How to send money from usa to russia

Send money to Russia

Fast, low-cost, and secure online money transfers from the USA to Russia.

The more you send, the more you save

Many banks add 3% or more in hidden fees to the exchange rate — and it quickly adds up on large transfers. Worst of all, this fee is hard to spot unless you know to look.

With Wise, the price you see is the price you pay. No hidden fees. We lower our percentage fee on large transfers too — so the more you send, the more you save.

Over 13 million customers

FCA regulated

13 million customers

Authorised by the FinCEN

Global support

Safeguarded at leading banks.

We keep your money with leading financial institutions like JP Morgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, and Barclays.

Dedicated support team.

We know that sending large amounts can be stressful, so you can reach a specialist for support whenever you need it.

Extra secure transactions.

We use two factor authentication to protect your account. That means only you can get to your money.

Compare the best money transfer service to Russia

At Wise, we never hide extra fees and charges in the exchange rate. We just use the exchange rate – independently provided by Reuters. That means fair, low-cost transfers, every time.

Compare Wise exchange rates and fees with some of the biggest money transfer and remit services, such as Barclays, MoneyGram or WorldRemit.

How to send money to Russia in 3 easy steps

Start your transfer.

Pay in USD with your debit card or credit card, or send the money from your online banking.

Get the best rate out there.

Wise always gives you the real and fair mid-market exchange rate.

Money is locally delivered.

The recipient gets money in their currency directly from Wise’s local bank account.

How much does it cost to transfer money to Russia?

To send money in USD to Russia, you pay a small, flat fee of 5.96 USD + 0.83% of the amount that’s converted (you’ll always see the total cost upfront).

Some payment methods have an added fee, but that’s usually tiny too.

No big fees, hidden or otherwise. So it’s cheaper than what you’re used to.

Save when sending money to Russia

What you’ll need for your online money transfer to Russia

1. Create your free account.

Click ‘Sign up’, then create your free account. It takes seconds. You can do it on our website or with our app. All you need is an email address, or a Google or Facebook account.

2. Set up your first transfer.

Use our calculator to tell us how much money you want to send, and where you want to send it. You’ll see our fees upfront. We’ll tell you when your money should get there, too.

3. Tell us a little about yourself.

We’ll ask you if you’re sending money as an individual or business. We’ll also need your full name, birthday, phone number, and address. You know, the standard stuff.

4. Tell us who you’re sending to.

Yourself? Someone else? A business or charity? Pick your answer. Then we’ll ask you for some basic information about your recipient, including their bank details. They need a bank account, but they don’t need a Wise account. (Though we hope they’ll want one soon.)

5. Make sure everything looks good.

We’ll show you a summary of your transfer. If everything looks good, click Confirm. You can also make any changes you need to.

6. Pay for your transfer.

Would you like to pay by wire transfer? Debit or credit card?Make your choice, and we’ll tell you how to do it. Each payment method has its own steps, but they’re all straightforward and should only take a few minutes.

Wise is safe and secure

Wise is an authorised Electronic Money Institution independently regulated by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in the USA.

We’re trusted by 13 million people and counting.

How to send money from usa to russia

Easy, simple and fast without commission, its was my first experience to transfer money to India by PaySend, i m very much satisfied, i will prefer it for regular transfer,

It was fast and safe enough

it was fast and safe enough, for further actions, i will use paysend

Verification process rather complicated

Verification successfully passed after two weeks of waiting

I transferred money to an account

I transferred money to an account in another country, the only minus was order did not come in a few minutes, but otherwise worked well.

One of the rare companies that picks up

One of the rare companies that picks up the phone these days. Great communication

Cheaper and quicker than any bank transfer

Very satisfied with WF. Cheaper and quicker than any conventional bank transfer. I have been using WF for over 5 years now and never had a problem. Very recommendable.

The Best Services to Transfer Money to Russia

If you are Russian, you might want to send money home to your family or even friends. Depending on the transfer method that you choose, the process can be simple or a little bit tough. In this article, we help you find the best services to transfer money to Russia easily and using the most secure methods.

How to send money to Russia online?

What are the different ways of transferring money to Russia?

