If your aim is to find the best foreign exchange rates for bank transfers to an account abroad or domestically, then you already know how much finding a better fx rates than the bank’s is going to save you. As a rough estimate using a bank-alternative provider can save customers from regions such as UK, USA, Australia, Asia or EU more than 50% of all associated bank transfer costs, together with several other benefits which we will briefly touch in this guide.
Best FX Rates for Bank Transfers Currently (Bank Alternatives)
If you are looking to make a large international money transfer please view our list of best international money transfer companies and currency brokers by overall rating below. This list integrates many other considerations that are supplementary to the best exchange rates for bank to bank transfers. For example, these companies offer dedicated dealer support that can help you get better rates, set up rate alerts and also, importantly, you can negotiate the exchange rate offered and potentially get a better deal than the default via direct communications.
Payment Specialists with Bank Beating FX Rates March 2023
- Min Transfer: £/€/$ 100
- Currencies Supported: 39
- Offices : UK, EU, USA, India, South Africa.
- Our Rating : 97.8%
- Most Global Offices and Reach
No Fees from Anywhere and Competitive Rates
96% Client Satisfaction
- Min Transfer: £/€ 100
- Currencies Supported: 40
- Offices : UK, EU, Singapore, and Australia.
- Our Rating : 93.4%
- High Quality Bespoke Service
MoneyFact's Best Provider Award
Over 100 Years of FX Experience Across Its Trading Desk
- Min Transfer: £/€/$ 50
- Currencies Supported: 120
- Offices : UK, EU, USA, HK, and UAE.
- Our Rating : 92.8%
- Business Oriented, Many High Profile Business Customers
Industry Veteran since 1979
Diverse Hedging Options and Excellent Guidance
- Min Transfer: £/€ 1,000
- Currencies Supported: 70
- Offices : UK, Spain, Netherlands, and Canada.
- Our Rating : 90.6%
- Very Experienced Staff
99% Positive Customer Reviews Online
12 Luxurious Industry Awards
- Min Transfer: £/€ 1,000
- Currencies Supported: 34
- Offices : UK and EU.
- Our Rating : 90.4%
- #1 Rated Money Transfer on TrustPilot
Friendly Customer Service
Fast Sign-Up
- Min Transfer: £/€/$ 50
- Currencies Supported: 30
- Offices : UK.
- Our Rating : 87.6%
- Extremely Tailored Service
Multiple Industry Awards
Highly Positive Client Reviews
How to Currency Exchange Rates Work at All?
The official currency exchange rate is the real mid-market price in which banks trade currency in between themselves or the central bank. What do we mean by mid-rate? Currencies trade in the same fashion as other assets, so by mid-market we mean the price of the last deal that was made (a deal is made when the ASK price meets the BID price between two parties).
When you’re reading the morning news, or hearing some gloom and doom story over the television, when reports would mention “the rate” or the “official exchange rate” they mean exactly that. The interbank or mid-market rate. The acceptable rate as reflected by the latest deal between banks. The official interbank is not the best forex rate achievable for private clients.
Markup: The Bank’s Buy and Sell Rate
However, that interbank exchange rate is not the same as the foreign exchange rates offered to private or corporate clients. Even a very large corporation, trading massive amounts of foreign exchange, using the best money transfer company or a bank’s corporate desk, isn’t going to get the exact interbank rate. Just like with any service there are costs to provide it – whether that be the investment in the currency trading infrastructure, regulatory and compliance requirements or simply staff costs we have to understand banks aren’t able to provide the service for nothing.
There will always be a SPREAD added into the mix, and our only gripe is that banks are often charging a far higher spread than is necessary to cover their costs and make a small profit. The spread is usually shown in percentages. A 0.5% spread means the amount of foreign currency you’ll receive in the deal will be 0.5% less of what you would have received if you were trading at official interbank exchange rates. In almost all cases, both for private individuals and most businesses, the banks exchange rates are the worst on offer. This is because a standard bank spread in the UK will be between 2-3% (for pairs like Pound v Euro or Pound v Dollar, or an even higher spread potentially for trades involving more exotic currencies). You can read more about that aspect above on the best fx rate for international money transfers comparison.
Buy/Sell currency spreads existing in cryptocurrencies too
