Smiles Remit: Check out fees and exchange rates!

This guide covers everything you need to know about using Smiles, including fees and exchange rates, and how to make a payment. We’ll also look at a smart alternative - Wise - as a cost comparison.

Smiles vs Wise: A cost comparison

Before we go on, let’s look at a cost example: Sending 100,000 JPY (including a transfer fee) to your family’s bank account in the Philippines.

	Smiles¹	Wise²
Fee	1,500 JPY	864 JPY
Exchange rate (JPY→PHP)	Rate that Smiles decides (0.4605)	Mid-market rate - the same rate that you find on Google (0.4622)
Total cost	1,500 JPY + possible markup within the exchange rate offered	864 JPY
Your recipient gets	45,359.25 PHP	45,820.06 PHP

(October 27 2020 at 16:34 (GMT+2))

You can see from this example that there’s a difference between the Smiles exchange rate, and the mid-market exchange rate used by Wise. That’s because Smiles may add a small markup to the exchange rates they use, while Wise always passes on the mid-market rate with no markup.

Wise also has a lower upfront fee, which means your recipient gets more in the end.

Send money with the real rate💡

Understand Smiles’ exchange rate - compare with the ‘real’ rate

On the Smiles homepage, you’ll find an option to check today’s exchange rate.³

When you’re sending money abroad, you’ll want to know the mid-market exchange rate for your currency pairing. That’s the rate you find with a Google search or an online currency converter. However, it’s not necessarily the rate passed on to retail customers.

That means you'll need to compare the Smiles rates on offer against the mid-market exchange rate to see if there is a markup or margin added - or choose a provider like Wise which uses the mid-market exchange rate every time.

Smiles transfer fees

With Smiles you can send money to a range of countries, either through Smiles Direct’s own service, or via their partnership with Ria. You’ll be able to model your payment online to see what your options are based on the country you’re sending to.

The fee you pay will vary depending on the destination, the amount being sent and the specific service you require. Here are the fees for a few of the most popular payment countries.⁴

Sending to the Philippines via Smiles:

Amount sent	Smiles fee
Up to JPY10,000	JPY400
JPY10,001 - JPY20,000	JPY850
JPY20,001 - JPY30,000	JPY950
JPY30,001 - JPY40,000	JPY1,300
JPY40,001 - JPY50,000	JPY1,450
JPY50,001 - JPY100,000	JPY1,500
JPY100,001 - JPY200,000	JPY1,800
JPY200,001 - JPY300,000	JPY1,950
JPY300,001 - JPY1,000,000	JPY2,500
PAB-IBIG Membership	JPY200
Contributions Payment	JPY200

Sending to Vietnam via Smiles:

Amount sent	Smiles fee
Up to JPY10,000	JPY380
JPY10,001 - JPY50,000	JPY450
JPY50,001 - JPY100,000	JPY760
JPY100,001 - JPY300,000	JPY980
JPY300,001 - JPY1,000,000	JPY1,700

Sending to Indonesia via Smiles:

Amount sent	Smiles fee
Up to JPY10,000	JPY450
JPY10,001 - JPY30,000	JPY850
JPY30,001 - JPY50,000	JPY880
JPY50,001 - JPY100,000	JPY1,200
JPY100,001 +	JPY1,480

Sending to Korea via Ria’s partnership with Smiles:

Amount sent	Ria/Smiles fee
Up to JPY30,000	JPY880
JPY30,001 - JPY250,000	JPY1,480
JPY250,001 - JPY1,000,000	JPY1,980

Sending to China via Ria’s partnership with Smiles:

Amount sent	Ria/Smiles fee
Up to JPY250,000	JPY1,480
JPY250,001 - JPY1,000,000	JPY1,980

A cheap and transparent alternative: Wise

Before you decide which provider to use for your overseas payment, check out Wise.

Sending money without ‘hidden fees’ in exchange rates

With Wise, you can send money to 80+ countries using the mid-market exchange rate without any markup. You can clearly see how much you’re paying - and how much your recipient will get - unlike when you send money overseas with many banks and providers.

Wise can offer lower fees and a better exchange rate thanks to a smart new approach to sending money overseas. Instead of using the slow and expensive SWIFT network which most banks rely on, Wise uses a network of local accounts to move money from one place to another without the high fees. That often means you pay less, and your recipient gets more.

To send money with Wise,

1. Create a free account
2. Choose an amount to send
3. Add recipient’s bank details
4. Verify your identity
5. Pay for your transfer by bank transfer or debit/credit card

And that is it! You can track your transfer in your account and your recipient will also be notified when a transfer reaches them.

Even when banks and other providers seem to offer cheaper fees than Wise, double-check their exchange rates, too, as they may markup their rates.

See if you can save🚀

Receiving money for free, like a local does

Do you regularly receive money from abroad to Japan? You can receive money for free to a Wise multi-currency account from the UK, US, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and many European countries, just like a local in those countries. Hold your money in 50+ different currencies, and switch it using the mid-market rate whenever you want to!

Manage 50+ currencies Get local bank account details for the UK, US, Eurozone, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Hungary Send money to 80+ countries without ‘hidden fees’ in exchange rates

Learn more about Wise multi-currency account🔎

How to send money with Smiles

Here’s how to get started making a payment using Smiles.⁵⁺⁶

• Create an account with Smiles, using the Smiles app
• Model your payment and check the exchange rates and fees available
• Add your recipient’s information, following the on screen prompts
• Deposit the payment in your Smiles account for transfer
• Confirm your payment and monitor its progress online

You can make a bank transfer to Smiles’ Yuucho bank (Japan Post Bank) account using your bank account or Smiles Wallet Card. The bank details you need are below for reference.

Smiles bank account information

You need to deposit your money to the Smiles bank account below.

If you send through Japan Post bank or their ATMs:

• Bank name: Japan Post Bank
• Bank code: 10100
• Account number: 51710491
• Account name: カ）デジタルワレット）

If you send through other banks:

• Bank name: Japan Post Bank
• Branch name: 〇一八（ゼロイチハチ）
• Account type: Futsuu (普通預金)
• Account number: 51710491
• Account name: カ）デジタルワレット）

What you need to make an international money transfer with Smiles

To create an account with Smiles you’ll need to provide:⁷

• Your name as shown on your government ID
• Email address and contact information
• Photos of your ID Documents: Residence Card or Japanese Driving Licence Card
• A selfie of you holding your government ID card

Then, once you’re ready to send a payment, it’s time to gather your recipient’s information. You’ll need:

• Recipient’s full name and address
• Recipient's phone number
• Recipient’s ID number
• Recipient's bank name and account number
• Any other bank information which is required based on the destination country, such as a SWIFT code or routing number

Sending money overseas shouldn’t take much time. But finding the right international payment provider for your needs can require a bit of research.

Take a look at the fees and exchange rates on offer from Smiles, compared to an alternative provider like Wise, to make sure you’re getting the very best deal out there for your payment.

Sign up for free

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Sources

1. Smiles Remit Simulator (October 27 2020 at 16:34 (GMT+2))
2. Send Money Abroad with Wise (October 27 2020 at 16:34 (GMT+2))
3. Smiles Mobile
4. Smiles | Remittance Fees
5. Smiles | How to Transfer Money Internationally
6. Smiles｜使い方ガイド
7. Smiles | How To Register