With the influx of many international money transfer service providers, sending money to Russia these days is quite easy. Whether you have done it before or not, it doesn’t have to give you a headache. You can use:

Most of these options operate differently but all of them often guarantee you that your money will get to the recipient on time. It can take a few days or be instant depending on the amount transferred.

Top 4 money transfer services for sending money to Russia

Money transfer providers

Which service should you use to send money to Russia?

Reliable online remittance providers to Russia

Here are the best providers for secure online transfers from the UK to Russia.

How Much Does It Cost To Wire Money To Russia?

The cost of money transfer to Russia differs from one service provider to another. You should, therefore, make a comparison to get the cheapest among the options. The cost depends on many factors that include:

Adding up all these charges will give you the amount of cost that you will incur to send your money. Fortunately, most service providers often have calculators online that tell you how much you will pay to send money to Russia, so compare them, and settle for a cheaper one.

Our Advantages

Our website makes it easy for you to find the most reliable money transfer options that you can use. If you are planning to send money internationally, our site reviews the best way to transfer money to Russia and other countries. To ensure the reliability of our information, we only review transparent and reputable services providers, so you pick one and send money hassle-free.

What is the best way to transfer money from the UK to Russia (GBP→RUB)?

What is the fastest way to send money from the UK to Russia (GBP→RUB)?

What is the cheapest way to send money from the US (USD→EUR)?

How long does it take to transfer money from the US (USD→EUR)?

What payment options can I use for transfers from the UK to Russia?

How can I receive money transfer from the UK in Russia?

How to transfer money from the UK to Russia for free?

Before sending money from the UK to Russia, be sure to compare the USD to RUB exchange rate.

How to Send Money to Russia and from Russia in 2022

Marcus Hudson

Founder of Let’s Russia

Sending money to and from Russia has become a huge burden as of late. The people most affected are those sending remittances back to Russia to support their family members and relatives. Expats living and working in Russia are also having a hard time getting funds from their home country to Russia. The question of “how to send money to Russia?” has now become, “can I send money to Russia?”

In this post, we cover how to send money to Russia, what the options are for different situations and how to find the best exchange rates.

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The West has hit Russia with the most severe sanctions ever seen after Russian troops stormed into Ukraine. As a result, a myriad of payment options has all but dried up. Visa, MasterCard, Wise, Revolut, PayPal, Paysend, lots of others and even wire transfers from certain countries have all been discontinued. This, unfortunately, is just the beginning of issues with sending money to Russia.

As a response to sanctions, Russia has published a list of “unfriendly” countries and has restricted the types and amounts of foreign currency transactions people in Russia can make, both within Russia and abroad. The value of the ruble has fallen significantly, meaning those who have been keeping their savings in rubles have lost a staggering amount. And people with savings in foreign currencies such as euros, dollars and pounds cannot realistically extract those funds because of the terrible exchange rate Russian banks are offering.

The Two BEST Ways for Sending Money to Russia

With all this going on, many people have turned to two main alternative solutions that are now gaining ground – cryptocurrency and peer-to-peer currency trading. You can purchase cryptocurrency in one country with fiat currency like USD or EUR, send it to a digital wallet and then sell it for another fiat currency locally. To do this, you would need an account on a cryptocurrency exchange like Binance.com and a bank account in one or more locations.

The second option, P2P trading, doesn’t involve sending money at all. Let’s say you want to trade your US dollars or Euros for rubles. There must be someone out there who wants the opposite, that is, he or she has rubles and wants to trade them for US dollars or Euros. By connecting two parties and agreeing on a favorable exchange rate directly, banks and third parties are cut out of the deal. As a result, you enjoy a better exchange rate with the person you’re trading currencies with. There are certainly risks involved when doing this, but there are ways to safeguard yourself and minimize risks.

Our team at Let’s Russia has created a Peer-to-Peer Currency Exchange board for its members to use. You just need to sign up for a free account at Members.LetsRussia.com. You can browse offers, message the person making the request or post your own offer. This is just one option to find a person to exchange currency with. Other options include joining P2P exchange groups on social media. In any case, you need to be careful when engaging in trades. Trade with someone you can trust or others in the group can vouch for. Use instant transfer methods and send small amounts or break up large amounts into smaller amounts.

