Michael Walsh News and Views Platform is an international forum that is largely dependent on donations by well-wishers. We also receive payments for books and services – but NEVER by banks.

Frankly, we would have struggled had we not years ago registered with WISE International Cash Transfers.

Wise (formerly TransferWise) offers fast, low‑cost, and transparent international ONLINE bank transfers by using the real mid‑market exchange rate and avoiding the slow and expensive SWIFT network.

What Wise international transfers are

Never again use your bank to manage your money, hold or transfer money to service suppliers, friends and family. Wise is a financial technology company, not a bank, specialising in online cross‑border payments. You pay and receive from your home or office, wherever in the world you are.

It operates its own global payment network instead of relying on costly traditional SWIFT transfers.

This allows Wise to move money fast using local bank accounts in each country, making transfers faster and cheaper.

For instance, an expensive, awkward and interrogation-prone bank transfer takes 3-5 days, whereas a Wise transfer is usually completed within 24-hours.

Key advantages

Real mid‑market exchange rate. It is the same rate you see on Google, with zero markup.

Transparent fees: Wise shows the full cost upfront; typical fees start around a low cost 0.41%, depending on currency route.

Fast delivery: over 60% of transfers arrive instantly, and almost all within 24 hours.

Low-cost small and medium international transfers are often significantly cheaper than banks, which add hidden exchange‑rate markups.

Multi‑currency account, hold 40–50+ currencies, get local bank details in several countries, and spend with a Wise debit card.

How Wise differs from traditional bank transfers

Traditional banks use SWIFT, which involves multiple intermediary banks. Each intermediary may charge fees, and transfers often take 3–5 days. Wise bypasses this by using its own network:

You send and spend money locally with Wise.

RIGHT: Suitable only for British buyers. Click the picture for more information

Wise pays out locally in the destination country. This avoids international wire fees and speeds up delivery.

Safety and regulation

Wise is regulated by major financial authorities, including the FCA (UK), FinCEN (US), ASIC (Australia), and others.

It uses 2‑factor authentication, 256‑bit encryption, and segregated customer accounts, meaning your funds are kept separate from Wise’s own.

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