Sending an international wire from Chase Bank is straightforward once you know where to find the wire transfer option and have the recipient’s banking information ready. Unlike a domestic wire, an international transfer typically requires a SWIFT/BIC code and an IBAN or other international account number.
This guide walks you through how to send an international wire from Chase, including how to add a recipient, choose the currency, review exchange rates and fees, and schedule the transfer.
How to Send an International Wire from Chase
To start an international wire from Chase, open the Chase mobile app and sign in to your account.
From the main screen:
- Tap Pay & Transfer on the bottom toolbar.
- Select Wires & Global Transfers.
- At the top of the next screen, select the International tab.
- Review the information Chase provides about what you need, delivery times, and daily limits.
- Scroll down and tap Add Recipient.
Before continuing, make sure you have the recipient’s international banking information available. In particular, you will need their SWIFT/BIC code.
Verify Your Identity
Chase will ask you to verify that you are the person initiating the transfer. You can generally choose to receive a verification code by text message or phone call.
If you choose text verification, enter the code you receive and tap Confirm Identity.
Select the Payment Purpose
Chase will ask why you are sending the money. Options may include:
- Paying a friend, family member, or trusted person
- Buying a property or investment
- Paying a seller or service provider
- Paying a bank, company, or government agency
- Investing in cryptocurrency
- Something else
Select the option that accurately describes your transfer.
This information helps Chase meet regulatory requirements and can also trigger additional fraud warnings for certain types of transactions. For example, cryptocurrency transfers may receive stronger scam warnings because of the prevalence of fraud involving these payments.
Chase may also display a scam warning related to family impersonation and other common wire-transfer scams. Read the warning carefully before continuing.
Add the Recipient’s Bank Details
The first part of the recipient setup is entering their bank information.
Select the recipient’s country from the dropdown menu. Once you select a country, Chase will adjust the required fields based on that country’s banking system.
For example, if you select Greece, Chase will ask for a SWIFT/BIC code rather than a U.S. routing number.
SWIFT Code and BIC Explained
A SWIFT code, also called a BIC (Bank Identifier Code), identifies a bank for international payments. It typically contains 8 to 11 characters and tells the banking network which financial institution should receive the transfer.
Your recipient can usually find their bank’s SWIFT/BIC code through their bank, online banking, or account documentation. Ask the recipient for the exact code before starting your international wire from Chase.
After you enter the SWIFT/BIC code, Chase may display the bank associated with that code. This gives you an important opportunity to verify that the code matches the recipient’s bank.
If Chase displays a different bank from the one your recipient gave you, stop and confirm the information with the recipient before proceeding.
IBAN and Account Number Explained
Next, enter the recipient’s international account number.
For many countries, this will be an IBAN (International Bank Account Number). An IBAN is a standardized account identifier used for international payments, and its length varies by country.
For example, an IBAN for a Greek bank account begins with GR, while IBANs from other countries use different country codes and lengths.
Enter the IBAN carefully and re-enter it when Chase asks you to verify the account number. Even a small error can cause an international transfer to be delayed or sent incorrectly.
If Chase provides an additional routing-information field and marks it as optional, you can leave it blank if it does not apply.
Choose the Recipient Account Type
Select whether the recipient’s account belongs to an individual or a business.
Then choose the currency in which the recipient will receive the money.
Local Currency vs. U.S. Dollars
One of the most important decisions when setting up an international wire from Chase is whether to send the money in U.S. dollars or the recipient’s local currency.
For example, if you’re sending money to someone in Greece, you may be able to send the wire in euros or U.S. dollars.
The choice can affect both the upfront wire fee and the exchange rate.
According to the process described here, Chase charges a flat fee for international wires sent in U.S. dollars, while wires sent in a foreign currency can have a lower or waived upfront fee depending on the amount.
However, a lower upfront fee does not necessarily mean the transfer is completely free. When Chase converts your dollars into a foreign currency, the exchange rate can include a spread between the market rate and the rate offered to you.
When sending U.S. dollars, the recipient’s bank may instead perform the currency conversion and could charge its own conversion fee or use its own exchange rate.
For that reason, sending the recipient’s local currency can often be more convenient, particularly when the recipient expects to receive money in that currency. However, compare the total cost and exchange rate shown by Chase before completing the transfer.
Enter the Recipient’s Personal Information
Next, Chase will ask for the recipient’s personal information.
You may need to provide:
- First name
- Middle initial, if applicable
- Last name
- Nickname
- Country
- Full address
Enter the recipient’s name exactly as it appears on their bank account. Avoid using a nickname in place of their legal or account name.