For those of you who need to send money to and from Russia urgently, one-time or the mentioned options don’t suit you, submit a request via Let’s Russia HERE. Our team can facilitate transfers at favorable rates on your behalf.

For solutions for businesses in Russia sending money abroad or outside of Russia sending money to Russian partners, we offer business solutions as well. If you’re a Russian freelancer or business and need a payment processing solution for clients outside of Russia or you could use a US-based virtual bank card, reach out to us at LetsRussia.com/contact.

Sending Money to Russia Using Cryptocurrency

The idea of venturing into the world of cryptocurrency may be daunting for newcomers. However, when we’re talking about using it to transfer money to Russia (or other countries), it’s not rocket science. It can be learned and repeated as needed. It does take some time though.

Got limited time? Skip the long read below and schedule a one-on-one session to get up to speed on everything you need to know to securely send money via cryptocurrency yourself at the best rates.

The first step is to create accounts on cryptocurrency exchanges. You will most likely have to create accounts across multiple exchanges because some do not operate in the countries you may need.

Let’s start with the ideal scenario. You have a bank account outside of Russia and a bank account in Russia, both preferably in your name. Check out the video walkthroughs in our membership library HERE. Sign up for a free account at members.letsrussia.com to view them.

STEP 1: Create an account and verify your identity at Binance.com.

This is not available to some countries like the USA, Singapore, China and a few others. See options for US citizens below.

STEP 2: Fund your Binance.com account.

Option 1: Purchase cryptocurrency with your USD or EUR balance from Binance directly.

To get zero fees, fund your account with USD or EUR. Go to Buy Crypto, then Deposit EUR via SEPA or USD via SWIFT. This will take one business day.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to use your EUR or USD balance to purchase cryptocurrency. Because our goal is to get money to Russia, we don’t necessarily want to deal with volatile cryptocurrencies. We will purchase USDT (TetherUS) since it’s tethered to the US dollar which minimizes volatility. We don’t have to worry about USDT losing any value.

Option 2: Purchase cryptocurrency with your fiat currency from another person. Be sure you have payment methods added. You can do this at P2P User Center.

Another way to fund your account is to use P2P Trading instead. This is good because you may get just as good or sometimes even better rates than Binance itself. Go to Buy Crypto, then P2P Trading.

Select the green BUY button, select USDT, then indicate the fiat currency you’re willing to buy it with. Uncheck “Only show merchant ads” to see the whole list of offers and the payment methods. The more payment methods you have available to pay a seller, the more likely you are to get the best rates.

Payment options for USD are Zelle, Transferwise, Revolut and many others.
Payment options for EUR are SEPA, Paysera, Transferwise, Revolut, N26 and many others.

Once you’ve found a rate and payment method that suits you, click BUY USDT. ALWAYS check the terms and conditions set by the seller in the window on the left. Then, if you’re comfortable with the terms, enter the amount you’d like to buy and then confirm your intent to purchase by clicking BUY USDT again.

The system freezes the seller’s USDT until you send the payment to the seller’s listed payment method and he or she marks the order as funds received. Once the seller receives the funds and confirms, Binance releases the USDT to your account.

Note: Binance.com freezes most P2P trades for 24 hours and only after that can you sell them again.

IMPORTANT! Typically, the name on the Binance account will need to match the name from where you are sending the payment. Most sellers don’t allow payments from third parties. That means you cannot use your spouse’s or another friend’s account unless the Binance account and name on the payment method is the same.

STEP 3: Sell your USDT to Buy Russian Rubles

Much like option 2 of buying USDT on the P2P trading platform, now you become the seller of your USDT. Go to Buy Crypto, then P2P Trading. Be sure you have payment methods added. You can do this at P2P User Center.

Select the red SELL button, select USDT, then indicate the fiat currency you want, which in this case would be RUB. Uncheck “Only show merchant ads” to see the whole list of offers and the payment methods. The more payment methods you have available to receive payment, the more likely you are to get the best rates.

