Do you need to do international transfers of large amounts of money from one currency to another?
Maybe you are buying a property in Ireland? Or you might be living in Ireland and planning on buying a property overseas.?
Perhaps you need to transfer a pension lump sum from overseas or move your savings to another country?
Whatever your reason, when carrying out exchanges of large amounts of money you will usually get the best exchange rates by using a currency exchange specialist instead of using your bank .
Using a Money Transfer Specialist
With most of the currency specialists listed below – you are able to lock in an exchange rate for up to 12 months in advance. This allows you to take advantage of a fall in the value of a currency and place a future order at today’s rates.
By locking in an exchange rate you remove the worry of any future negative currency fluctuations.
If you have a target exchange rate in mind and you don’t need to move money immediately, you can use something called a limit order. When you use a limit order, you tell the broker your target exchange rate and they automatically exchange the money if, or when , the rate is hit.
Banks don’t usually offer the best exchange rates.
On paper, the actual exchange rate differences may look tiny – just fractions of a cent. However, a difference of just 0.5% in the Euro to Sterling exchange rate will cost you €1000 on a €200,000 exchange!
Why let the banks have it?
Recommended International Money Transfer Companies.
Currency Solutions
Currency Solutions is headquartered in London with offices in four countries. They have over 135,000 registered clients and have transferred over £6Bn around the world since 2003. Currency Solutions is authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority for the provision of payment services.
There is no upper limit for phone transfers. Online transfers are capped at £20,000 for private clients and £50,000 for business clients. They prefer to deal with transfers over £3000.
Enquiries about money transfers can be made over the phone on their Irish number 01 431 1344 or on their UK number 0044 (0)20 7740 0000.
Head broker Ernie Enver and his team will give you a quick response to any queries.
Alternatively, you can enter your requirements on the Currency Solutions website and they will call you back.
Currencies Direct
Currencies Direct has a London HQ and an office in County Cork in Ireland. They have been operating since 1996 and transfer more than £7.5 billion annually.
Currencies Direct Ltd is authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In the EU they are authorised by the Bank of Spain to operate as an Electronic Money Institution.
The Currencies Direct team of currency experts is always on hand to talk through your options.
Once you have registered with Currencies Direct you can transfer up to £/€25,000 online via desktop, smartphone, or on their App. For larger amounts, you will have your own dedicated trader. They can fix the rate, watch the rate on your behalf and keep you up to date with market movements.
Our direct contact is Mary O’Regan based in Cork who will be happy to answer any questions and can register you on the phone if you prefer.
You can call Mary direct on + 00353 (0)151 361 91
You can get a quick free quote for currency exchange on their website.
OFX
OFX offers money transfers and foreign exchange services for consumer and business clients across 55 different currencies.
Founded in 1998 in Australia, OFX now has eight offices across the world, including Dublin. With over 400 staff globally, OFX can offer 24/7 telephone support if required.
OFX is authorized by the Central Bank of Ireland to operate as an e-money institution in Ireland and the rest of the EU. They are also authorised in the UK , USA, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Australia.
A big company like OFX can offer better exchange rates to their clients because of the large number of transfers they do. They don’t charge transfer fees and the minimum transfer amount is just €100.
Once you are registered with OFX , currency exchanges and transfers can be arranged online, over the phone or on the OFX smartphone app (Apple & Android). Help is always available over the phone and their personal, proactive approach will help you to access competitive rates of exchange.
Garton Global Payments
Garton Global Payments is based in London and has plenty of experience in dealing with large money transfers for Irish and UK customers. They are members of The British Irish Trading Alliance and can deal with 38 different currencies in over 180 countries across the world.
Garton Global Payments get exchange rates directly from the interbank market, but having a much lower cost base than the banks means they can offer better rates for you. (They normally deal with amounts bigger than €10,000) .
They can also offer the facility to fix an exchange rate for a date in the future. (max 12 months) .
All payments and transfers at Garton Global are carried out on the Currency Cloud platform which is fully authorized and regulated in the UK, EU, US, and Canada.
You can request a quote online – or call the Garton team on (UK) +44 20 8004 3288. or on their Irish number 01-5846855
Fexco
Irish company Fexco is based in County Kerry , Ireland and has operations in 29 countries. Fexco is authorised as a payment services provider by the Central Bank of Ireland.
In the UK, Fexco is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the conduct of payment business. Fexco also has ISO 27001 certification for Information Security Management .
Setting up an account at Fexco costs nothing and once you are registered you can arrange international money transfers over the phone or online at a time that suits you. Fexco normally deals in amounts larger than €5000.
The Fexco team of currency experts will be happy to answer questions and explain the options available to manage your currency risk and make the most from your currency transfers.
You can request a quote at the Fexco Website.
Transfermate
Transfermate is a Dublin based global foreign exchange company that helps businesses and individuals send and receive international payments. In Ireland and the rest of the EU, Transfermate is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Transfermate is also regulated across the USA, Canada, Europe and Australasia. If you are a resident of the USA, Australia or Canada and you want to send money to Ireland – then Transfermate is authorised to do it. (Minimum transfer is €1000)
Customers can register for an account and then arrange currency transfers via the Transfermate website or over the phone .
Read our article about transferring money between Ireland and the USA
Hedging Your Bets
With most of the currency specialists listed above, you can take advantage of various “hedging tools” (Not with Currency Fair). These tools can protect you against unfavourable rate changes if you are planning a large transfer in the future. (For example on a property purchase or sale)
For example, if you were selling a house in Ireland and planning to buy a property abroad. If the Euro suddenly weakened, this would then result in the proceeds from your house sale being worth thousands less in Pounds or USD or Australian Dollars etc.
By reserving a guaranteed exchange rate, up to 12 months ahead, you can prevent exchange rate fluctuations from wrecking your plans. You will usually need to pay a deposit of around 10% to do this.
Currency Exchange for Business
If you run a business in Ireland or the UK with regular large payments or invoices in different currencies – then a currency exchange firm can save your business money on exchange rates and charges. You are probably already aware that exchange rate movements can affect your profit margins. However – by fixing your exchange rates in advance you can get some certainty. (It’s called Hedging – the big companies do it all the time). More here about Currency Exchange for Business
Spending Overseas
If you use your Irish debit or credit card whilst abroad for day to day spending there will usually be additional fees and charges when you spend outside the Eurozone.
Find out more in our article on Card Charges outside the Eurozone