Similarly to fiat currency exchanges, cryptocurrency brokers, exchanges, and sellers are also embedding a markup into their sales. Some customers believe they can circumvent the costs of foreign exchange by using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, , Ripple, ethereum or Cardano for international transfers, but the truth is that the costs of exchanging fiat money for crypto as even higher than the cost of exchanging domestic money into foreign currency. While we have shown above that the best foreign exchange rate for businesses with WorldFirst will cost 0.15% to 0.5% per exchange, popular cryptocurrency exchanges would charge between 1.5% (using PayPal’s new Crypto option) and 5% (most local Crypto brokers), per exchange of GBPBTC/GBPETH or any other pairing.
An example using the live foreign exchange rate:
The current exchange rate for Pound in Australian Dollars is 1.8175 AUD, and you need to transfer abroad an amount of £100,000 to Australian Dollars. Your bank’s spread is 2% so you’ll end up with 178,113.2480 AUD after the exchange. Definitely not the best fx rate for money transfers!
It means the spread fee you paid in practice (whether they’d like to call this a fee or not!) is £2,000 or 3,634.9642 AUD.
Approximated Best Exchange Rates Possible (Vs Banks)
Forex Pair | Interbank exchange rate* | High Street Bank Exchange Rate (Estimated) ** | Recommended Provider Rate (Estimated) *** |
---|---|---|---|
Pound to Euro | 1.1408 EUR | 1.1066 EUR to 1.1180 EUR | 1.1294 EUR to 1.1351 EUR |
Euro to Pound | 0.8766 GBP | 0.8503 GBP to 0.8590 GBP | 0.8678 GBP to 0.8722 GBP |
Pound to Dollar | 1.2178 USD | 1.1813 USD to 1.1935 USD | 1.2056 USD to 1.2117 USD |
Dollar to Pound | 0.8211 GBP | 0.7965 GBP to 0.8047 GBP | 0.8129 GBP to 0.8170 GBP |
Pound to Australian Dollar | 1.8175 AUD | 1.7630 AUD to 1.7811 AUD | 1.8148 AUD to 1.8084 AUD |
Australian Dollar to Pound | 0.5502 GBP | 0.5337 GBP to 0.5392 GBP | 0.5447 GBP to 0.5475 GBP |
Pound to Swiss Franc | 1.1288 CHF | 1.0949 CHF to 1.1062 CHF | 1.1175 CHF to 1.1231 CHF |
Pound to Hong Kong Dollar | 9.5573 HKD | 9.3662 HKD to 9.2706 HKD | 9.4617 HKD to 9.5095 HKD |
Pound to UAE Dirham | 4.4727 AED | 4.3385 AED to 4.3832 AED | 4.4280 AED to 4.4503 AED |
Pound to Singaporean Dollar | 1.6336 SGD | 1.5846 SGD to 1.6009 SGD | 1.6172 SGD to 1.6254 SGD |
ANY CURRENCY | – | 2 – 3% Currency Spread | 1% to 0.5% Currency Spread |
* Current rates provided to us by external provider, updated hourly.
** Represeting a 2%-3% bank margin, which is the average bank margin in the UK for internaional currency exchanges based on our indepedent research.
*** Representing a margin of 0.5% to 1% which is the average margin for most trades with brokerages.
Flexible Spreads with Brokerages
As mentioned in the above section the price you will be paying for your transfer in the form of foreign exchange spreads (the bank’s or the provider’s “offered exchange rate” is actually consisting of a spread integrated into it) will vary based on the circumstances of your trade.
First off there is a different spread altogether which varies between a spot trade (exchange money today) and a forward contract (pay a deposit on a transfer that will take place years into the future with a fixed exchange rate).
Secondly, some currencies are just more expensive than other to handle. Major currencies as per definition such as the following pairings: EURUSD, USDJPY, GBPUSD, AUDUSD, USDCAD, USDCHF, NZDUSD are going to, on average, be less costly than exotic currencies. Example of exotic currency pairings would be GBPAED, EURAED, GBPILS, GBPZAR, and these on average have slightly higher spreads because they are less “liquid” i.e. associated with more costs and risks for the bank or provider (this is how foreign exchnge companies make money, and they have to be careful not to take unnceseccary fx risks themselves).
Thirdly, brokers tend to offer better deals based on volumes. The best foreign exchange rates offered to someone exchanging or transferring £10,000 will not be as to someone exchanging £100,000. Moreover, one of the advantages of moving big volumes is that it’s possible to negotiate the exchange rate offered. The best way to do that first off get a quote from your bank but the way banks obfuscate the actual exchange rates offered could be tricky, so this stage can be skipped. The next stage, would be to get a clear quote from another broker (or multiple brokerages) so you’d have a idea where you’re standing. You could also easily colate exchange rate quotes easily enough through online money transfer providers which are cheap and straightforward (but you should know that in some cases brokers won’t be able to match an fx rate that good, and it could still “make sense” to use a broker considering the added values of using a broker vs an online platform, in spite of not obtaining the absolute optimal exchange rate obtainable at the moment).
Rate Alerts – A Powerful Tool