Payment options for RUB are Sberbank, Tinkoff, Qiwi, Raiffeisen, Alfabank, Yandex Money and many others.

TIP: If you are sending rubles between different banks like Tinkoff and Sberbank, you can avoid commission (up to a limit) by using the person’s PHONE number linked to their account instead of the bank card number. This is thanks to the fast payment system (Система Быстрых Платежей).

Once you’ve found a rate and payment method that suits you, click SELL USDT. ALWAYS check the terms and conditions set by the seller in the window on the left. Then, if you’re comfortable with the terms, enter the amount you’d like to sell or get and then confirm your intent to sell by clicking SELL USDT again. The system freezes the your USDT until the buyer sends the payment to your listed payment method. Once you receive the funds, you mark the order as funds received and confirm. Binance releases the USDT to the buyer’s account.

There, you’re done. You just used your funds abroad to buy rubles in Russia and dodged paying huge mark ups in bank and third party commissions.

Options for People Ineligible to Use Binance.com

For US citizens, you can sign up for the an account at Binance.us, but it doesn’t help you much unless you use another exchange.

The downsides to Binance.us are:

ONE, after funding your account via ACH, which is free, you can buy cryptocurrency, but cannot withdraw them (send them) to another wallet outside Binance.us for 10 days!

TWO, and the deal breaker for most US citizens if you cannot sign up for Binance.com as well: There is no P2P Trading option on Binance.us. This means you’ll have to send your cryptocurrency to another exchange or someone who has an account on Binance.com to help you complete the last stage of actually buying rubles on Binance.com’s P2P Trading platform.

If this is all too overwhelming and/or you don’t have access to P2P Trading, we’ve got you covered. Sign up to get access our P2P Trading account and get funds transferred direct to you at the best possible rates. We’ll do up to 4 trades per month at zero-fees on your behalf right along side you.

Where to Buy Cryptocurrency

How to Send Money to Russia if you Cannot use Binance.com Yourself

If you’re from the USA or other countries that don’t allow Binance.com, we recommend using a cryptocurrency exchange that allows you to purchase USDT. Then, transfer USDT to someone you trust who has a Binance.com account. They can then help you purchase Russian rubles to deposit into one of many Russian bank accounts instantly via transfer by card number or phone number.

We’ll use Binance.us as an example, but it could be another cryptocurrency exchange, whatever is available in your country. After funding your account and purchasing USDT, go to your Wallet.

STEP A. Prepare to send USDT to a family member, friend or other trusted person

Click on USDT and then Withdraw. Enter the amount you’d like to withdraw and network you’d like to use to verify the transaction. Both Binance.us and Binance.com use BNB, BSC and ETH. You can see the fees associated with withdrawing your USDT before sending your cryptocurrency. I’ve found BSC is cheaper to send cryptocurrency to another wallet when sending between Binance.us and Binance.com.

STEP B: Get your trusted person’s crypto wallet address

The person you will send cryptocurrenty to will need to log into their Binance.com account. Click on Wallet Overview then DEPOSIT and choose Deposit Crypto. Select USDT TetherUS as the Coin. Then, select the SAME network as you did in step 1 in your Binance.us account. Copy the address exactly or QR code and send it to the sender.

IMPORTANT! The TYPE of cryptocurrency, the NETWORK and the ADDRESS MUST ALL MATCH or else you risk losing your funds.

STEP C: Preview your withdrawal request and triple check details

Once you’ve got the address, network and cryptocurrency set, you can click on preview withdrawal. Check the details once more and after you’ve confirmed everything is correct, confirm the withdrawal. Within a few minutes, the trusted person will have the USDT in his or her account.

You are now ready to do the final trading into Rubles by following the above STEP 3: Sell your USDT to Buy Russian Rubles.

NOTE: Like mentioned above, Binance.us holds your funds for up to 10 days if you funded your account via ACH. It’s very inconvenient if you need Russian rubles fast. Check other exchanges to see how long they hold your funds. Coinbase.com holds funds for 7 days.

