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Send Money to Asia from Australia

Find your cheapest option to transfer money to Asia with the best exchange rates.

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Savvy Editorial Team
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, updated on August 18th, 2023       

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Find the best way to send money to Asia

When you’re wanting to send money to family or friends in Asia, it’s important to be on the lookout for cheap exchange rates, low fees, and a simple transfer process. Compare a range of international money transfer providers here with Savvy to help you find the best exchange rates and lowest fees available. Consider a range of options with us before getting your international money transfer underway today.

site-logos OFX
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $250 1-3 days $0 50+
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Special Offer: 5 fee free transfers (saving you up to $75 in fees) + preferential rates for international money transfers

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site-logos Instarem
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $1 Within minutes From 0% to 1% 55+
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Enjoy $40 bonus on your first money transfers of $250 & above! Use code*: SAVVY20X2 (Minimum transfer of AUD 250 Valid till 31st August 2023)

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site-logos Xe
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $0 1-3 days From $0 100
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Xe is a 2021 Canstar Award Winner and offers the best exchange rates, low to no fees so customers save the most money

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site-logos Western Union Money Transfer
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $0 1 - 2 days $0 35
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Send money to over 200 countries and territories across the world online

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site-logos Wise Money Transfer
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $0 1-3 days From 0.41% 53
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Send money cheaper and easier with Wise with no hidden fees.

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site-logos TorFX
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $200 0-2 days $0 35
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Excellent exchange rates with no transfer fees. Trusted by over 325,000 customers. Awarded Canstar’s 5 star rating 2018-2021.

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site-logos Currencyfair
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $5 Within minutes From $0 20+
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Send money overseas at better exchange rates, with no hidden fees.

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site-logos Remitly
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $0 0-2 days From $0 21
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Remitly offers fast, safe and secure money transfers with excellent rates to over 100 countries

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site-logos Revolut
  Minimum Transfer Amount Transfer Speed Transfer Fee Total Currencies Available  
site-logos $0 Within minutes From $0 27+
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Fast and easy, with super competitive rates across all major currencies. Join 25+ million customers saving on global transfers.

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Disclaimer: Savvy is not advising or recommending any particular product to you. We provide general information on products for the purposes of comparison, but your personal situation or goals are not considered here. Although we try to make our comparisons as thorough as possible, we do not have information on all products on the market on our site.

If you decide to initiate a money transfer with one of the providers listed above via our website, you will not be dealing with Savvy; any applications or enquiries will be conducted directly with the provider offering that product.

More about sending money to Asia

How to send money to Asia from Australia

The process to send money to Asia is much the same whether you opt for a bank transfer or a cash pickup, with the steps being as follows:

  1. Compare your options: choose which transfer provider best suits your individual needs, which you can do right here with Savvy.
  2. Sign up for an account: once you’ve decided on a transfer provider, follow the prompts to create a free account. This will include providing details such as your name, email and home address and mobile number. You may need to scan or photograph proof of ID (such as your passport or driver’s licence) if requested.
  3. Initiate your transfer: once your account has been established, initiate your transfer by providing the amount and currency you want to send and your recipient’s contact details and account information.
  4. Decide how to pay for your transfer: this may be via a bank account, a debit card or a digital wallet (such as ApplePay).
  5. Confirm your transfer: once you’ve checked all details are correct, send your transfer. You’ll receive a confirmation email or be provided with a tracking number so you can see when your transfer has been received.

What are my other options to send money to Asia?

Whether you’re wanting to transfer money to India or Malaysia, there are plenty of different options for sending money to Asia. The best way for you to send your money will depend on how urgent your transfer is and whether you want to transfer funds to a bank account or in cash.

Many transfer companies offer several different types of transfer, so it’s important to compare your options with Savvy and choose the most convenient or cheapest transfer for your needs. You can choose from:

  • Deposit funds into a bank account: this is the most common way to complete an international money transfer. While standard bank transfers take two to four days, some transfer companies can get your money into a foreign bank account on the same day (sometimes within hours).
  • Using a money transfer app: companies such as Wise or Remitly enable you to send money instantly to another person who has the same app. All you need to do is enter their phone number to send your money to them. Once they’ve received the transfer, they can move it to their bank account or use the money app to pay bills.
  • Cash pickups: some companies can arrange for an instant cash pickup from an agency close to your recipient. When you arrange the transfer, you may be given a QR code to send to your recipient’s phone as an extra layer of security. Cash deliveries can also be arranged via couriers to specific locations, such as a recipient’s home or a hospital.
  • International money orders: these can be bought from any post office or bank in Australia and either posted, sent electronically or delivered to your recipient. Watch out for additional fees, though, as money orders can be more expensive than standard transfers.
  • Phone top-ups or recharges: this is another way to send money overseas quickly. It’s useful if your recipient doesn’t have a bank account, as you can send funds to recharge their phone talk time or data allowance. Some apps let you use the phone transfer money to pay bills or, in some cases, withdraw it from the phone and take it out in cash via an ATM.