One added value when using a currency broker is to have the ability to subscribe to the exchange rates. For example, if you want to exchange Euro to USD, but that is not an urgent requirement and you are waiting until the EURUSD exchange rate will improve, you can set up a rate alert – a nifty little tool that you can either setup online or through your dedicated currency dealer, in which you ask to execute a certain trade when a certain rate has been hit (or get a phone call to set up a trade when the foreign exchange rates are near where you want them to be).
As much as having lower spreads i.e. obtaining the best fx rate possible of all banks and providers, matter, trading currencies as the right timing could save up as much money for you.
Check Your Spreads on Each Trade
The fact a certain broker made a deal with you with a certain margin you were happy with does not mean the broker will continue to honour the same spreads on each trade you made (unless you have been directly communicated that, which would be very rare of a broker to commit considering their own costs and risks can change over time and impact their spreads – even the world famous cash-strapped Wise have ramped up their margins more than once).
That means it would be a good idea to check for each individual trade what was the margin that was applied and whether the exchange rates offered by that broker are still the best in the market. As recommended in this guide, it is never a bad idea to contact another broker, compare the rates, and potentially go back to your broker to renegotiate the exchange rate markups applied to your trades.
Best Euro, USD, AUD and Sterling Rates: Same Path to Follow
It doesn’t matter if you try to find the best bank exchange rates for your Pound Sterling, Euro, Dollar or any other currency because the options we have covered on this guide will handle the majority of currencies and countries. You will have to follow the same path to obtain the best gbpeur rate, the best gbpusd rate, the best eurusd rate, or any other currency pairing.
How to Make Currency Predictions?
One of the absolute best ways to obtain the best currency exchange rate for your tranfer or trade is to simply make the transaction at the optimal timing in which the relative currency exchagne rate between the currency you are exchanging and the currency you are receiving is the highest. For example, if you traded your GBP to EUR on August 22, 2022, you would have had the best rate of that year (about 1.20). Simply by trading at another time, say a month later circa Sept 11, 2022, you would have only received 1.11 Euro for each Pound Sterling traded. In other words, within 1 month apart, you could have as much as 10% different on the exchange rates.
As mentioned above, rate alerts can be a really good idea to stay in tune with the market and particularly since you can set it to notify you only on specific currency pairings, the tool by itself does not give you forward judgement on the currency rate, it just tells you what’s the current rate.
It can be difficult and tricky to make accurate predictions regarding currency exchange rates, but it may be possible. There are certain things to learn and here are some useful guides on learning how currencies behave and work.
How to Fix the Best Exchange Rate?
If you believe that you are currently enjoying the best USD rate, for example, against the Pound Sterling, then you could switch from Spot Contract (trading currencies right now) into a Forward Contract (fixing current rates for a period of between months and years moving forward). Hedging tools like Forward can be a very useful tool in the array of the currency trader, and are very heavily used by international companeis and HNW. It is for the most part, a useful tool to protect against volatility and uncertainty.
2022 – The Year of Currency Volatility
The world’s forex market was impacted by various factors in 2022, including the Russia/Ukraine War, post-COVID-19 monetary policy, global recession, and disjointed commodities prices. The five most volatile major currencies in 2022 were the United States Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), British Pound Sterling (GBP), Australian Dollar (AUD), and Canadian Dollar (CAD). The USD became volatile due to the Federal Reserve’s shift in policy from accommodative to restrictive to combat inflation. The EUR experienced significant price action due to the European Central Bank’s policy response to rising inflation and recession concerns. The GBP was impacted by Brexit uncertainty and UK’s monetary policy response to inflation. The AUD was driven by the rise in commodity prices, especially iron ore and coal. The CAD was impacted by rising crude oil prices and the Bank of Canada’s monetary policy response to inflation.
Best Exchange Rates for Small Transfers and Remittances?
If you are looking to make a small payment online, or send remittances, then you should consider using Wise (formerly TransferWise) because they have fixed GREAT fx exchange rates (whereas other companies have a system in place in which larger transfers get bigger discounts).