Who CAN officially send money from Russia (SWIFT)

Countries on “unfriendly” list: Australia, UK, EU countries, Iceland, Canada, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Korea, San Marino, Singapore, USA, Taiwan, Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Japan

How to Send Money from Russia – P2P Trading

Binance.com used to allow funding your account with rubles via bank cards, then purchasing USDT. However, they have recently stopped allowing this via bank card. You can fund your account with Advcash or Payeer, but the rates are quite high. There’s really no point in doing that only to get similar rates as the bank or even worse. If you have Russian rubles, consider using the option below or reach out to Let’s Russia.

The best option is to find someone on a peer-to-peer exchange. As mentioned above, Let’s Russia has created a peer-to-peer exchange board as part of it’s membership. It’s free to sign up and use. If you cannot utilize the solutions laid out above or just don’t wish to go through the hassle of learning it all, submit a request on the P2P Exchange.

Sign up for a free account HERE to access the video walkthroughs on the above solutions. They walk you through each step and explains the process in more detail.

For individuals, Let’s Russia can facilitate payments to and from Russia for individuals at rates better than the bank. Make a request below.

For businesses, Let’s Russia offers a legal and compliant way to send money to and from Russia. If you are a freelancer or business operating in Russia and need to a solution to collect payments from your customers or clients outside of Russia, contact Let’s Russia.

We surely hope this is helpful to you. If any questions arise, please reach out to Let’s Russia at LetsRussia.com/contact. Please consider supporting our efforts in making more detailed posts and videos by signing up for our membership. It includes access to more tools, discounts and in-country services.

For a one-time donation, please do that HERE. It really helps us serve our expat community and those needing up-to-date services and information relevant to Russia.

How to send money from usa to russia

If you are hunting for the cheapest way to transfer money from the US to Russia, you basically have two options in front of you.

You can spend hours researching well-known money transfer services to learn who has got the best deal for you. Doesn’t sound interesting? We thought so.

The second option is to use the list mentioned in this post to locate the swiftest, easiest way for transferring money online. Are you in game? Then let’s get started.

How to send money from the USA to Russia online?

What are the different ways of transferring money from the US to Russia?

There was a time in a not too distant past when people relied almost solely on direct bank account wire transfers to send money abroad. However, that is no longer the case. Traditional banks simply cannot match the swiftness and low fees of e-transfer services.

Money transfer providers

Which money transfer service for sending money to Russia from the US is worth your consideration?

We offer you not one but five names. Some are known for their highly-competitive fees while others boast best exchanged rates.

Reliable online remittance providers to Russia from the USA

What is the cost to wire money from the USA to Russia?

The cost is governed by several factors, such as your choice of provider and the amount of money that you want transfer. Nevertheless, one thing is certain —each player mentioned here is likely to deliver a more attractive bargain than your local bank.

How do you find the best option?

Simply enter the necessary details in the comparison tool and the results will flash on your screen in a wink. Our services are completely free, since we have just one goal: to help you get the best deal on your next international money transfer.

What is the best way to transfer money from the USA to Russia (USD→USD)?

What is the fastest way to send money from the USA to Russia (USD→USD)?

What is the cheapest way to send money from the USA to Russia (USD→EUR)?

How long does it take to transfer money from the USA to Russia (USD→EUR)?

What payment options can I use for transfers from the USA to Russia?

How can I receive money transfer from the USA in Russia?

How to transfer money from the USA to Russia for free?

Before sending money from the USA to Russia, be sure to compare the USD to RUB exchange rate.

Send Money To Russia

Making transfers to your friends and family in Russia shouldn’t be a hassle. In fact, knowing the options available enables you to make optimal decisions. This guide will help you explore the different ways you can send money to Russia.

How To Send Money To Russia

Sending money to Russia is simple and easy. Follow these steps to get started.

Find a Trusted Provider

Register with your chosen provider

Transfer Money

Ways To Send And Receive Money In Russia

There are multiple ways to easily send and receive money in Russia but these will largely depend on the provider you decide to use. Below you will find everything you need to know about the best ways to send money to Russia.

Ways to Send Money to Russia

Russia has been in the cross-hairs of geopolitical forces that have affected among other things the movement of funds in an out of the country. Thanks to technology, banks, financial institutions and peer to peer (P2P) money transfer service providers have made significant progress connecting Russians in the diaspora with their families back home.

