CBA to pay correspondent bank fees on international money transfers
The Commonwealth Bank says it will save international money transfer (IMT) customers more money by absorbing fees charged by correspondent banks.
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4 bank-beating options for making overseas business payments
If you’re someone who makes regular international payments for business reasons, you’ll know that fluctuating foreign exchange rates and money transfer fees are an unavoidable aspect of doing global banking.
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Money transfer tip: AUD rebound expected after decline
The Australian dollar is expected to rebound to 75 US cents even though it’s gone through a steady decline these past few months.
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Sending money? Quick tips for sending international money transfers
Sending money overseas may not be a common thing for everyone, however for immigrants it can be integral to their family finances.
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ACCC latest inquiry wanted to make FX more transparent, but did it?
If you’ve sent money overseas, you’ve probably been very confused about how it all works. To start with, the exchange rate you google is different from the one you end up getting (usually lower). And you can find yourself spending more money than you originally planned because of fees that suddenly appear. Overall, it is never quite clear what you will get until you click send.
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WorldFirst discontinues personal international money transfers
International money transfer provider WorldFirst has announced that they will be closing their personal money transfer services to focus on business and ecommerce transactions.
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Why foreign exchange rates could be your greatest business challenge in 2021
The past year has seen currencies and foreign exchange (FX) rates in a real state of flux as COVID-19 rocked the global economy. The Australian dollar was a perfect example of this, plunging to just 55 US cents back in March 2020 when the pandemic was declared before rebounding to highs of 70 US cents in June. Today the AUD is trading at around 77 US cents - a slight decline from its multi-year peak of 79 US cents two months ago. According to international money transfer (IMT) provider TorFX’s managing director, Nigel Fox, exchange rates will likely remain volatile for the rest of 2021. “While the world looks to be in far better shape now than it was 12 months ago thanks to the rollout of vaccination programs … there can be no doubt that some of last year’s uncertainty has bled through to 2021,” he said. “This is even before we consider the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Brexit in the UK, a new administration in the US, and the risks posed by an increasingly aggressive approach to foreign policy by China.” Fox said that for Australian businesses with international interests, whether it’s staff or suppliers overseas, this volatility could have a real impact on profit margin. “Businesses will need to tread carefully and take steps to ensure they aren’t caught out by sudden shifts in the currency market,” he said.
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More than money transfer: TransferWise rebrands to Wise
UK-based fintech TransferWise this week announced its decision to rebrand to ‘Wise’, in a move to reflect how it’s now expanded beyond Wise international money transfers page. Or to weigh up Wise’s exchange rates and fees against other IMT providers in Australia, head on over to our international money transfers comparison hub.
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Online shopping boom: Could your eCommerce business be missing out?
Ecommerce has been this year’s big success story for Australian businesses, with many seeing their sales bounce back thanks to record-high numbers of people shopping online.Yet, as promising as the domestic eCommerce market looks right now, new data suggests your business could make even greater gains by going international.International money transfer (IMT) specialist OFX reported that revenue for its online clients selling overseas jumped a massive 41% last month, compared to a year ago.Their total volume of goods sold was also significantly higher this November than the last - up 51% from a year ago. OFX’s strategic partnerships director for eCommerce, Edward Wiley says these businesses have mainly benefitted from a COVID-induced growth in online sales, not just here in Australia but in other larger countries like the US too. For comparison, Australia’s eCommerce market is forecasted to hit US$27.2 billion by the year’s end, whereas the US’s is projected to reach a much higher US$431.6 billion, according to analytics company Statisca. “Australian businesses are doing really well but some of them might be missing out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand internationally and catch that kind of [global] market share while everyone is moving to buying online,” Wiley says.
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Aussie dollar hits two-year high - good news for your international money transfer
The Australian dollar yesterday broke past 74 US cents and hit its highest level since August 2018.US dollar weakness and an uptick in domestic economic activity have helped to prop up the Aussie dollar and right now the AUD is trading at around 74.1 US cents. This comes after Wednesday’s release of Australian Bureau of Statistics data which indicated Australia’s economy is bouncing back. Our gross domestic product (GDP) in the September quarter is up 3.3%, thanks to COVID-19 restrictions easing across most of the country (although GDP is still 3.8% lower than a year ago). This sentiment of cautious optimism was also reflected in Reserve Bank Governor Phillp Lowe’s statements on Tuesday, following the latest RBA meeting. “The positive news on vaccines has boosted equity markets, lowered risk premiums and supported further increases in some commodity prices. The improvement in risk sentiment has also been associated with a depreciation of the US dollar and an appreciation of the Australian dollar,” he said. “In Australia, the economic recovery is under way and recent data have generally been better than expected. This is good news, but the recovery is still expected to be uneven and drawn out and it remains dependent on significant policy support.” A lower Aussie dollar makes Australian exports cheaper and more attractive to overseas buyers, so a stronger AUD isn’t ideal for improving the GDP. But the strong Aussie dollar right now is beneficial for anyone looking to transfer money overseas from Australia to the US. It means the currency market has moved in your favour and you can potentially get more USDs for the same amount of AUDs sent. Remember though, that even if the market is looking favourable for you, different bank and foreign exchange (FX) specialist providers will still charge their own margins and fees on top. So it’s a good idea to shop around regardless. That way you can find the cheapest deals for your money transfer. Compare a few competitive exchange rates in the table below or jump over to our international money transfers hub for even more options. Not sending money overseas just yet? Look out for a feature known as a forward contract (offered by many FX specialists). This tool allows you to secure today’s rate for a transfer in the future, sometimes up to two years in advance.
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