Currency Sent | Wise’s Fee (Lowest for Low Value Transfers) |
---|---|
AUD | 0.32% – 0.45%, depending on amount sent + $ 0.66 AUD fixed payment fee. Best Australian dollar rates for international transfers from Australia. |
BRL | 2.07-2.14%, depending on the amount sent + R$ 4.26 BRL fixed payment fee. Best BRL rates. |
CAD | 0.37% – 0.53%, depending on the amount sent + $ 3.47 CAD fixed payment fee. Best CAD rates for international money transfers from Canada. |
CHF | 0.28% – 0.42%, depending on the amount sentr + 0.75 CHF fixed payment fee. Best CHF rates for money transfers from Switzerland. |
CZK | 0.34% – 0.47%, depending on the amount sent + Kč 7.39 CZK fixed payment fee. Best CZK rates. |
DKK | 0.36% – 0.49%, depending on the amount sent + kr 2.67 DKK. Best Danish Kroner rates. |
EUR | 0.31% – 0.47%, depending on the amount sent + € 0.46 EUR fixed payment fee. Best Euro rates for transferring money from Europe and to Europe. |
JPN | 0.72% of the amount that’s converted + ¥ 91.00 JPY fixed payment fee. Best Japanese Yen Rates. |
NZD | 0.35% – 0.45%, depending on the amount sent + $ 0.41 NZD fixed payment fee. Best NZD rates. |
TRY | 1.03% Fee + ₺ 21.78 TRY fixed payment fee. These are not the best TRY rates currently available online. |
USD | 0.31% – 0.47%, depending on the amount sent + $4.25 USD fixed payment fee. Best USD rates for international money transfers from USA. |
Razor-Sharp Spreads, Excellent FX Rates, But…
As noted earlier in this guide, Wise’s fees (which are all incluive of all fees associted with the transfer other than if you use a debit card or a credit card to fund the transfer, in which case you could end up paying an extra 2-3%) are really good. You could say that other than in some rare cases (like online competitor Currencyfair on some currency routes), these are the best foreign exchange rates for an online transfer, especialy for lower-value transfers (which could be expensive using a brokerage).
So, if Wise’s exchange rate and fees are so good, why recommend alternative providers for larger transfers?
- Wise is an online-only operation which is simply less adequate for many of our readers who want to be contacted locally the currency experts rather than Do It Yourself.
- With Wise, because there are no currency dealers helping you out, it’s more difficult to follow rates and exchange at an optimal timing (unless you DIY).
- With Wise, there are slightly better fees for those transferring large volumes, but since spreads are not flexible, it is possible to achieve a better-than-Wise exchange rate using a broker.
- With Wise, there are no Forward Contract available. Forward Contract can often be the best, most risk averse, way to hadle a large payment due in the future.
- With Wise the fx rates offered for business payments are not as good as WorldFirst for large volumes.
Wise Alternatives with Similar FX Spreads
As a whole OFX can be a little less cheap than Wise when it comes to its FX rates, but it’s a better rated brand by us and their exchange rates are great, have a look below:
- Interbank Rate:
- 1.14
- Interbank X Amount:
- 11,408.01
- EUR
- Bank Wire Fees:
- 15
- GBP
- OFX Wire Fees:
- 0
- GBP
- Bank Rate:
- 1.116
- OFX Rate:
- 1.127
- You Get With Bank:
- 11,140.30
- EUR
- You Get with OFX:
- 11,267.69
- EUR
Disclaimers and such:
- Interbank rates used by this calculator were obtained through a third party service. This service can be delayed, inaccurate or unavailable and we do not assume responsibility if some some reason the current interbank rates are not correct.
- OFX rates were done through sampling the rates offered for an individual using the OFX system; we applied their fees (which are always $0) and the spreads to the current interbank rate. These are purely indicative rates and you would only know the actual bottom-line trade after you have signed up with them and received a quote from them. Neither MoneyTransferComparison nor OFX commits to transact at the rate displayed. With that being said, these rates should be around accurate.
- Bank rates and fees were done through extensive sampling and applying the fees and rates based on currency pairings to the current interbank rates. Your bank may have better or worse rates than the ones displayed. We recommend that while using this money transfer fee calculator you would log into your bank’s website and see how much currency you are getting for your currency from them.
- Hence, saving displayed is purely indicative.
How to Determine Future Exchange Rates
Other than following publications like Bloomberg and keep a tab with the news you could also educate yourself on the movement of currency exchange rates. Your can formulate your own Pound Sterling forecasts, Euro rate forecast, US dollar exchange forecast, or other currencies you are dealing with, by learning more on how currency exchange rates move:

