TSB Business banking account. The types, requirements and fees.
Looking to open a business bank account with TSB? We’ve got you covered. Here’s all you need to know about the fees, account types and requirements.
If you are shopping around for a foreign currency account in New Zealand (NZ), you are in luck, you have a few options to choose from. However, each provider and account has different eligibility requirements, features and fees you need to consider based on your needs.
That is why we are here to introduce you to some of the top foreign currency accounts in NZ and compare each option to make your decision easier when you decide to choose.
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Learn more about the
Wise Multi-Currency account
A foreign currency account allows you to hold, send or receive transfers in currencies other than your home currency. It is also common that this type of account is referred to as a multi-currency account. Some benefits include:
Each foreign currency account provider will differ on currencies available, fees of transacting and other fees associated with opening and managing this account type.
Let’s check out the top foreign currency accounts in NZ in no particular order.
Not a bank, but a secure payment provider, Wise specialises in international transfer services and the Wise multi-currency account. Customers with a Wise account can easily hold, receive and convert between many of the world's currencies. You can see the full list here.
If you want to open a Wise multi currency account, here are some fees to expect.
Some great features that come with this account include:
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Westpac New Zealand is one of NZ’s largest banks. Apart from a large selection of personal and business banking products, they offer existing customers the option to open a Westpac foreign currency account.
This account has no ongoing account maintenance fees, but varying transaction fees are incurred on international transfers.¹
The Westpac foreign currency account allows personal and business customers to make international transfers easily through their online banking platform. Here are some pros and cons that come with this account.¹
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Kiwibank is a popular, publicly-owned bank in New Zealand. Kiwibank offers foreign currency accountsto pre-existing Kiwibank account holders.³
With this account, some main features include³:
Some pros and cons of opening any one of the Kiwibank foreign currency accounts are as follows.³
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Read more: Kiwibank foreign/multi currency account |
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ASB is one of New Zealand's oldest savings banks. ASB has an extensive range of products including foreign currency accounts for personal or business account holders.
Some features include⁵:
Let’s break down the other pros and cons of this account.⁵
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Read more: ASB foreign/multi currency account |
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HSBC NZ is a subsidiary of Hong Kong based multinational HSBC corporation. They offer new or existing customers the HSBC multi currency savings account.
Some account fees include⁷:
With this account, you’ll get the following features⁷:
With this in mind, here are some other pros and cons.⁷
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Bank of New Zealand or BNZ, another local banking option in NZ allows personal and business customers to open foreign currency accounts in 13 denominated currencies.
Some fees that you should expect with this account includes⁸:
The main features of holding a BNZ foreign currency account include⁸:
Let’s go through some other pros and cons with this foreign currency account.⁸
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Australia and New Zealand Bank or ANZ for short, is another large private bank with customers across Australia and New Zealand. For customers that frequently make or receive international transfers, ANZ offers foreign currency accounts in most major currencies.
The main fees that you will incur with this account include¹⁰:
The main feature of ANZ foreign currency accounts are¹⁰:
Here are some pros and cons with opening an ANZ foreign currency account.¹⁰
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So you can get a good idea of how each account compares, we’ve created this table to see the differences.
Provider* | Account opening fee and Initial deposit** | Supported Currencies | Currency conversion fees and Exchange rate | International Transfer fees — Incoming and outgoing** | Monthly/annual maintenance fee** |
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Wise | No initial deposit or fee | 53 currencies + 9 local account details | Mid-market rate & no hidden conversion fees | Small up-front one time fee on outward transfers, No fee on inward transfers | Free |
Westpac NZ² | Free to open but with a Minimum $35¹ | Undisclosed | 1% of amount + commission on rate | Inward (Non westpac customer) = $25 Outward = starting at $10 | Free |
Kiwibank⁴ | Free to open with a $500 minimum deposit | Five - AUD, EUR, GBP, USD, JPY | Kiwibank makes money off each conversion | Inward - $12 NZD Outward - $20 (online) + possible intermediary fees | Free |
ASB⁵ | $5000 AUD minimum deposit (other currencies vary) | Nine - GBP, EUR, HKD, SGD, USD, AUD, JPY, CHF | Interbank wholesale rate + Margin taken by ASB⁶ | Outward = starts at $15 Inward = $15 + possible intermediary fees⁶ | Free |
HSBC NZ¹² | Minimum deposit of $50 000⁷ | Nine - USD, AUD, GBP, EUR, SGD, HKD, CAD, JPY, CHF⁷ | HSBC international buyers or sellers rate | Inward = starts from $15 +0.50 transaction fee Outward = starts from $15 + 0.50 + intermediary fees | $5 each currency account held per month |
BNZ⁸ | Undisclosed | Thirteen - AUD, USD, EUR, JAP, CAD, GBP, SKK, CHF, HKD, SAR, SGD, NOK, DKK | BNZ's indicative exchange rate includes a margin. Rate gets better the more converted⁹ | Outward = starts at $5 Inward = starts at $10 + Intermediary fees¹³ | Starts at 6.50USD for a USD denominated account |
ANZ NZ¹¹ | Minimum deposit starts at $10,000 AUD | AUD, USD, GBP, JPY, EUR, CAD | ANZ indicative rate with potential commission¹⁴ | Outward = starts at $9 Inward = $15 for transfer over $300¹⁴ | Free |
*As seen on 8th September 2022
**Any values listed are in NZD unless specified
Each provider has different eligibility requirements to open a foreign currency account. In most cases, you will need to be a pre-existing customer with an active transaction or savings account. A common document that is required across all providers is a valid identification document. Always check with your chosen bank or account provider what exactly you need to open an account.
With so many options available, here are some other things to consider when shopping around for your next multi currency account.
Some tell tale signs that you need a multi currency account include:
Even if none of the above signs resonate with you, having a multi currency account ready to go can be a great help if your circumstances change.
There is no reason why the minimum deposit to open an account should be high, especially for personal use accounts. Always look for foreign currency accounts that have a low barrier for entry - aka low to no minimum deposits.
Transacting in foreign currencies can get pricey very quickly if you aren’t aware of the terms of your account. Fees can be incurred for international transfers, transaction handling, and on conversions. Surprises are common from hidden fees incurred from intermediary banks.
Some accounts will have transfer and balance limits. In most cases, these limits will only be an issue if you are moving large sums of money, or looking to deposit too small or too large amounts.
The ability to manage your money and account online varies by provider, and is an important feature to have if you aren’t readily available to make trips to a local branch. Always check if this way of account management is possible before signing up to any account.
This goes without saying that having customer support options that are round the clock, easily accessible and free to use should be a top priority when choosing your next multi currency account.
As you can see, there's alot to consider when choosing your next multi currency account. Which account you choose will come down to personal preference and your needs when it comes to holding, spending or receiving foreign currencies.
Getting a Wise account can save you all the hassle of minimum deposits, hidden fees on transactions and not having to pay marginal rates each time you convert between currencies.
Register your Wise account in minutes 🚀
Sources:
Sources checked on: 14 Sept 2022
*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.
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