How much will it cost me to send money to Asia?

When you’re sending money to Asia, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most currency of choice for your Australian dollars. This means finding the best exchange rate possible. However, to get the best money transfer deal overall, you’ll also want to find a company with the lowest money transfer fees to send your funds overseas. Banks charge between $6 and $30 in fees to send an international money transfer and charge a markup on the exchange rate.

Exchange rates

The best exchange rate between any currency and the Australian dollar is the mid-market rate, which is the rate that international banks use to transfer money between themselves. Some companies offer the exact mid-market rate but charge a fee for you to make the transfer.

Fees

Some companies charge a percentage fee for their money transfers based on the transfer amount, which starts at around 0.4%. Lower percentages are charged for larger transfer amounts. Others charge a set rate fee; for instance, OFX charges $15, while Remitly’s fees are around $4 (depending on the country). It’s important to compare these fees so you can avoid paying too much for your transfer.

In general terms, set rate fees are the cheapest way to send large transfers (such as over $2,000) and percentage-based fees are the cheapest way to send smaller transfers. This is why it’s so important to compare transfer providers every time you want to send money overseas.

Discounts and free special offers

Some companies, such as SingX, offer the first one to three transfers free of charge as a welcome to new customers. Other companies offer free transfers above a set amount (for example, OFX offers free transfers over $10,000), so keep a lookout for these free special offers.

What information do I need to transfer money to Asia?

  1. Check your country is serviced – not all transfer companies service all regions of the world, or indeed all continents or currencies, so make sure the company you choose does service the country you wish to send money to.
  2. Check any transfer limits – some companies have international money transfer limits, so make sure you can transfer the amount you need to.
  3. Collect your recipient’s details – the information you’ll need will depend on your transfer method. For an app-to-app transfer, you’ll just need your recipient’s name and mobile phone number. If the money is to be sent as a cash transfer, you’ll need your recipient’s full name as it appears on their ID and the location where they want to pick up the cash. If you’re sending money to a bank account, you’ll need the name of the account, the recipient’s home address and their IBAN, BIC or SWIFT code.

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Frequently asked questions about sending money to Asia

How much money can I transfer to Asia?

Some companies limit how much you can send, such as a minimum of $200 (through TorFX) or $250 (through OFX). Others restrict the maximum amount you can send per day (such as Western Union’s $5,000 or a maximum of $50,000 for a single transfer). However, others can offer transfers up to $2 million or more. Higher transfer limits are more common in companies that cater to the business transfer market, such as Xe.

How long does it take to send money to Asia?

The transfer time will depend on the type of transfer and method you choose to send your money. Banks will generally take between three to five business days to get your money to its destination. Specialist transfer companies can send your money much faster, so in some cases, your money could arrive instantly or within two days. Often, you’ll either be told the delivery time or will be able to track your transfer’s progress using a tracking app.

Is it safe to send money to Asia online?

Yes – the providers partnered with Savvy for international money transfers have all the necessary licences and permits to operate so they’re safe to use. They’re also likely to be your fastest and most reliable method of sending money overseas.

Can I send money to someone in Asia without a bank account?

Yes – you can use a money transfer app to send money to someone without a bank account. Alternatively, you can send cash or a phone top-up, re-charge or airtime through many money transfer services. All you’ll need is your recipient’s mobile phone number.

Can I send money to Asia 24/7?

Yes – money transfer apps allow you to send transfers 24/7. However, be aware that business hours, weekends and public holidays will all affect how long your international money transfer will take. If you send money from Australia late on a Friday afternoon, for instance, it may be delayed and you could find that live customer support is only available during business hours.

Send money to over 130 countries from Australia

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Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.

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For more information about us and how we conduct our business, you can read our privacy policy and terms of use.

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Disclaimer and important things you should know

Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.

We’re partnered with lenders, insurers and other financial institutions who compensate us for business initiated through our website. We earn a commission each time a customer chooses or buys a product advertised on our site, which you can find out more about here, as well as in our credit guide for asset finance. It’s also crucial to read the terms and conditions, Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or credit guide of our partners before signing up for your chosen product. However, the compensation we receive doesn’t impact the content written and published on our website, as our writing team exercises full editorial independence.

For more information about us and how we conduct our business, you can read our privacy policy and terms of use.

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