Cost of Living in Switzerland Vs UK
The UK and Switzerland are both exceptional countries that offer promising prospects for anyone looking to relocate. However, when it

Cost Of Living In Spain Vs UK
When it comes to the cost of living in Spain versus the UK, it’s clear that the Spanish know how

Cost Of Living In New Zealand Vs USA
Between New Zealand and the United States of America, the cost of living is cheaper by up to 22% in

Cost Of Living In Canada Vs UK
Are you thinking about relocating to Canada or the UK and curious how much it will cost to live there?

Cost of Living in Australia Vs Canada
Whether you prefer the Land Down Under or the Great White North, both Australia and Canada offer a high standard

Cost Of Living In Australia Vs UK
Australia and the UK offer compelling relocation options owing to their top-notch educational systems, high standards of living, and diverse

Cost Of Living In Spain Vs USA
The United States of America and Spain are among the best places to live in the world, but they are

Cost Of Living In France Vs USA
France is a treasure mine of history, stunning architecture, and delectable gastronomy. Living there comes at a steep price, which

Cost Of Living In Australia Vs US
The United States and Australia are two countries on the list of attractive destinations for international migrants. There are several

Cost of Living in Portugal vs USA
Depending on your personal needs and preferences, living in Portugal or the United States can be a wonderful experience. Although

Cost of living in Colorado vs Texas
Cowboys and rodeos, delicious food and beer served in generous amounts, and a Wild West heritage — Colorado and Texas

Economic Calendar UK
The table below, detailing the most important economic events that impact the economy and currency rates in 2023, can help

Brexit: Timeline, Impact and Aftermath
It’s January 31, 2023 and it’s been three years since the momentous occasion of Brexit. The United Kingdom’s departure from

Terrorism’s Impact on Economy
When there are terrorist attacks, globally, and they are making headlines , shocking the whole free world, many investors, workers,

Cost of living in Florida vs California
If you love the tropical climate and are keen on living the laidback beach life, you’re probably debating moving to

Cost Of Living In New Zealand Vs Australia
Australia and New Zealand are among the most popular choices for those looking to move to a country with a

Technical Analysis for Beginners
If you understand the fundamentals of foreign exchange rates like economic indicators and wish to be able to do comprehensive

South African Emigration Patterns and Their Impact on the South African Economy
Recently it has become popular for the white population of South Africa to emigrate to other countries. Given that the

Major Historical & Economical Events Which Impacted Currency Rates
As long as people have been using money, economic events have had a major impact on humanity. History has been

The fine links between Inflation, Interest Rates and Government Bonds
If you want something even broader than this you can have a look at our how the economy impacts currency

Undervalued and Overvalued Economic Indicators
Today, we will look at what I think are the three most useless economic indicators that investors and traders should

Why over-regulation doesn’t protect customers
Regulation is supposed to be a means of controlling something, or at least, restricting its effects. Typically, regulation in any

Oil Prices Impact on Currency Rates and Economy
Changes in oil prices are a vital component for the global economy given the impact on both growth and inflation.

What is Currency Pegging and Is It Healthy for the Economy?
Various countries and governments around the world have been seeking to stabilize their countries’ economies by pegging their domestic currency

Trade Account: How Does it impact currencies?
A fundamental building block of currency valuations Although data can receive little attention for extended periods, the trade performance is

What is the LIBOR rate and how does it impact currency rates?
The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plays a key role in the global currency economy and in major currency events in

