In this guide we explain how to transfer money from France to USA and how to transfer money from USA to France. We’ll run through the common pitfalls to watch out for and provide solutions for the cheapest way to transfer money from USA to France. There’ll be specific tips for transferring large sums of money from USA to France and we’ll ultimately determine the best way to send money to USA from France.
Best Way to Send Money to USA from France and USA to France
Currencies Direct: Best Rated Globally, Strong USA Presence
- 96% Positive Feedback from Customers, Since 1996
- Service Oriented - Specialising in Large Transfers - Friendly Dealers
- Very Competitive Rates, No Wire Fees
OFX: Best for Transfers to Canada, Asia and Australia
- Traded publicly, very well known name in the currency business
- Great online platform and mobile app - easy to use, comprehend an sign up with
- Good rates even for small transfers, and no transfer fees
Moneycorp: Best for Businesses and Sophisticated Transfers
- Personal and close service, perfect for large international money transfers and businesses
- Competitive exchange rates and no transfer fees
- Many industry and business awards - operating since 1979
Remitly: Best for transfers to Mexico
- Transfer from $1
- Remittances-Oriented
- Great Online Platform
WorldRemit: Best for transfers to Africa and India
- Transfer from $1
- Send to 130 Countries
- Remittances-Oriented
Why NOT Use a Bank for USA-France Money Transfers
Speed, ease and cost are some of the major considerations that will determine the best way to move money between France and the US. To avoid lengthy delays, poor service and overpaying in fees, the most important thing you can do is to side step your bank. To achieve the best exchange rates and pay the lowest fees on a wire transfer from France to USA, use a dedicated international money transfer service.
Specialized international money transfer companies provide fast, free international transfers, bank-beating exchange rates and no hidden charges. International payments is all they do, so clients receive a specialised service, provided by a team of currency experts. French or English speaking account managers are on hand to provide personal guidance.
How to Transfer Money From France to USA?
To transfer money from France to the USA, you’ll have to find and register with a payment provider, initiate your transfer, and then fund your deal so that the transfer can be sent.
It really is as simple as that.
However, whilst it isn’t particularly complicated, there are things you should be aware of if you want to avoid unnecessary stress and overpaying in fees. For the most part, it’s just about choosing the right provider for your criteria.
Step 1: Choose a Payment Provider
Decide on your selection criteria to make a decision – the cost to make the transfer, how quick it reaches its destination, the safety of your money and the quality of the service provided are the four important elements we run through here.
Cost
An independent analysis on international money transfer costs found that American banks apply high payment fees and high foreign exchange markups on international currency transfers. French banks charge even higher payment fees but do apply smaller foreign exchange markups. However, despite having lower FX markups than US banks, they are still much higher than dedicated payment specialists.
Sending money from USA to France with Wells Fargo would see a $30 payment fee and 3.64% FX markup applied.
Transferring money from France to USA with BNP Paribas, one of the best banks for sending money internationally, would see a €100 payment fee and 1.9% FX markup applied.
When transferring large sums of money from USA to France, the FX markup will have even more of an impact. On a $100,000 transfer, paying an extra 3% in the foreign exchange markup would equate to paying $3,000 more than necessary.
To make sure you don’t get stung by unnecessary fees, it’s best to sign up with multiple providers. It’s then easy to compare the rates on offer from the likes of Currencies Direct and moneycorp.
A dedicated specialist will prove the cheapest way to send money abroad in 99% of cases. Don’t just take our word for it though, compare the rates with your bank and see for yourself.
Aside from the standalone fees, timing your trade will have a big influence on the rate you achieve too.
Service / Solutions
If you want to achieve a better rate by timing your FX trade when the rate is in your favour, there are a couple of things which can help.
Firstly, if you’ve registered with a currency broker, you’ll be appointed with a currency expert to manage your account. Speak with your account manager to better understand what might impact the EURUSD rate moving forward and what hedging tools might be helpful for your situation.
Secondly, having access to a variety of hedging tools will also provide greater flexibility to either lock in today’s rate for the future or setup a target rate that you’d like to trade at in the future.
