If you need to tranfer money between Brazil and the US either to pay your company's employees, contractors, investments, shopping ,or whatever reason, then you found the right place!
Today we’re going to show you why it is cheaper to transfer money using CambioReal than your regular bank.
The decision on how to transfer your money (or your company's money) is yours to make after all, but you should check the rates that you’re going to avoid using CambioReal.
Check it out!
Why international transfers made through regular banks are more expensive?
Regular banks use SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) system to wire money internationally.
SWIFT is a corporation that works as a gateway between national banks so they can transfer money internationally supposedly on a speedy way. But this isn't always the case.
Since regular banks don’t have solutions tailored for international trade solutions; simply because the margins of the service isn't as attractive as other bank's products' margins (such as loans, etc) it is easier for them to use a traditional way, as SWIFT even though the transaction will be more expensive.
And why using a traditional bank is slower and more expensive?
Your bank will charge a wire transfer fee, that may go up to U$50 per transaction;
The money may pass through up to 3 banks before reaching its destination and these intermediary banks also charge rates, which adds up to cost of transaction;
The receiver of the money is also charged an incoming wire transfer and usually (as it is in Brazil) faces a cost on spread percentage and FX contract fee that is very unfavorable.
On the other hand, you trust your bank to secure your transaction.
It’s hard to change, but if you’re interested in saving money paying less rates and maintaining the same level of security we’re going to explain below how you can avoid most rates with CambioReal.
Standard rates for international transactions
Most regular banks charge a fixed standard rate for international transfers.
This is the rate that you end up knowing about right away, but there are other variable rates that can end up in the transaction and deducted from your beneficiary (we will explain in more detail on the "Spread" section).
At traditional banks the standard rate per transaction may range from U$10 (if you hold really high and frequent volumes) to U$50 (if you perform occasional remittances). Your beneficiary will also pay for the international incoming wire fee.
Finally, depending on the country you are sending to, your remittance will arrive as USD and then will be converted by your beneficiary to the local currency, which means the amount received will be unknown until money gets to the beneficiary's bank.
When using CambioReal's service, you will pay a fixed fee from U$1.00 to U$3.99 (depending on monthly volume) per transaction and you will know the exact exchange rate before making the transfer.
You not only know how much the dollars you're sending are worth in Brazilian Reais, but also the money is locally transferred to your beneficiary's bank account, which means there will be zero incoming fee.
Intermediary Banks
Larger banks usually have good connections which facilitate money exchange. But that is not always the case.
Some smaller banks can’t invest in creating a money exchange service that is actually affordable.
In those cases, your money may need to go through up to 3 intermediary banks before getting to its destination.
Each one of these banks charge fixed rates and the many stops along the way result in a slower transfer.
Spread
Spread is a percentage rate of the transaction value.
Some banks try to mask these rates inside the exchange.
If you’re using SWIFT for your international money exchange, chances are that you’re paying a more expensive spread than at CambioReal.
Especially in transfers between the USA and Brazil in which the beneficiary is responsible for the FX transfer contract.
When transfering money to Brazil, the beneficiary still needs to sign a FX contract, that not only may cost an up to 100 BRL brazilian reais but also will define an unfavorable exchange rate.
This happens because after a SWIFT transfer has arrived to a bank in Brazil, then that's when the beneficiary makes the exchange to Brazilian currency.
And if your beneficiary does not have a prime relationship with the bank, the spread rate on currency may be abusive.
Beneficiary rates
When the money gets to its destination, there are rates included by the receiving bank.
Below we made a chart of differences between exchanging your money using SWIFT versus CambioReal.
At our money exchange calculator, you can check on real-time how much a transaction for an individual will cost. (Business fees may be even more attractive depending on monthly volume).
As you can see, all of our rates are presented with transparency, as well as your savings compared to regular banks using SWIFT.
Easy to use
CambioReal was the first company to offer online international transactions from the US to Brazil.
You don’t need to install any apps if you don’t want to. You can just Google us and immediately start your transfer.
And, if you worry about the best moment to send your money abroad, we can send you an email to notify you when the currency exchange will be more favorable to your savings.
Custom made solutions for business
We understand every business is unique and therefore, have different needs. This is why we takepride in tailoring international remittance solutions to help businesses expand their international reach.
From individual transfers to large payroll solutions and local payments options, we are here to help make your payment processes more efficient and cost effective, so you can focus on expanding your business.
Safety
A lot of people choose to keep their international transactions with their regular banks because of concerns about hiring a new service provider.
When it is about your money, it’s normal to feel unsafe to put your savings in new hands.
What we can do to help is to say that CambioReal has already helped more than 200K customers in Brazil and worldwide.
And of course, CambioReal is a licensed Money Service Business since 2004, which gives you certainty that your money is in good hands.
We’re also one of the few companies to offer live support in Portuguese, via chat, Whatsapp and phone +1 (877) 368-4627 so that your beneficiary may also feel safe.
If you have any other questions, feel free to check our Q&A or send an email to support@cambioreal.com.
See you next time!