Bank-to-Bank SWIFT Transfers

Diaspora Russians can transfer money to their families, friends and business partners back home through the SWIFT network. Interestingly, as from 2014, Russia started developing an alternative to the SWIFT mechanism to cushion itself against risks of sanctions that would affect the SWIFT network.

The System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS) is now up and running offering a variety of services one of which is financial institution transfers. Over 18% of money transfers in Russia are going through the SPFS and as of November 1, 2019, over 390 participants had already enrolled in the system among them Asian banks.

Due to currency control processes, sending money through the banking system to Russia can be a nightmare. The law requires financial institutions to have a correspondent account with the Russian Central Bank for them to transfer funds to the country.

Because of these tough regulations, sending money through the bank can be expensive, result in cancellations, reversals and delays. Some of the top banks in Russia to consider when transferring money are Sberbank, VTB Bank, GazpromBank and Alfa Bank JSC.

When sending money to Russia from the UK, through Barclays Plc, you will be charged £0 for online banking, but there will be receiving fees of £13 for payments between £0 and £2,600. Payments over £10,000 are charged a receiving fee of £50. If you send money through the branch, you will be charged £25 or £40 if you are in priority banking. This excludes any recipient fees you may have to pay. Transfers can only be in GBP, EUR, USD.

Online Money Transfer Services

One alternative to banks when sending money to Russia is online money transfer providers. This category includes companies such as Azimo, WorldRemit, TransferGo, Wise, and OFX.

Once you sign up for a money transfer service, input the recipient details, the amount you want to send, and pay for your transfer, the provider will do the rest. Typically transfers can take up to 3 days depending on the payout option, but can be on the same business day. You can pay for your transfer using a credit card, debit card or bank transfer.

There are three payout methods you can opt for when transferring money through online transfer providers.

In-Store Cash Transfers

Money transfer operators such as Western Union and MoneyGram allow its customers to send money to Russia through direct to bank or cash pickup options. Western Union offers direct-to-bank transfers of up to 4,000.00 EUR and cash pickups of up to 5,000.00 EUR.

Western Union payout quote and receipt can be generated in both USD and Russian Ruble (RUB). The recipient can collect the money in either currency. MoneyGram transfers to Russia allow up to a maximum of 6000.00 GBP to a cash pickup location. Unlike Western Union, MoneyGram doesn’t have the direct-to-bank option when sending to Russia from the United Kingdom.

Paypal, Yandex and WebMoney

Sending to a recipient in Russia through Paypal, Yandex or WebMoney is another channel you can use to send money to your loved ones. All the above methods work in a similar manner where the money ends up in a virtual wallet from where you can withdraw to a local bank.

Yandex has over 18 million e-wallets, while WebMoney has more than 30 million registered users. Compared to the online money transfer providers, e-wallet solutions may add another layer of fees and exchange rate conversion margins. That being said, you can pay your bills right from the e-wallet without the need to withdraw the cash.

What is Needed to Send Money to Russia

When sending money to Russia, the information you’ll be asked to give will depend on the country you are sending from and the provider you choose. Typically, you will be required to give the following:

What Are the Ways of Receiving Money in Russia?

There are two main ways you can receive money in Russia: bank deposit and cash pickup.

What is Required to Receive Money in Russia?

Funds sent to the recipient bank account do not need any further procedure. However, for cash pickups the recipient will be asked to provide the following information:

Common Reasons for Sending Money to Russia

Transfers to Russia are utilised for different purposes. The spectrum of reasons is almost inexhaustible but the following are the common pull and push factors for remittances to Russia.

Household Support

Diaspora Russians with families living in Russia often send money home for family support.

Wages and Salaries

Some of the remittances to Russia are for payment of salaries for their Russia-based staff and freelancers.

Transfers of own funds

Whether it is funds generated from the sale of assets abroad or earnings repatriation back home, diaspora Russians have been using banks and online providers to send money to their home country

Vendor payments

Suppliers of goods and services based in Russia are normally paid in their home currency by their overseas clients.