XE money transfer review (2025): How it works in Australia, fees, & is it safe?

If you need to send money abroad, finding a secure and cost-effective way to do it is key. Xe is a well-known international money transfer service that’s been around for decades. They help customers to send and receive money around the globe, including Australia.

In this review, we’ll break down how Xe works, what it costs, and how it compares to other popular provider alternatives like Wise.

Table of contents
What is Xe money transfer? How does Xe money transfer work? Sending money Receiving money Fees and limits Xe vs Wise: Transfer comparison Transfer money with Wise at the mid-market rate to make your AUD go further

What is Xe money transfer?

Xe is an international money transfer company that’s been in operation since 1993. They offer services to individuals and businesses around the world, enabling them to send and receive money in 130+ currencies¹. We'll also introduce to you Wise that can help you save on international transfers with it's low, transparent fees and mid-market exchange rates.

Is Xe money transfer safe?

To help keep their customers safe, Xe has implemented multiple layers of protection, including:

• Encryption
• Multi-factor authentication
• Biometrics
• Fraud detection

The company itself is well established, being part of the Euronet group, which is listed on the American NASDAQ stock exchange. They comply with various regulations in different countries, including the US Privacy Act and European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulations.

How does Xe money transfer work?

Xe enables customers to send and receive money in over 130 currencies, across more than 190 countries. The funds can be sent to a bank account or for cash pick-up at one of over 500,000 partners across the world.

How to send money with Xe?

To send money with Xe, you simply need to follow these steps²:

1. Sign up online for free, using your email address.
2. To get a transfer quote, input your sending currency, the amount, destination and receiving currency.
3. Enter your recipient's payment details and personal information, including full name and address.
4. If required, verify your identity for security purposes.
5. Confirm the quote and fund the transfer with either a bank account, credit card or debit card.
6. Track the transfer to check when it’s complete.

If you have any questions during the process, there are customer service representatives on hand who can assist via email, phone, or online chat support.

How long does a transfer with Xe take?

The typical speed of an Xe money transfer depends largely on the payment method used to fund the transaction³.

Payment Method	Transfer Time
Debit card	Within 24 hours
Credit card	Within 24 hours
Wire transfer	Within 24 hours
Direct debit / Bank transfer	Within 3 business days

If your transfer is taking longer than expected, there are a few things that could be causing the delay. This includes:

• More information is needed by Xe or the receiving bank
• Recipients bank is still processing, which could take up to 4 days
• Weekend or public holiday delays
• The bank has rejected the transfer

If you’re concerned about a delay in your transfer, you can check the live tracking or reach out to Xe customer service.

How to receive money from Xe?

There are two ways to receive money with Xe; a bank account or cash.

To receive money with your bank account, you’ll need to give the sender your account details and some personal information, including your full name and address.

Cash pick-ups are only available to users in Australia, the UK, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and the US⁴.

To organise a cash pick up, the sender decides whether the recipient has to collect the funds from a specific store, or can do it at any partner location. When the payment has been confirmed, a PIN will be shared with the sender. This needs to be given to the recipient to enable them to collect the cash. They’ll also need a valid form of government ID, like a driver’s license or passport.

Xe money transfer fees and limits

Xe doesn’t publicly share a fee schedule, instead stating that they charge low to no fees on their transfers. The fee they do charge varies depending on:⁵

• Transfer method and speed - Debit and credit cards cost more than direct debit and wire transfers
• Transfer amount - Larger transfers tend to have lower fees
• Destination - Some countries have higher fees due to their banking system, local regulations, and currency exchange factors

Xe commits to sharing this variable fee with the sender before they make the transfer, so they know the cost upfront.

The sending limits for a transfer vary depending on the region, for example US customers are limited to 535,000 USD or equivalent. The amount for Australian and New Zealand customers isn’t currently published on the website⁶.

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💵 Moving big money? Send over 20,000 GBP or equivalent within a month with Wise, and you'll get even lower fees - as low as 0.1% - for all your transfers that month. Whether it's one large transfer or multiple smaller ones in any of the global currencies we support, you can save more with Wise.

👉🏻 Learn more about large amount transfers with Wise

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Xe money transfer exchange rate

Xe sets its own exchange rate, stating on the website that they don’t use the mid-market rate when sending money.⁷ This indicates that they’re adding a margin to the mid-market rate, which means you get less for your money.

By comparison, Wise does use the mid-market rate. That means you’re getting the mid-way point between the buy and sell price on the currency market, essentially the rate you see on Google, with no hidden fees or mark ups.

Xe vs Wise - money transfer comparison

To determine whether or not Xe provides good value for you, it’s best to compare their costs and exchange rates to other money transfer providers.

To get you started, here’s how Xe compares to Wise when sending 1000 AUD to various countries by wire transfer.⁸

Method	Xe	Wise
United Kingdom	1 AUD = 0.4769 GBP No fees 476.90 GBP received	1 AUD = 0.4873 GBP Fee of 4.73 AUD 485.00 GBP received
New Zealand	1 AUD = 1.0695 NZD No fees 1069.50 NZD received	1 AUD = 1.0926 NZD Fee of 4.82 AUD 1087.37 NZD received
United States	1 AUD = 0.6391 USD No fees 639.10 USD received	1 AUD = 0.6498 USD Fee of 5.45 AUD 646.26 USD received

In these examples, Wise consistently comes out as being better value. This is despite having a small variable fee that applies to currency conversions, where Xe has no fees. It’s a good demonstration of the benefits of getting the mid-market exchange rate over an exchange rate with a mark up.

Summary

Xe Money Transfer is a trusted and secure provider with decades of experience in the industry. They have a strong reputation for global transfers, making them ideal for users looking to send larger amounts with no upfront fees.

That said, if you’re after the best overall value, Wise may be the better choice. Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate with transparent fees, which often means more money arrives at the other end.

Transfer money with Wise at the mid-market rate to make your AUD go further

Wise is an easy way to save up to 3x when sending money overseas. You can make extra secure transfers to 140+ countries, which are easy to set up with no physical paperwork and completed usually in seconds.

With low, transparent pricing and the mid-market exchange rate for all your currency conversions for your foreign transfers, you'll usually get the best value for your money. Wise lets you see exactly what you're paying for a transfer, and what the recipient will get, with no hidden fees.

For managing foreign currencies even easier, create a free Wise account, and you'll be able to manage and convert your money in AUD and 40+ other currencies. Plus, you'll get local account details in 8+ currencies, making it easy to receive money from abroad whenever you need. You'll be able to track your transfers all in one place.

When it comes to international transfers, Wise makes things easier and cheaper.

📤 Send money with Wise

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This general advice does not take into account your objectives, financial circumstances or needs and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Savings claim based on our rates vs. selected Australian banks and other similar providers in Jan 2025. Savings claim based on our rates vs. selected Australian banks and other similar providers in Jan 2025. To learn more please visit https://payout-surge.live/au/compare%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E

Please see Terms of Use and product availability for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

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FAQ

How to contact Xe’s customer service?

To get in contact with Xe you can use their online chat function or call customer service using the up-to-date phone numbers on the website.

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Sources:

1. Xe - About
2. Xe
3. Xe - Money transfer speeds
4. Xe - What is cash pickup and how do I use it?
5. Xe - Transfer fees
6. Xe - Large money transfers
7. Xe - Currency Converter
8. Xe - Send Money