International Invoicing for SME’s
Small and medium enterprises (SME) in the UK are increasingly trading on a global scale. Foreign trade allows them to
Best Exchange Rates for Businesses and Online Sellers:
When you are a business or an online seller, we believe that getting the best exchange rates has a whole different meaning.
Yes, similarly to large bank transfers or smaller transfers the actual margins applied to the FX rate is significant but there are added features that could impact the exchange rate to a greater degree.
How to get a better exchagne rate as a business?
1) Have someone to speak to on the other hand that will negotiate the margins with you. As a business it wouldn’t be unheard of to see margins of lower than 0.5% across all currencies and as low as 0.2% for large clients and corporations. For example, WorldFirst used to publish their margins/rates online (they no longer do) and this is how it looked:
Indicative Rates for Business FX Rates
Forex Pair | Interbank exchange rate* | Your average bank’s rate **** | Provider’s best rate (large transfes)** | Provider’s min. rate*** |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pound to Euro | 1.1408 EUR | 1.1180 EUR | 1.1391 EUR | 1.1351 EUR |
Euro to Pound | 0.8766 GBP | 0.8590 GBP | 0.8753 GBP | 0.8722 GBP |
Pound to Dollar | 1.2178 USD | 1.1935 USD | 1.2160 USD | 1.2117 USD |
Dollar to Pound | 0.8211 GBP | 0.8047 GBP | 0.8199 GBP | 0.8170 GBP |
Pound to Australian Dollar | 1.8175 AUD | 1.7811 AUD | 1.8148 AUD | 1.8084 AUD |
Australian Dollar to Pound | 0.5502 GBP | 0.5392 GBP | 0.5494 GBP | 0.5475 GBP |
Pound to Swiss Franc | 1.1288 CHF | 1.1062 CHF | 1.1271 CHF | 1.1231 CHF |
Pound to Hong Kong Dollar | 9.5573 HKD | 9.2706 HKD | 9.5430 HKD | 9.5095 HKD |
Pound to UAE Dirham | 4.4727 AED | 4.3385 AED | 4.4660 AED | 4.4503 AED |
Pound to Singaporean Dollar | 1.6336 SGD | 1.5846 SGD | 1.6311 SGD | 1.6254 SGD |
ANY CURRENCY | – | 2 – 5% Currency Spread | 0.15% Currency Spread | 0.5% Currency Spread |
While these margins, which used to be be the best business FX rates bar none, are no longer in effect (or not advertised on Worldfirst’s website anymore), you could use these rates could be an indication of the margins you would negotiate with your business fx provider.
2) Use limit order – a limit order essentially means “buy a certain currency” or “sell a certain currency” when the currency foreign exchagne rate is at a certain point. The risk of using a limit order is that it may never come into effect (if the desired rate doesn’t hit) but in very volatile periods, a well placed limit order can definitely get the best fx rate in a sense that if the limit order is placed to a rate that is BETTER than the current interbank, it means the exchange rate for your bank transfer surpasses any rate possible today.
3) Similarly to the last point, using fx hedging solutions like booking a Forward Contract can prove to be a lot more significant than the FX spread that is applied to the exchange rate; by booking a Forward you could fix today’s rate for a period of 12 or even 24 months into the future and (if you made the right prediction) get a much better exchangte rate than you would have (if the rates worsened during this period).
To summarize, the most important thing when it comes to business transfer exchange rates many not be the actual spread offered by a certain provider but rather the level, quality and diversity of service.
If you need to get the best rate for receiving large amounts from abroad then you should consider inquiring about Multi-Currency virtual bank accounts. WorldFirst also boasts such a virtual currency account for its business clients, and it’s one of the best EUR accounts and best USD accounts as per our comparison.
Best Exchange Rates for Travelers
Although the focus of Money Transfer Comparison is strictly for international money transers from one bank account to another bank account, there is a great deal of demand for the best exchange rates for travel, and one of the companies we have covered extensively on our guide offers just that.
Wise Multi-Currency Card
The aforementioned Wise offers more functionality for its customes than a simple online money transfer service with superb foreign exchange rates. It also enables customers to collect payments from abroad and store funds in 8 different currencies on their Wise international account. In practice, Wise’s multi-currency account is a form of a virtual bank account – and the kicker is, for travelers specifically, that customers in UK, EU, USA and Australia (as well as multiple other countries) are able to issue a multi-currency card attached to that virtual bank account. That card has no FX exchange rate fees and debits one’s wise account automatically.
For example, if you are in the UK and traveling to Europe, you could get the best GBPEUR exchange rate by transferring money to your Wise account, exchange it to Euros, and then spend it in Euros via the Wise Multi-Currency Account and Debit Card.
The New Best Exchange Rate Model?
