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Posted by
7049 posts

This is also the small print that matters a lot (you can find it at the bottom in tiny letters, as always). It's the actual exchange fee they set for the transfer:

"The foreign exchange rates we use are determined by us in our sole
discretion. The exchange rate we use will include a spread and may
include commissions or other costs that we, our affiliates, or our
vendors may charge in providing foreign currency exchange to you. The
exchange rate may vary among customers depending on your relationship,
products with us or the type of transaction being conducted, the
dollar amount, type of currency, and the date and the time of the
exchange. You should expect that these rates will be less favorable
than rates quoted online or in publications."

In other words, they will set their own markup and it's unclear what is it. If you're their preferred customer with a lot of holdings, you should probably expect a better rate than if you have only small holdings. So that's the big elephant in the room - what exactly is their conversion rate?

I looked into Transferwise (they are not a bank, that I know of) and they seem to have the best deal for small amounts like these. Plus, they are actually transparent about it.

Posted by
20081 posts

Keep in mind, the currency confersion. With Transferwise, you will know what that amount is. A low cost wire transfer can be bait-and-switch when you find out the currency conversion is 10% over the spot price.

Posted by
2916 posts

A low cost wire transfer can be bait-and-switch

You mean a bank would do that?
The language quoted by Agnes is a loophole big enough to drive a truck through.

Posted by
3518 posts

No, the rate is not better if you have more money with the bank. Today it is 10 cents per Euro higher than the rate you see on Google for USD (for example). It does get slightly better for higher dollar wires but not much. They make up for a low fee with a crappy exchange rate. At least they admit it in the fine print.

Posted by
23267 posts

As usual, it is the fine print that counts. But they are required to disclose it even if the fine point is in 2 pt type. Still it could be cheaper than other methods. Always check and compare.

Posted by
7209 posts

When you exchange or transfer money you’re always going to be on the losing end...no way around it. At least TransferWise tells you exactly what it’s going to cost you before you pay for the transaction. It’s been the lowest cost for me for the last several transfers I’ve had to make.