Paying suppliers abroad from a US business account
A US bank charges a business $27 to $135 to send an international wire in dollars, and Bank of America and Wells Fargo (online) charge nothing to send it in the supplier's currency, because they earn on the exchange rate instead. Specialists such as Wise Business, OFX, Xe and Airwallex compete on that rate. On a large invoice the rate matters far more than the fee.
Worked example (hypothetical rates). Your German supplier invoices €20,000. At the ECB reference rate on 2026-10-23, that is $22,386. A bank that converts at 2% worse than the reference rate costs you about $448 on top; a provider at 0.5% above interbank, the figure Airwallex publishes for major currencies, costs about $112. The difference is bigger than any wire fee in the table below.
Price your supplier payment
Reference rate: ECB, 2026-10-23
How it works: the cost of a quote is everything you pay minus what the money the recipient gets is worth at the mid-market rate. That catches a fee and an exchange-rate markup in one number. Assumes the fee is paid on top of the amount sent; if a provider takes its fee out of the amount, enter what the recipient gets instead of the rate. The mid-market rate is the ECB euro reference rate crossed to dollars. ECB reference rates are published for information purposes only.
What banks charge businesses for a wire
From each bank's business fee schedule. Each bank's bundles, waivers and exchange-rate terms.
| Bank | Domestic out, online | Domestic out, branch | International out (USD), online | International out (USD), branch | Sent in foreign currency | Incoming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase | $25 | $35 | $40 | $50 | $5 online; $0 at $5,000 or more | $15 |
| Bank of America | $30 | same | $45 | same | $0 | $15 |
| Wells Fargo | $30 | $40 | $30 | $40 | $0 digital; $40 branch | $0 |
| Citibank | $17 | $55 | $27 | $65 | no separate price | $15 |
| U.S. Bank | $30 | $40 | $45 | $75 | $75 | $14 |
| PNC | not published | $95 | not published | $135 | $110 (branch) | $15 |
| Truist | $20 | $65 | $35 | $75 | no separate price | $15 |
| Capital One | $25 | $25 | $40 | $40 | no separate price | $15 |
| TD Bank | $30 | same | $50 | same | no separate price | $15 |
What business payment providers publish
Only what each provider prints on its own pricing page. "Quote only" means the price appears only once you request a payment.
| Provider | Account fees | Sending | Exchange rate | Locking a rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Business Published fees | $31 one-time for account details in 22 currencies | From 0.23% of the amount, varies by currency | Uses the mid-market rate; the fee is the whole cost | No forwards or limit orders listed |
| OFX Plan fee plus per-transfer fees; exchange margin in the quote | $0 Standard plan or $75 a month Full Suite | $20 per SWIFT transfer, $5 per Fedwire; minimum transfer $150 | Margin over wholesale, not published | Forward contracts up to 12 months (deposit usually 5%); limit orders |
| Xe Business Quote only | No set-up or monthly fee | Shown in the quote | Margin in the rate, not published | Forward contracts up to 24 months (over 12 needs approval); limit orders |
| Airwallex Published fees | $0 Explore plan; Grow plan $12 per user a month plus a platform fee | $15 to $25 per SWIFT transfer; local transfers to 120+ countries | 0.5% above interbank for major currencies, 1% for others | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Payoneer Published fees | $29.95 a year if the account receives under $6,000 in 12 months | 1.2% to 4% when a payment is converted | Included in the 1.2% to 4% | Not listed |
| Convera Quote only (formerly Western Union Business Solutions) | No sign-up or monthly fees | Shown in the quote | Margin in the rate, not published | Forwards and spot trades |
Three things that differ from a personal transfer
No remittance-rule protection
The CFPB's remittance rule, with its 30-minute cancellation and error rights, covers consumers only. Its official interpretation says a transfer from a business account is not covered. Business wires run under Article 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code and your agreement with the bank.
Email fraud targets businesses
Business email compromise, a criminal posing as a supplier with "new bank details", cost $3.05 billion in 2025 complaints to the FBI. Confirm any change of payee details by phone at a number already on file. The red flags.
You can lock a rate
OFX offers forward contracts up to 12 months and Xe up to 24, so a payment due in March can be priced today. That trades the chance of a better rate for certainty. How invoice currency and timing change the cost.
Sources: 12 CFR 1005.30 and official interpretation 30(g)-3; UCC 4A-102; FBI IC3 2025 report; providers' pages as linked.