Send £100k to a USA bank account
Send £100k to a USA bank account
Author
Discussion

Wilmslowboy

Original Poster:

4,761 posts

235 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2022
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I want to send just over £100k to a friend in the USA (chase bank account), I have a Uk Santander account.

I quick look suggests Santander exchange will amount to something in the region of £3k

Is there a cheaper way? Doesn't need to be the same/ next day.




CharlesElliott

2,260 posts

311 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2022
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Use Transferwise or open a premium Revolut account.

Expect some additional money laundering checks though.

8.4L 154

5,775 posts

282 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2022
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I used Xe.com to send 60k a long while back (2011) , not sure how easy it is to get a high value transfer account today and not sure their rates are as competitive as they once were. but for example a quote just now would yield $134,740.00 from your £100k with rates at 1.3473 (0.7422).

I have a vague recollection I transferred the money to them via chaps at the time which would have incurred additional fees, they may well just run it through a debit card now though.

Wilmslowboy

Original Poster:

4,761 posts

235 months

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
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Thanks for the replies

All seems a bit harder (and expensive) than it needs to be.


PistonHead007

433 posts

60 months

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
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I used Wise.com for euros and it was easy to setup.

Looking at your numbers they'll do 1.36 which is very close to interbank and the fee is £349. What's wrong with that?

Carbon Sasquatch

5,222 posts

93 months

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
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I have Revolut Metal so would use that.

If I didn't already have it then Wise would be the way I'd go.

Carbon Sasquatch

5,222 posts

93 months

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
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I've used Revolut at those sort of levels fro transactions between accounts that I own, but only in smaller amounts to pay third parties.

Wise will cost you a bit more, but likely has better support too..... tough call

CantDecide

269 posts

231 months

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
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Another vote for Wise (formerly transferwise). Very quick and clear on fees.

Wilmslowboy

Original Poster:

4,761 posts

235 months

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
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Thanks

Will check out wise and if not revolt.


HRH2009

192 posts

207 months

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
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My daughter and son in law sold property in London and moved a sizeable six figure sum to The Netherlands. Wise charges and exchange rate were far ahead of their high street bank.

I have used Wise myself without any issues whatsoever.

flat16

354 posts

263 months

Thursday 24th February 2022
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If you're using Wise for such a large sum, be careful. I sent $5K USD 8 days ago, and after 2 days, site told me that the money was sent. 4 days ago I got an email asking all manner of questions, when it's a firm I've paid many times over a period of years, with the same acc number. I sent them a copy of the invoice and answered all the Qs, but they still can't tell me where the money is. The supplier in Taiwan (it's a part no longer made in the UK, alas) hasn't been paid and - obviously - won't ship the parts (urgently needed, months behind schedule). The TW firn is established 40 years. I have a website, SM presence and everything to show I'm a legit trader.

Wise only reply to about 1/5 emails. I tried to call them, and got a woman who spoke loudly over me. When I tried the online chat box, I got the same response 'it'll arrive in 2-5 days'. No one can tell me where the cash is, or when it'll arrive. I've been told that I can't have a refund, one piece of info they did tell me.

I've used them without trouble for years and accept well into 6 figures a year using them (I told them this and it didn't change their tone at all - High St banks change their tone when they know you have good turnover). I won't be using them again and am quite worried about where the cash is.

Wise is great when it works, but when it doesn't, you won't get any answers at all. Methinks that they offer good rates because they are stripped to the bone in terms of staff and the level of training given to staff. I'm no defender of the Big Four, but when something goes wrong, you get a reason and you get taken seriously. Be warned!

Wilmslowboy

Original Poster:

4,761 posts

235 months

Thursday 24th February 2022
quotequote all
Bloody hell, I’d hate to wondering where my £115k had gone.




flat16 said:
If you're using Wise for such a large sum, be careful. I sent $5K USD 8 days ago, and after 2 days, site told me that the money was sent. 4 days ago I got an email asking all manner of questions, when it's a firm I've paid many times over a period of years, with the same acc number. I sent them a copy of the invoice and answered all the Qs, but they still can't tell me where the money is. The supplier in Taiwan (it's a part no longer made in the UK, alas) hasn't been paid and - obviously - won't ship the parts (urgently needed, months behind schedule). The TW firn is established 40 years. I have a website, SM presence and everything to show I'm a legit trader.

