Guide to Foreign Exchange and Money Transfers

For most people foreign exchange refers to changing money when you go abroad.  These days most holiday goers know that currency exchange rates change all the time and a good exchange rate you may get on a particular day might not be so great on another.  If you are going on holiday you will always be pleased to find a good exchange rate as essentially this will result in you getting a better deal on the foreign currency you are purchasing.

Currency rates are always fluctuating but if you want to find the best foreign exchange rates then it is often best to shop around.  Traditionally many people have used their bank for currency exchange transactions relating to varying sums of money both large and small. The use of a bureau de change in order to buy foreign currency is also common and today many of these bureaux are owned by specialist foreign exchange broking companies. 

However, nowadays it is becoming more and more common for those going on holiday to purchase their foreign exchange online.  It is often possible to find a better rate online than anywhere else because it less expensive for a foreign exchange company to deal with you over the web.   Competition is fierce so in order to compete; foreign exchange providers must keep their prices low.  If you are looking for the best travel money rates then the best place to find them is most likely to be online.  It is worth looking at the rates of different foreign exchange providers as their rates do vary.  One easy way of doing this is by looking at price comparison websites as these sites provide tables which should clearly show the different exchange rates for each company as well as highlighting any other fees or charges.

Travel money is not the only reason one might use foreign exchange services. Every day numerous international transactions are made both privately and commercially through banks and specialist foreign exchange brokers.  You may be buying a home abroad or perhaps you are looking to make regular mortgage payments to another country. Whatever your reason for transferring large sums of money abroad it is probably cheaper to transfer your money through a foreign exchange specialist rather than through your bank. In the same way if you are looking to transfer money abroad for commercial reasons then it is also in your interest to consult a foreign exchange specialist. These companies also known as foreign exchange brokers specialise in transferring large sums of money (usually starting at £1000) internationally.

The foreign exchange market is the largest financial market in the world, and more than $4trn is traded every day. Around a third of the currency traded on the Foreign exchange or FX market is traded in London. The FX market is open to trade 24 hours a day during the working week. The majority of the currency on the FX market is traded by the banks at the interbank rate which is the cheapest rate at which money can be transferred. Smaller banks and brokers can also achieve these rates and can later provide you with a cheaper transfer rate in comparison to what you might get elsewhere. Currency rates are extremely volatile and it is as well to get advice from foreign exchange specialists who know what they are doing.

Foreign exchange specialists have different ways of dealing with your money transfer needs.  There are four main ways of transferring currency.  The first is known as a spot contract and the spot rate relates to the particular exchange rate on the day you are looking to transfer your money. Spot contracts are most commonly used for single payments.

If you are looking to fix the rate you exchange at then you may want to look into forward contracts A forward contract basically allows you to exchange your money at a fixed rate up to two years into the future. Flexible forward contracts are also available and these allow you to make transactions on or before the day you have set.  Lastly, you may want to look into currency options as these let you fix a rate for a date in the future.

Once you have set up an account with a foreign exchange specialist the process of transferring money is easy.  Most foreign exchange specialists will provide you with your own personal account manager who can explain everything in detail and can tailor a money transfer to your specific needs. You should never have to deal with call centres as this is a specialised service.

Foreign exchange specialists can also provide other services. You may want to take profit order and this means that you can set an exchange to occur if there is a particularly good rate. In this way if currency rates move in a way that might benefit you the foreign exchange specialist can automatically buy or sell your currency.

Just as there are options for when the exchange rates are moving the way you want them to, there are also measures you can put in place if the market goes against you.  A stop loss order is an agreement based on the worst exchange rate you are able to accept. If rates aren’t going your way a foreign exchange specialist can automatically buy or sell currency at the rate you choose to avoid things getting worse.

There is also a service known as an OCD. This is an acronym for one cancels the other meaning that if either a stop loss offer or a take profit order is executed the other will be cancelled. This allows you to set target rates without having to worry so much about unpredictable market movements.

Another form of money transfer is a remittance service.  Traditionally remittance services were used by foreign workers to send money home. However, this sort of money transfer service is used for all sorts of purposes. Remittance services can often wire money to an extremely wide range of countries which more corporate foreign exchange brokers are unable to do.  If you are using a remittance service to transfer money abroad then a bank account is not necessary. It should be possible for the recipient to go to a particular branch or office of the company you use and collect the money which has been transferred. Remittance services can often seem expensive but that is because they can often transfer money to countries where no one else can. It is also possible to send small sums of money abroad through a remittance service.

If you are looking transfer money abroad or you are simply looking to exchange travel cash it really is worth shopping around as all of the foreign exchange companies are in competition with each other and will offer different rates. One way of doing this is through a money comparison website such as Which Way to Pay. Price comparison websites should outline expenses involved including the exchange rates in a clear and concise manner. You will be able to compare numerous companies without having to go to the respective websites.  Companies advertised on a price comparison website should also have been vetted so you can be sure that any company you are transferring money with is reliable. Always read the terms and conditions so that you are sure of any expenses which may be incurred.