Take this example…
On the 29 Nov 2022, the EURUSD rate was 1.03. On the 8 Dec 2022, the EURUSD rate was 1.06. In just over one week, the rate shifted quite substantially. If you were transferring large amounts of money from France to USA, say €100,000, you would have received either $103,000 or $106,000, depending on the date you made your transfer.
Currency markets move up and down, and whilst there’s no guarantee the market will move in your favour, it’s worth having the guidance or a currency specialist to understand the tools you have at your disposal and what direction the EURUSD currency pair is heading – trading from one day to the next could be the difference in thousands or euros/dollars.
Speed
When you transfer money from France to USA with a bank, say SocGen or Bank of America the money is sent over the SWIFT network.
SWIFT is an antiquated system that moves money to its destination through a route of connected or ‘intermediary’ banks, levying big transfer fees. Generally, payments made over SWIFT are slow. EURUSD transfers are one of the few currency trades that do get made the same day. However, you’d have to make sure the payment was made first thing, and, given the time zone differences, international money transfers from USA to France will likely reach their destination the next day.
Specialised international money transfer providers employ other processes which help their customers’ money get to their destination faster. The top-rated companies work across and hold bank accounts in multiple countries, including the US and Europe. This allows these providers to accept local transfers to fund deals, and pay beneficiaries with local transfers too, avoiding the SWIFT network.
Safety
Major US banks and French banks are generally regarded to be very safe options to transfer money from France to USA or transfer money to France from USA.
If you opt for a specialist currency company, working with a regulated provider is a must. A regulated company has to have processes and procedures in place to move money in segregated and safeguarded client accounts.
Opting for a reputable and financially strong currency specialist also goes to improve the safety of your money transfer from France to USA. A company like moneycorp moves over $50 billion on behalf of its customers every year and has been operating since the 1970’s.
Reflect on these factors and base your selection criteria on what’s most important to you.
There are various international money transfer companies to choose from in France and various US international money transfer companies in the USA too.
Step 2: Register With One or Multiple Providers
Once you’ve decided on the right provider for your criteria, go ahead and register with them. Registration shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes.
Regulated providers are legally required to verify customers in order to combat financial crime so you may need to send a copy of your ID and proof of address. Nowadays, a number of currency brokers have automated verification tools which can make this instant.
Step 3: Initiate Your Wire Transfer From France to USA / USA to France
Once your account is verified, you can start sending money.
When making a transfer, there are two important elements.
First, you have to agree to the FX rate. If you’re working with a currency broker, why not try and negotiate it over the phone – you should be able to when transferring large sums of money from USA to France.
Second, you’ll have to input the details of the account you want your money going to.
When transferring money from USA to a France bank account, you’ll need to input the IBAN or International Bank Account Number. It will look like this:
France: IBAN format: 27 Alpha Numerical Digits
FRkk BBBB BGGG GGCC CCCC CCCC CXX
FR = Country code
kk = Check Digits
B = Bank Code
G = Code Guichet (branch)
C = Account No.
X = Clé RIB
When transferring money from a France bank account to a USA bank account, you’ll need to provide:
- Beneficiary Bank BIC/SWIFT – 8 or 11 characters
- ABA Number
- Beneficiary Address
Before confirming the trade, double check the details are right to avoid delays, or worse, your money going to the wrong account. You can’t always get your money back if it goes to the wrong account!
Step 4: Funding the Deal
If you’re sending money from France to USA, you should be able to make a bank transfer over CORE or SEPA. Or you can use a debit/credit card. Using a credit card will incur lofty fees as it’s regarded as a cash transfer.
When sending money from USA to France, you should be able to fund via fedwire/ACH or by using a debit/credit card.
Once you’ve sent your money, that’s it, the payment provider will handle everything from here. You’ll be able to monitor the progress of your payment online or just wait for confirmation once it’s gone through.
What is the Best Way to Transfer Money From USA to France?
The best way to transfer money from USA to France is by using a currency specialist. A currency specialist is completely geared to handling international transfers, making the whole process smooth and easy. Their online system is built specifically for wiring money internationally and the support staff are experts in foreign exchange.
Depending on what’s most important to you, we also recommend providers by certain factors below.