Wise only reply to about 1/5 emails. I tried to call them, and got a woman who spoke loudly over me. When I tried the online chat box, I got the same response 'it'll arrive in 2-5 days'. No one can tell me where the cash is, or when it'll arrive. I've been told that I can't have a refund, one piece of info they did tell me.

I've used them without trouble for years and accept well into 6 figures a year using them (I told them this and it didn't change their tone at all - High St banks change their tone when they know you have good turnover). I won't be using them again and am quite worried about where the cash is.

Wise is great when it works, but when it doesn't, you won't get any answers at all. Methinks that they offer good rates because they are stripped to the bone in terms of staff and the level of training given to staff. I'm no defender of the Big Four, but when something goes wrong, you get a reason and you get taken seriously. Be warned!

NCE 61

2,457 posts

310 months

Friday 25th February 2022
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I have used Wise for several years now, good exchange rates and very quick.

Mr Whippy

32,453 posts

270 months

Friday 25th February 2022
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Funny all the AML worries when the money originates from AML controlled accounts.
How can you need AML checks again? It’s either clean or it’s not.

Is this because it’s going from UK and GBP to USA and USD?


flat16

354 posts

263 months

Friday 25th February 2022
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NCE 61 said:
I have used Wise for several years now, good exchange rates and very quick.
So have I. But nothing had gone wrong, and I didn't need customer service. Once you do need CS, you are in real trouble. They have emailed me again, offering no proof of where the money is at all. If you wondered why they are cheap, now you know!



flat16

354 posts

263 months

Friday 25th February 2022
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Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolut#Controversie...

Taken from link

[quote] It was reported in the past that Revolut's algorithms suspend accounts in error for weeks or months at a time because Revolut did not have sufficient compliance agents to review the automated suspensions sooner. While Revolut paid no interest on the large suspended balances, it could earn interest on the funds in wholesale money markets. Customers whose accounts were suspended were blocked from contacting Revolut's usual chat support channel and instead received automated responses from a chatbot
[/quote]

This sums up the impression I am getting from Wise at the moment. Their models can't be that different. It was my suspicion from the get-go that the cash would be in a holding account, earning money for Wise.

CharlesElliott

2,260 posts

311 months

Friday 25th February 2022
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Over a period, I moved more than £100K through Revolut, mainly USD->GBP. Once I got to 100K (ish) they asked me for some additional information on source of funds but never froze anything. I took photos of some documents and sent them over and it was cleared within a day. Seemed appropriate to me, but I do know others have had issues.

DonkeyApple

69,669 posts

198 months

Friday 25th February 2022
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Mr Whippy said:
Funny all the AML worries when the money originates from AML controlled accounts.
How can you need AML checks again? It’s either clean or it’s not.

Is this because it’s going from UK and GBP to USA and USD?
Some of it. Others will just be getting picked up as 'random' AML checks. Of course, for some it will eventually be because the owners have legged it with all the unprotected client money. wink

If there's no rush then it's always worth breaking the payments down so you never have much exposed to these firms as there is a very good reason why they are cheap.

They've had a great run but all these 'disruptor' enterprises are facing normal market conditions currently and the client money isn't client money but theirs.

And of course, one must also consider what could happen to Russian backed fx firms. biggrin

Only send amounts that you can flush down the toilet and not notice in each transaction as that's the only way to protect yourself from total loss.

jeff m

4,066 posts

287 months

Friday 25th February 2022
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I tried to send to UK from the US last week by Wise, it kept "not happening" I was told if it's over 10K you have to do it in person.
Went to my bank, my buddy rec'd about 450 less than he would have got with Wise, exchange rate of just over 1.4 plus other costs.
I'll send in lumps next time.