efficiency of the payment systems, and to enable the entry of new payment service providers who will provide advanced payment services.

 

In Israel, participants in the financial system are identified by a code that is unique to each participant.  This identification code is currently known as a "bank code", and is comprised of two characters.  In order for the new nonbank payment services providers to be able to operate in the payments system, and in order for those interested to be able to provide account numbers to their customers, they must be identified in all relevant systems in the economy.

 

In view of the number of new payment service providers that are expected to operate, it has become necessary to expand the number of digits in the identification code of payment service providers in Israel.

 

The Bank of Israel will begin the process of expanding the number of digits in the identifying code for all payment service providers in Israel.  In the immediate term, a policy will be started to vacate the identification codes that were used in the past and are no longer in use, so that they can be allocated to the new entities that will join the payments system.

 

The principles leading the vacating and allocation of identifying code numbers are based on code numbers that have not been actively used in the past seven years in at least one of the payment systems. This figure is set as the main criteria since the code numbers serve first and foremost to identify the various entities in the payment systems, such as the commercial banks, whose identifying number will remain as the public recognizes it and as it is identified in the various systems.  This principle will remain permanently in the future as well.

 

In accordance with these principles, a list of codes in use and codes that are intended for vacating has been formulated—See Appendix A – List of identification codes.

 

The Bank of Israel will enable interested parties to respond in writing to the list of identification codes and their reallocation until September 30, 2019, at D-pikauhTashlumim@boi.gov.il

 

 

 

Appendix A – List of Identification Codes

 

Bank code

Use of the code

0

For internal use at a​​​ny institution

1

Code to be vacated

2

Bank of North America Ltd.

3

Code to be vacated

4

Bank Yahav for State Employees Ltd.

5

Code to be vacated

6

Code to be vacated

7

Code to be vacated

8

Israel Shipping Bank Ltd.

9

Postal Bank Company Ltd.

10

Bank Leumi Le-Israel Ltd.

11

Israel Discount Bank Ltd.

12

Bank Hapoalim Ltd.

13

Union Bank of Israel Ltd.

14

Bank Otsar Hahayal Ltd.

15

Code to be vacated

16

Code to be vacated

17

Mercantile Discount Bank Ltd.

18

Code to be vacated

19

Code to be vacated

20

Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot Ltd.

21

Code to be vacated

22

Citibank N.A

23

HSBC Bank plc.

24

American Israel Bank Ltd.

25

BNP Paribas Israel

26

U-Bank Ltd.

27

Code to be vacated

28

Continental Bank of Israel Ltd.

29

Code to be vacated

30

Code to be vacated

31

First International Bank of Israel Ltd.

32

Finance and Trade Bank Ltd.

33

Mercantile Bank of Israel Ltd.

34

Arab-Israeli Bank Ltd.

35

Code to be vacated

36

Code to be vacated

37

Bank of Jordan

38

Commercial Bank of Palestine

39

State Bank of India

40

Code to be vacated

41

Code to be vacated

42

Code to be vacated

43

Jordan National Bank

44

Code to be vacated

45

Code to be vacated

46

Bank Massad Ltd.

47

Code to be vacated

48

National Worker's Credit and Savings Fund Netanya

49

Arab Bank plc

50

Bank Settlement Center Ltd. (MASAV)

51

Code to be vacated

52

Poalei Agudat Yisrael Bank Ltd.

53

Code to be vacated

54

Bank of Jerusalem Ltd.

55

Code to be vacated

56

Code to be vacated

57

Code to be vacated

58

Code to be vacated

59

Automatic Bank Services (Shva)

60

Code to be vacated

61

Code to be vacated

62

Code to be vacated

63

Code to be vacated

64

Code to be vacated

65

Code to be vacated

66

Cairo-Amman Bank

67

Arab Land Bank

68

Dexia Israel Bank Ltd.

69

Code to be vacated

70

Code to be vacated

71

Jordan Gulf Bank

72

Code to be vacated

73

Arab Islamic Bank

74

HSBC Bank Middle East

75

Code to be vacated

76

Palestine Investment Bank

77

Code to be vacated

78

Code to be vacated

79

Code to be vacated

80

Code to be vacated

81

Code to be vacated

82

Al-Quds Bank for Development and Investment

83

Union Bank for Savings and Investment

84

The Housing Bank

85

Code to be vacated

86

Code to be vacated

87

Code to be vacated

88

Code to be vacated

89

Bank of Palestine

90

Code to be vacated

91

Code to be vacated

92

Code to be vacated

93

Jordan Kuwait Bank

94

Code to be vacated

95

Code to be vacated

96

Code to be vacated

97

Special entities

98

Code to be vacated

99

Bank of Israel