Personal Finance Money transfer

How to send USD wire transfers from Canada with RBC? Your guide

Piyush Singh

21.04.26

Read time 3 minutes

You can use a US dollar wire transfer to pay friends and family from Canada. However, you'll need to do your research, as some banks charge for wire transfers. We take a closer look at RBC® USD wire transfers, including everything you need to know about exchange rate fees, transfer costs and how to send your money.

We'll also look at Wise – your international transfer alternative. Send and receive low-cost transfers in USD at the standard 'fair' mid-market exchange rate.

This guide will cover:
How to send USD wire transfers from Canada with RBC What are the fees involved in sending wire transfers in USD with RBC? Send USD abroad with Wise at minimal fees How to receive USD wire transfers in Canada with RBC What are the fees involved for receiving USD wire transfers with RBC in Canada? Receive and hold money in USD with your Wise multi-currency account

How to send USD wire transfers from Canada with RBC

To send an RBC USD wire transfer, you'll need to visit your local branch. The bank doesn't accept over-the-phone or online wire transfers, which means you're restricted to your branch's opening times.¹ Many wire transfer providers close on weekends and holidays.

You'll need to provide some key information about your recipient, including:

full name and address
account number
routing number
IBAN (for international bank accounts)
SWIFT/BIC code for your recipient's bank
transfer amount¹

If you can't get to a branch, or you're sending a small payment amount, you can use RBC International Money Transfer to send global payments via the RBC app.²

What are the fees involved in sending wire transfers in USD with RBC?

Service	Fee²
Outgoing wire transfer via US dollar account	45 USD
Outgoing wire transfer via Canadian dollar account	45 CAD
Cancel outgoing wire transfer	25 USD or 25 CAD
Amend outgoing wire transfer	25 USD or 25 CAD

You may also need to pay additional fees if you need advice about your wire.³ RBC may also charge to convert your payment currency from Canadian dollars to US dollars.⁴

The bank charges something called a "retail exchange rate" for foreign currency payments. This rate may be different from the one you see online – and it's likely to include a markup on the standard rate for currency conversion.⁵

Most banks add an exchange rate fee to foreign currency payments. This is how they make their money, but it can add to the cost of your wire. At RBC, you may not know the exact margin charged as part of the bank's "retail rate" until you come to make your transfer.⁵

Send USD abroad with Wise at minimal fees

Send fast, stress-free and low-cost transfers to the US with just the touch of a button. Wise uses the 'fair' mid-market exchange rate for all international transactions.

Wise aims to provide low-cost international transfers. You'll pay from just 0.48% per transfer*, with full fee transparency for every transaction. You can even use Wise's currency calculator to see all your fees upfront.

Open a Wise account to:

send money to 140+ countries via the Wise app
get a Wise card to spend in 150+ countries
hold and convert your money between 40+ currencies with ease

Use your Wise account to send USD transfers in minutes.** Whether you're on vacation or paying back friends, Wise can help.

** Transaction speed claimed depends on funds availability, approval by Wise's proprietary verification system and systems availability of our partners' banking system, and may not be available for all transactions

How to receive USD wire transfers in Canada with RBC

You can receive money from the US via your RBC account, but you'll need some key details for the transaction. You'll need to provide your recipient with:

your full name and home address
your transit number and account number
your RBC Royal Bank branch phone number, address and transit number¹

You'll also need to provide some additional details about RBC. Here's the information you'll need for RBC USD wire transfers:

Information	Details
Bank name	JPMORGAN CHASE
RBC institution number	003
RBC SWIFT BIC	CHASUS33
ABA routing number	021000021¹

What are the fees involved for receiving USD wire transfers with RBC in Canada?

You'll pay a few fees for receiving RBC USD wire transfers in Canada. Here's a breakdown of costs:

Service	Canadian dollar account	US dollar account
Incoming wire from an RBC Royal Bank branch in Canada	Free	Free³
Incoming wire from another financial institution with a transaction amount of less than 50 CAD or 50 USD	Free	Free³
Incoming wire from another financial institution with a transaction amount over 50 CAD or 50 USD	17 CAD	17 CAD³

You may also pay RBC's exchange rate to convert any incoming payments into the correct currency for your bank account.

If you receive a USD transfer into your Canadian dollar account, for example, the bank may convert your payment into Canadian dollars. This will be subject to any currency conversion and processing fees.⁴

Receive and hold money in USD with your Wise multi-currency account

Receive your money like a local with Wise. You can use your Wise account to request local account details in 8+ currencies for quick, low-cost payments.

Wise is your handy multi-currency account. You won't need to convert incoming payments into US dollars. Instead, you can simply open a USD account balance to receive all your money in local currency.

Receiving money in local currency cuts costs. You won't need to exchange your money unless you want to – and you can use your Wise balance to spend in US dollars online and in person.

Manage your international accounts or get paid by friends and family — all in one place.

Conclusion

RBC is a popular choice for USD wire transfers. You can send and receive money from Canada, but you'll need to look out for transfer fees. You'll also need to send your wire in person. This can cause delays if your branch isn't open on weekends or holidays, for example.

Make sure to do your research before sending or receiving an international wire transfer. Choose a multi-currency alternative like Wise to save on currency conversion costs with every transfer.

Sources

Sources verified on 21 April 2026

*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.