Discover international wire transfer limit [2025]

Discover is an American financial services company that offers many products, such as credit cards and loans. Discover also allows you to send international wires, but there's a limit on how much money you can move across borders.

The general cap is 250,000 USD per 30-day rolling period, but there are some exceptions to the rule. Keep on reading to learn more about the Discover international wire transfer limit.

If you need to send high transfer amounts abroad, try Wise. Most account holders can send wire transfers of up to 1,000,000 USD per transaction.

🚀 Get started with high amount transfers

---

Table of contents
Discover international wire transfer limits How can you check your Discover transfer limits? What’s the best way to send money internationally? What are Discover's international transfer fees? Discover exchange rate Things to keep in mind when transferring high amounts overseas Discover international wire transfer limits FAQs

---

Discover international wire transfer limits

Discover Bank has the following limits for online transfers initiated through the Account Center¹:

Type	Limit
Incoming	Up to 250,000 USD per 30-day rolling period for each Account Center registered owner
Outgoing	Up to 250,000 USD per 30-day rolling period for each Account Center registered owner
Combined	A combined incoming/outgoing limit of 300,000 USD per 30-day rolling period for each Account Center registered owner

💡 If you opened a Discover checking account online or through the Discover App after March 20, 2022, you have an incoming limit of up to 10,000 USD per 30-day rolling period.¹

In addition to these international wire transfer limits, keep in mind that for security reasons, additional limits may apply to the amount and number of external transfers you can make.¹

Another important thing to know is that all financial institutions are required to report any international wire transfer of 10,000 USD or more to the IRS because of international wire regulations.

This doesn't mean you can't send more than 10,000 USD - just that your Discover Bank international wire will be reported.

How can you check your Discover transfer limits?

If you want to know your exact limits, you should be able to see them when you log into your Discover Bank account and try to set up a transfer.

Alternatively, get in touch with Discover and ask them directly. You can typically assume that the general transfer limit of up to 250,000 USD every 30 days applies to you.¹

What’s the best way to send money internationally?

Banks are certainly one option for sending money internationally, as are services like PayPal. But the problem with banks is they can often be slow, expensive and inconvenient. Luckily, there’s a better alternative out there.

You can send money worldwide with Wise for low fees and the mid-market exchange rate. It’s easy and quick to set up a payment online, and you’re guaranteed secure transfers even when sending large sums.

Wise is a money service business (MSB) regulated by 12 international financial authorities, and uses sophisticated security features to keep you and your money safe.

Open a Wise account, and you can send, spend and convert between 40+ currencies whenever you need to. You can even receive money from all over the world using your own local account details.

As if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a Wise Multi-Currency Card too. For a one-time fee of just $9, you can spend in over 150 countries in the local currency. Your USD is automatically converted at the mid-market rate, for just a small conversion fee.

Open a Wise account today

💡 Need to make a business payment? With the Wise Business account, you can send up to 1,000,000 USD per transfer from licensed states.

Some key features of Wise Business include:

Better visibility and organization of business finances. This is helpful for account reconciliations and audits Major local account details for a simple one-off fee to receive international payments with ease No monthly account fees or minimum balance requirements Receive payments from e-commerce platforms such as Amazon or via Stripe Create invoices using the free Wise invoice generator or invoice templates Accounting integrations, including a QuickBooks Bill Pay connection Batch payment options. Fast payment of up to 1,000 people

Discover the difference between
Wise Business vs Personal

What are Discover's international transfer fees?

The Discover international wire transfer fee is 30 USD for each outgoing wire.² The bank will take this fee out of your account balance, and you shouldn't include it in your wire transfer amount.

Discover may also use intermediary banks to process your transfer. These banks help transfer funds between banks, especially in international transactions. They may charge additional fees, but they're harder to predict.

On average, intermediary bank fees cost anywhere between 15-50 USD.³

Discover exchange rate

When you send money to another country, it often needs to be changed into a different currency.

With Discover, you can only make an international wire transfer in US dollars.² If the person you're sending money to needs a different currency, their bank will change it for them.

This means that the person you're sending money to might get less than you expect because of fees and exchange rates.

For incoming international wire transfers, Discover's designated intermediary bank sets the exchange rate. It may also charge you a 20 USD currency exchange fee.¹

How currency exchange rate works

Banks often make money on exchange rates. They might give you a worse rate than what you see online - known as the mid-market exchange rate.

For example, let’s say the mid-market exchange rate is 1 USD = 0.79 GBP. With Discover Bank, you might get a worse exchange rate of 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (and Discover will pocket the difference).

If you want to send 10,000 USD to a friend in the UK, at the rate of 1 USD = 0.79 GBP, 10,000 USD would equal 7,900 GBP. But at the rate of 1 USD = 0.75 GBP, 10,000 USD would turn into 7,500 GBP.

This means that your friend in the UK would get 400 GBP less than they were supposed to.

Things to keep in mind when transferring high amounts overseas

If you're sending a lot of money to another country, remember to:

1. Have all the information needed for an international wire transfer on hand
2. Double-check the bank details of the person you're sending money to
3. Think about the total cost, including fees and exchange rates

Sometimes, banks may also ask for additional information about why you're sending an outgoing wire transfer and the origin of your funds. If you're sending a large amount, be prepared to answer these questions and show proof.

🔍 Learn more about making an international wire transfer with Discover Bank in our full guide.

Discover international wire transfer limits FAQs

---

What is the process for sending a Discover wire transfer internationally?

You can initiate an international wire transfer request through the Discover App or by submitting a Discover International Wire Transfer Form.²

What is the maximum amount for international wire transfer?

With Discover, you can send or receive up to 250,000 USD in 30 days. But the total money coming in and going out can't be more than 300,000 USD in 30 days.

If you opened your account online or through the Discover App after March 20, 2022, you can only receive up to 10,000 USD in 30 days.¹

How long does a Discover wire transfer take?

Sending money to another country usually takes 1-5 business days, but the Discover international wire transfer time may be longer than that.⁴

Discover suggests you start the process 2-3 business days before you need the money sent. This gives them time to check everything. If you send your request by mail, give it even more time.²

If Discover gets your request before 3 PM ET on a business day, they'll start working on it that day. If it's after 3 PM ET, on a weekend, or on a holiday, they'll start the next business day.²

How do I increase my Discover transfer limit?

It's usually not possible to change your transfer limit. These limits are set by bank rules. You can call Discover's customer service to discuss options for your account.

---

Discover lets you send money to other countries, but they have strict limits and fees. Typically, you can send up to 250,000 USD in 30 days, and each transfer costs 30 USD. You may also have to pay intermediary bank fees and lose money on the exchange rate.

If you need to send more money or send money often, check out Wise. Most account holders can send up to 1,000,000 USD per secure, HTTPS-encrypted transaction — all with no exchange rate markups.

🚀 Start saving on
international transfers

Sources

1. Discover - Online banking FAQs
2. Discover - International wire transfer request form
3. Wise - What are SWIFT correspondent fees?
4. Wise - How long does an international wire transfer take?

Sources checked 09.18.2024