An innovation that has come into this convulted industry where hunderds of banks and providers operate is a fixed-payment subscription to use a money transfer service which grants customers with the actual, interbank, foreign exchange rates. Sokin Money Transfer is a money transfer provider that was estbalished in 2019 but hasn’t launched until 2021 which offers excactly that. For a mere amount of £10 a month, you will grant access, as per Sokin to:
- Free when receiving money
- Free virtual wallet
- Free IBAN Account
- Free virtual payment card
- 86% recycled Sokin debit card
- Send money to 200+ countries
- Exchange 38+ currencies
- Priority customer support
- Multiple payment methods
- No limit on withdrawals to external bank account
While there is no clarity which exchnge rate or markup is applied for “free users” who have not signed up with the premium membership as per above, it still means that premium customers, at least, are going to pay very little per trade. For example, based on what Sokin claims to offer, a customer paying £1m to USD will only pay those £10 membership fees while getting the actual interbank GBPUSD exchange rate (the best GBPUD exchange rate possible). That’s a 0.001% spread.
While this is an interesting prospect to consider and what could be the future of fx payments we are generally skeptical about the long term viability of such a pricing model. In a way, Sokin would have to be profitable one day to justify its business and considering that Wise profit margin is just below 6%, and it means that they will either change their pricing altogether or shut down at a point in time.
Current, Official, Foreign Exchange Rates
Rates are updated on an hourly basis from an external provider. We do not guarantee accuracy. These are not rates for foreign currency bank transfers but rather the official rate used in trading between central banks. To view the best foreign exchange rate for bank transfers click here.
Common Currency Pairs – From GBP
Current Pound to Euro Rate:
- 1 Pound is €1.1408 EUR
- 10,000 Pound are €11,408.0128 EUR
Current Pound to US Dollars Rate:
- 1 Pound is $1.2178 USD
- 10,000 Pounds are $12,178.2506 USD
Current Pound to Australian Dollars Rate:
- 1 Pound is A$1.8175 AUD
- 10,000 Pounds are A$18,174.8212 AUD
Current Pound to Japanese Yen Rate: 1 Pound is
- ¥161.1645 JPY
- 10,000 Pounds are ¥1,611,645.3304 JPY
Current Pound to South African Rand Rate: 1 Pound is
- R22.3950 ZAR
- 10,000 Pounds are R223,949.5041 ZAR
Current Pound to New Zealand Dollar Rate:
- 1 Pound is $1.9468 NZD
- 10,000 Pounds are $19,467.7861 NZD
Less Common Currencies Pairings – From GBP
- Pound to Canadian Dollar Rate: 1 Pound is $1.6704 CAD.
- Pound to Israeli New Shekel Rate: 1 Pound is ₪4.4651 ILS.
- Pound to Hong Kong Dollar Rate: 1 Pound is $9.5573 HKD.
- Pound to United Arab Emirates Dirham Rate: 1 Pound is 4.4727 AED.
- Pound to Brazilian Real Rate: 1 Pound is R$6.4248 BRL.
- Pound to Argentine Peso Rate: 1 Pound is $246.1005 ARS.
- Pound to Mexican Peso Rate: 1 Pound is $23.0400 MXN.
- Pound to Chinese Yuan Rate: 1 Pound is ¥8.3911 CNY.
- Pound to Indian Rupee Rate: 1 Pound is R100.4620 INR.
Common Currency Pairs – From EUR
Current Euro to Pound Rate:
- 1 Euro is £0.8766 GBP
- 10,000 Euro are £8,765.7686 GBP
Current Euro to US Dollars Rate:
- 1 Euro is $1.0675 USD
- 10,000 Euros are $10,675.1726 USD
Current Euro to Australian Dollars Rate: 1 Euro is
- A$1.5932 AUD
- 10,000 Euros are A$15,931.6277 AUD
Current Euro to Japanese Yen Rate:
- 1 Euro is ¥141.2731 JPY
- 10,000 Euros are ¥1,412,730.9974 JPY
Current Euro to South African Rand Rate:
- 1 Euro is R19.6309 ZAR
- 10,000 Euros are R196,308.9523 ZAR
Current Euro to New Zealand Dollar Rate:
- 1 Euro is $1.7065 NZD
- 10,000 Euros are $17,065.0107 NZD
Less Common Pairings – From Euro
- Euro to Canadian Dollar Rate: 1 Euro is $1.4642 CAD.
- Euro to Israeli New Shekel Rate: 1 Euro is ₪3.9140 ILS.
- Euro to Hong Kong Dollar Rate: 1 Euro is $8.3777 HKD.
- Euro to United Arab Emirates Dirham Rate: 1 Euro is 3.9206 AED.
- Euro to Brazilian Real Rate: 1 Euro is R$5.6318 BRL.
- Euro to Argentine Peso Rate: 1 Euro is $215.7260 ARS.
- Euro to Mexican Peso Rate: 1 Euro is $20.1964 MXN.
- Euro to Chinese Yuan Rate: 1 Euro is ¥7.3554 CNY.
- Euro to Indian Rupee Rate: 1 Euro is R88.0627 INR.
Common Currency Pairs – From USD
Current US Dollar to Euro Rate:
- 1 US Dollar is €0.9368 EUR
- 10,000 US Dollar are €9,367.5300 EUR
Current US Dollar to Pound Rate:
- 1 US Dollar is £0.8211 GBP
- 10,000 US Dollars are £8,211.3600 GBP
Current US Dollar to Australian Dollars Rate:
- 1 US Dollar is A$1.4924 AUD
- 10,000 US Dollars are A$14,924.0000 AUD
Current US Dollar to Japanese Yen Rate:
- 1 US Dollar is ¥132.3380 JPY
- 10,000 US Dollars are ¥1,323,380.0000 JPY
Current US Dollar to South African Rand Rate:
- 1 US Dollar is R18.3893 ZAR
- 10,000 US Dollars are R183,893.0000 ZAR
Current US Dollar to New Zealand Dollar Rate:
- 1 US Dollar is $1.5986 NZD
- 10,000 US Dollars are $15,985.7000 NZD
Less Common Pairings – From USD
- US Dollar to Canadian Dollar Rate: 1 US Dollar is €1.3716 CAD.
- US Dollar to Israeli New Shekel Rate: 1 US Dollar is ₪3.6665 ILS.