Pay close attention to the address and other identifying information because international transfers may be reviewed by multiple financial institutions.
Once all required information is entered, tap Next.
Review the Recipient Information
Chase will show you a summary of the recipient’s information before adding them.
Carefully check:
- Recipient’s name
- SWIFT/BIC code
- Bank name
- IBAN or account number
- Account type
- Currency
- Recipient’s address
If anything is incorrect, tap Edit and fix it before continuing.
Once everything is correct, confirm that the recipient’s account information matches their bank records and tap Add Recipient.
Chase will confirm that the recipient has been added. You may also receive an email confirming that a new wire recipient was added.
If you receive a notification about a new wire recipient that you did not add, contact Chase immediately.
Schedule the International Wire
After adding the recipient, tap Send Money to begin creating the actual transfer.
Your Chase account will be shown as the account sending the money. Enter the amount you want to send.
When sending foreign currency, Chase can show both the U.S. dollar equivalent and the amount the recipient will receive in their local currency. Entering one amount can automatically calculate the other using the current exchange rate.
Check the Exchange Rate
Pay close attention to the exchange rate shown by Chase.
For example, if you enter $100, Chase might show that the recipient will receive a corresponding amount in euros based on the current rate.
The exchange rate may be locked for a limited period before it expires and refreshes. This means you should review the transfer and complete it within the displayed time window if you want to use the quoted rate.
Remember that the difference between the market exchange rate and the rate offered by Chase represents part of the overall cost of the currency conversion, even when the displayed wire fee is low or zero.
International Wire Timing
Timing is another important consideration when sending an international wire from Chase.
International wires can take longer to arrive than domestic wires because they may pass through multiple financial institutions, including intermediary banks.
Chase indicates that international wires generally take two to five business days to arrive after processing, although actual delivery times can vary.
The timing of when you submit the wire can also matter. Transfers submitted before the applicable cutoff time may begin processing that business day, while transfers submitted after the cutoff may be processed on the next business day.
Weekends and Federal Reserve holidays can also affect processing.
If the recipient needs the money by a particular date, don’t wait until the last possible day.
Review Fees and Transfer Details
Before submitting the wire, scroll through the transfer summary and review the entire cost.
The review screen can show information such as:
- Exchange rate
- Wire amount
- U.S. dollar equivalent
- Transfer fee
- Total amount
- Payment purpose
The exact fee can depend on factors such as the currency and amount of the transfer. The Chase app will show the applicable fee before you authorize the transaction.
This is the best point to make sure you understand exactly how much will leave your account and how much the recipient is expected to receive.
Confirm and Send the Wire
Once you’ve reviewed everything, tap Next to reach the final review screen.
Double-check the recipient’s banking information, currency, exchange rate, amount, and fees one last time.
If everything is correct, confirm the recipient’s account details and tap Schedule Wire to submit the transfer.
International wire transfers can be difficult to reverse once they have been released, so take the extra minute to verify every detail before confirming.
How to Manage Saved Wire Recipients
After you’ve completed the recipient setup, you don’t have to repeat the entire process every time you send them money.
From the Pay & Transfer screen, select Manage Recipients. You’ll see your saved domestic and international wire recipients.
Select a recipient to view their saved information and use the Send a Wire option to start another transfer.
This lets you skip the recipient setup and go directly to entering the amount and scheduling the wire.
What If the Recipient’s Bank Details Change?
Chase does not allow you to directly edit certain saved recipient banking details. If the bank information needs to be changed, you may need to delete the existing recipient and add them again with the correct information.
Although this can be inconvenient, the restriction provides an additional layer of security by making it harder for someone with unauthorized access to silently redirect future wire transfers.
Final Tips for Sending an International Wire from Chase
Before sending an international wire from Chase, keep these points in mind:
- Get the recipient’s SWIFT/BIC code before starting.
- Confirm the recipient’s IBAN or international account number carefully.
- Make sure the SWIFT/BIC code corresponds to the correct bank.
- Enter the recipient’s name exactly as it appears on their bank account.
- Compare sending in the recipient’s local currency versus U.S. dollars.
- Review the exchange rate, not just the displayed wire fee.
- Check the estimated delivery time and send the money early if there is a deadline.
- Review every detail on the final confirmation screen.
- Be especially cautious if someone is pressuring you to send a wire urgently.
- Contact Chase if you receive a notification about a recipient you did not add.
An international wire from Chase can be completed directly through the Chase mobile app, but international transfers require more information than domestic wires. Having the correct SWIFT/BIC code, IBAN, recipient details, currency, and payment purpose ready beforehand makes the process much smoother and reduces the risk of costly mistakes.