Best For: Service
moneycorp is a global payments fintech that helps clients navigate what can be a complex international payments market. They’ve built a reputation for having a team of knowledgeable and professional currency dealers that can assist with one-off or recurring international transfers. English and French speaking account managers are on-hand to discuss individual requirements and suggest suitable FX strategies to get the most out of your transfer.
Best For: FX Solutions
Currencies Direct provides customers with a range of solutions, including; spot contracts, forward contracts, market/stop loss orders, rate alerts and even FX options for business. All of which could help you achieve a better rate, or protect you from adverse movements in EURUSD.
Best For: Safety
Currencies Direct, which has been moving money on behalf of its clients for over 25 years, is a highly reputable money transfer service.
The firm is regulated by the FCA in the UK, the Bank of Spain in Europe and is registered with FinCEN in the US. As part of their regulatory approval, Currencies Direct operates a number of safeguarding policies for handling client money. With over 500 staff and a senior leadership team with vast experience, Currencies Direct is one of the safest ways to transfer money between France and the US.
Best For: Transferring Large Sums of Money From USA to France / Transferring Large Amounts of Money From France to USA
Currencies Direct and moneycorp help thousands of clients each year transfer large sums abroad or receive large sums from abroad. They both offer a range of hedging solutions, supported by a team of currency experts. On hand to recommend individual risk management strategies.
Best For: Paying Staff
The US-headquartered Papaya Global is a tech-focused global payroll service offering international payroll and one-off international salary transfers. They can absolutely help with payroll transfers to France and the US, and in the instance that businesses have no registered entity in either country, Papaya Global can also assist with their employer of record services available in both countries.
What is the Cheapest Way to Send Money to France from USA?
The cheapest way to send money to France from USA is by using a dedicated currency specialist. According to independent analysis, currency specialists regularly demonstrate bank-beating exchange rates and lower international transfer fees.
Some currency specialists are better for smaller transfers and some are better for larger transfers.
Online-only providers are generally the cheapest way to transfer money abroad for smaller sums and currency brokers are usually cheaper for larger amounts.
Cheapest Way to Send Money to France From USA < $10,000: Wise
Wise is your best bet when sending under $10,000/€10,000. Wise’s transparent fees can be easily calculated through their online calculator and they’ve demonstrated in the past that they can be up to 9x cheaper than banks. They’re probably cheaper than currency specialists on smaller amounts too.
Cheapest Way to Transfer Money to USA From France > $10,000: Currencies Direct
Currencies Direct and other brokers provide a lower FX markup on high value transfers. The more money you send, the better the rate you can achieve. For money transfers from USA to France over $10,000, it’s best to compare the exchange rates on offer by at least two brokers.
When transferring large sums of money from the USA to France, it’s even more important to compare your options. What may appear to be a small difference in the exchange rate could make a significant impact on the amount you receive at the end of the transfer.
The FX rate will differ from provider-to-provider and is continuously moving throughout the day. Currencies Direct charges no transfer fees, has low FX markups on high-value transfers and has an experienced team of currency specialists that can help you receive the best value with your money transfer from France to USA.
Why Money Transfers Between USA and France are so Popular?
Transferring money from USA to France is very popular. In fact, other than remittances corridors like Mexico or Pakistan, this may be the most popular destination to send money to, bar none. Americans, and particularly wealthy Americans, love their French property – whether it’s holiday homes / second home, or as an investment. Americans are also fond of moving abroad to France, being the most most popular travel destination (62,000 American expats in France currently).
Similarly, sending money from France to USA is done for the same reasons. French people put USA as one of the most popular countries to relocate to with more than a whooping 1.5m French expats in the U.S, and love to invest in North American property.
For those reasons the USA-France corridor is a very popular route of transfer, similar to the France-UK corridor.
Final Say: Best Money Transfer USA to France
US banks are notorious for charging high payment fees and high FX markups. French banks are more competitive but still remain more cumbersome and more expensive than dedicated international transfer providers. Currency specialists are completely geared to transferring money from a France bank account to a USA bank account. So before sending money from France to the USA, compare your options, compare the rates on offer and consider joining the millions of individuals and businesses who already use these firms for their money transfers from France to USA.
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