- US Dollar to Hong Kong Dollar Rate: 1 US Dollar is $7.8479 HKD.
- US Dollar to United Arab Emirates Dirham Rate: 1 US Dollar is 3.6727 AED.
- US Dollar to Brazilian Real Rate: 1 US Dollar is R$5.2756 BRL.
- US Dollar to Argentine Peso Rate: 1 US Dollar is $202.0820 ARS.
- US Dollar to Mexican Peso Rate: 1 US Dollar is $18.9190 MXN.
- US Dollar to Chinese Yuan Rate: 1 US Dollar is ¥6.8902 CNY.
- US Dollar to Indian Rupee Rate: 1 US Dollar is R82.4930 INR
Common Currency Pairs – From AUD
Current Australian Dollar to Euro Rate:
- 1 Australian Dollar is €0.6277 EUR
- 10,000 Australian Dollar are €6,276.8226 EUR
Current Australian Dollar to Pound Rate:
- 1 Australian Dollar is £0.5502 GBP
- 10,000 Australian Dollars are £5,502.1174 GBP
Current Australian Dollar to US Dollar Rate:
- 1 Australian Dollar is$0.6701 USD
- 10,000 Australian Dollars are $6,700.6165 USD
Current Australian Dollar to Japanese Yen Rate:
- 1 Australian Dollar is ¥88.6746 JPY
- 10,000 Australian Dollars are ¥886,746.1806 JPY
Current Australian Dollar to South African Rand Rate:
- 1 Australian Dollar is R12.3220 ZAR
- 10,000 Australian Dollars are R123,219.6462 ZAR
Current Australian Dollar to New Zealand Dollar Rate:
- 1 Australian Dollar is $1.0711 NZD
- 10,000 Australian Dollars are $10,711.4044 NZD
Less Common Pairings – From AUD
- Australian Dollar to Canadian Dollar Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is €0.9191 CAD.
- Australian Dollar to Israeli New Shekel Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is ₪2.4567 ILS.
- Australian Dollar to Hong Kong Dollar Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is $5.2585 HKD.
- Australian Dollar to United Arab Emirates Dirham Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is 2.4609 AED.
- Australian Dollar to Brazilian Real Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is R$3.5350 BRL.
- Australian Dollar to Argentine Peso Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is $135.4074 ARS.
- Australian Dollar to Mexican Peso Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is $12.6769 MXN.
- Australian Dollar to Chinese Yuan Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is ¥4.6169 CNY.
- Australian Dollar to Indian Rupee Rate: 1 Australian Dollar is R55.2754 INR
The Best Exchange Rates in History
Below, we will provide a list of the best exchange rates in history to give some perspective.
- The best GBP to EUR exchange rate in history was 1.75 in May, 2000.
- The best EUR to GBP exchange rate in history was 0.97 in December, 2008.
- The best GBP to USD exchange rate in history was 2.64 in March, 1972.
- The best USD to GBP exchange rate in history was 0.95 in February, 1985.
- The best EUR to USD exchange rate in history was 1.59 in April, 2008.
- The best USD to EUR exchange rate in history was 1.21 in October, 2000.
- The best GBP to AUD exchange rate in history was 3.03 in September, 2001.
- The best AUD to GBP exchange rate in history was 0.78 in October, 1976.
- The best EUR to AUD exchange rate in history was 2.07 in December, 2008.
- The best AUD to EUR exchange rate in history was 0.85 in August, 2012.
- The best USD to AUD exchange rate in history was 2.07 in April, 2001.
- The best AUD to USD exchange rate in history was 1.48 in March, 1974.
- The best GBP to JPY exchange rate in history was 1014.1 in March, 1962.
- The best USD to JPY exchange rate in history was 359.8 in July, 1970.
- The best AUD to JPY exchange rate in history was 402.97 in July, 1970.
Best Exchange Rates in History Table
From Currency | To Currency | Rate | Date |
GBP | EUR | 1.75 | May-00 |
EUR | GBP | 0.97 | Dec-08 |
GBP | USD | 2.64 | Mar-72 |
USD | GBP | 0.95 | Feb-85 |
EUR | USD | 1.59 | Apr-08 |
USD | EUR | 1.21 | Oct-00 |
GBP | AUD | 3.03 | Sep-01 |
AUD | GBP | 0.78 | Oct-76 |
EUR | AUD | 2.07 | Dec-08 |
AUD | EUR | 0.85 | Aug-12 |
USD | AUD | 2.07 | Apr-01 |
AUD | USD | 1.48 | Mar-74 |
GBP | JPY | 1014.1 | Mar-62 |
USD | JPY | 359.8 | Jul-70 |
AUD | JPY | 402.97 | Jul-70 |
Summary – discovering the best exchange rates
- The foreign exchange interbank rate is the official rate banks use when trading currencies with each other.
- A bank’s international foreign exchange rates made available to clients (“buy rate” and “sell rate”) are not the current interbank rates. Alas, they contain a built-in spread which represent a large invisible fee.
- Banks’ fx rates for bank to bank transfers can be 2.5% worse than the interbank fx rate.
- The best exchange rates for internaitonal money transfers are still usually not as good as the specialist broker’s best FX rate for bank money transfers. The dedicated companies/brokerages can provide you with a better-than-bank foreign exchange rate.
- We believe WorldFirst has the best FX for international money transfers offer currently on the market for businesses only.
- For non-businesse clients we recommend checking the best rated money transfer companies.
- There are many considerations when choosing a provider that go beyond the best exchange rate offered.
- The Pound to Euro and Pound to USD exchange rate are expected to rattle throughout 2021.