Personal Finance

RBC foreign transaction fees & how to avoid them

Abbey Simmons

06.07.26

Read time 2 minutes

A foreign transaction fee is a charge your bank or card provider adds when you spend or withdraw money in a currency other than your account's home currency.

On many cards, it's a flat percentage, often around 2% or 3%, added to anything you buy abroad or pay for in another currency online. It's easy to miss until you check your statement.

RBC offers both Canadian cards and a separate set of US banking products. This guide focuses on the US options and how their foreign transaction fees work, so you know what you'll pay and how to keep it down.

Other RBC card fees to watch out for

Foreign transaction fees are only part of the picture. RBC has a handful of other charges that can show up when you travel or send money abroad:

Fee	Amount³
Using another bank's ATM	No RBC Bank fee (the ATM owner may still charge you)
International wire, incoming	15 USD
International wire, outgoing	75 USD
Check deposited that's drawn on a non-US bank	20 USD per check

RBC Bank doesn't charge its own fee when you use another bank's ATM, but the ATM's owner may still add a surcharge.

RBC's US checking accounts carry a monthly maintenance fee, which ranges from 3.95 USD to 11.95 USD, depending on the account and how you receive statements.³

These aren't triggered by foreign use, so they're a general cost of holding the account. But they're worth factoring in if you're opening an account mostly for spending abroad.

How to avoid foreign transaction fees when spending internationally

Follow these tips to keep your costs as low as possible:

Match your card to where you're spending, using the Signature Black Plus outside the US and the Black card for US purchases

Keep the RBC debit card out of your foreign spending, since it's the one product still charging 3% on other currencies³

Say no to being charged in USD when a payment terminal offers it, and pick the local currency instead

Terminals and ATMs abroad often ask whether you'd like the amount in USD or in the local currency. This is known as Dynamic Currency Conversion.

Choosing USD hands the exchange rate to the merchant, who tends to set it in their favor and pad it beyond what your card would apply. Leave the conversion to your card network by paying in local currency, and you'll usually come out ahead.

RBC may charge you a foreign transaction fee depending on the card you use.

The Signature Black Plus clears the fee worldwide, the Black card only saves you on US purchases, and the debit card comes with a whopping 3% on any foreign currency.¹²³

If you spend or send money across borders regularly, consider using Wise to save on fees and currency exchange rate markups.

Wise can help you get a better deal on currency conversion. You can convert over 40 currencies at the standard mid-market exchange rate, and we'll show you the fees upfront so you know exactly how much you're paying.

🚀 Get started with Wise

Sources

RBC Bank - US Credit Cards for Canadians
RBC Bank - Disclosures
RBC Bank - Personal Schedule of Fees (US Banking)
RBC Bank - Foreign Transaction Fee Savings Calculator

*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.

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