XE.com - getting slow?
 

Wondering if it's just me, but the last few transfers I've made have taken significantly longer to get across the pond than before. Has anyone else noticed this?

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Depends what you mean by slow! IIRC I did a transfer on day 1 and received it on day 3, a couple of weeks ago.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Wow, that's good! It used to average out at about 5 days or so, but the last few transfers have taken at least 10 days.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

All my transfers have taken about 10 days. I've been doing them monthly for a year.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

I was surprised at figures of 10 days so I double checked:
10:34am PDT on 13th August: setup transaction
(shortly afterwards) transfer from Lloyds to XE (faster payments (2 hours))
09:18am PDT on 14th August: email from XE to say transaction sent
I don't have my HSBC dongle with me so I can't check when it actually arrived at HSBC but...
16th August ACH payment from HSBC(US) to Wells Fargo arrived.

I think XE deposit in the HSBC US business account by ACH. I then do an ACH payment to my WF account. Including that final step still only took 3 days! There must be something different about the methods used if you two both say 10 days. I know the first time I did a wire from XE to HSBC but that still only took 3-4 days total.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Mine have usually been a couple of days. Did one this morning so we'll see how that goes.

I also just noticed that NatWest now do an international transfer through their online banking service. Hadn't noticed it before and it gave very similar rates to xe but had a 10GBP charge.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Weird. I've always used the ACH method at both ends, so not sure why it's taking so much longer than before. It doesn't seem to matter how large or small the transfer amount is either.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Mine used to take 6 to 8 days - USA to UK

I just set up my first UK to USA transfer - 5 days gone so far and nothing doing.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Mine normally take 3 days, UK to US.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Yes my last transfer US->UK was like molasses - here's the timeline

Aug 18th - Trade booked and payment details submitted
Aug 21st - XE take payment from US account (Chase)
Aug 23rd - XE declare trade "complete"
Aug 30th - Funds arrive in UK account (First Direct)

Not very impressed! Much slower than I recall it ever being before - although I guess the UK August Bank Holiday on the 27th didn't help.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Maybe OP ought to clarify which direction the money is going, which might make a difference! Also which banks (not using XE but eg Lloyds wire transfers to the US take 2-3 days longer than Santander).

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

I did one a couple of weeks ago (UK to US); sent the order on a Monday morning (still business hours in UK) and the funds were in my US account by Wednesday afternoon. I also transferred the funds from my UK bank to UKForex immediately.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Well I can't complain. Money is in the account (UK to US) so that's less than 24 hours. :thumbup:

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

I may be being a little but ignorant here but...

I use Xoom.com and it typically takes 18 minutes for the money to go from my Citi checking account (registered in NY) to my Barclays account in the UK.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Do you pay for the transfer? I use the free XE service so it's not done via wire transfers.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Me too, mine typically take the same amount of time as yours are.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Personally I don't "pay" as such - the transfer from Lloyds to XE is free, and the ACH payment from XE to HSBC is free. However, XE call it a "wire" from Lloyds to XE. Whether it really is, I don't know!

Of course, they make their money on the exchange rate - but so does everybody, some more so than others.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

I noticed it took longer this month. I figure because there was a bank holiday plus a national holiday.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

I think mine have always taken about a week or so - I don't really have a need to do them urgently or regularly so no biggie.

As an aside, what I'm wondering though is does xe still have a competitive rate? I've not checked other providers lately, and it might just be me, but I don't think xe's commission withholding rate is that great really. For instance, one of my US credit cards just about gives the live rate when used abroad - they eat the fees. Nowadays when I travel to the UK I tend to use that.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

My last transfer from UK First Direct to US Chase came through. They sent a check to my house for some reason though instead of putting it into the bank directly.
Took 1 week to come but a couple of days longer as I didn't check my mail.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

XE, UKForex. What is the best for low rates please?
I transfered some from a UK bank to a US bank and lost 10%

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Without wishing to be rude, why don't you look it up? One minute XE might be better; the next minute UKForex might be better - the rates fluctuate constantly.

10% of what? You must have some reference point to come up with that figure - though the banks' rates are crappier than the forexes.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Day 1 trade booked
Day 2 BPay into Australia account
Day 4 Money is US

& it was a large sum too....

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

The problems seem the other way.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

I have never, ever transferred any money without talking to an associate. They give you better than online quote. Just tell them competitor rate and see what they can do. If they can not, just dont give them the business....

Like anything in life...you have to negotiate and find the right deal that works for you. . .

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Latest transfer: setup transaction on 11th, transfer to XE within a couple of minutes, recorded as credited to my HSBC business on 13th.

Re: XE.com - getting slow?
 

Yes, I have noticed that transfers from UK to US are noticeably quicker than the other way around. I too have a Lloyds UK account and transfer the money electronically from Lloyds to XE (XE call it a wire but it's free from Lloyds). Most banks in the US that I've come across don't let you make transfers like that for free if it's instigated by the bank (rather than being debited from the account).

I seem to recall that my last UK to US transfer took maybe 3 days and my last US to UK transfer was more like 10 days...