Wells Fargo Large Transfers [2024] Guide: How-to, Limits & Fees
If you need to send a high value payment overseas, using your bank might seem like the obvious option. Wells Fargo has variable limits for online transfers, but you’ll usually find you can transfer more money if you visit a branch in person, if you run into a limit when trying to set up your payment online.
This guide looks at the Wells Fargo transfer limit, and how it’s set.
Before you decide to arrange your payment with Wells Fargo, it’s also worth shopping around to see if you can get a more convenient, cheaper or faster payment with another provider.
To help you choose, we’ve also featured a couple of Wells Fargo alternatives for high value payments – including Wise which has transfer fee discounts when sending over 25,000 USD in a month, and OFX which has no transfer fee and no maximum cap on the send amount.
Quick summary: Wells Fargo transfer limits
- The Wells Fargo transfer limit which applies can vary based on your account type
- You may find you can get a higher Wells Fargo bank transfer limit if you arrange your payment in a branch rather than online
- Wells Fargo does not charge a transfer fee for overseas wires arranged online in a foreign currency – branch transfers cost 40 USD
- In addition to transfer costs, Wells Fargo exchange rates will include a markup
- You may find you can get a simple and cheap transaction experience if you choose an online provider like Wise or OFX instead of using your bank
Wells Fargo daily transfer limit: Variable limits apply – you can usually transfer more in a branch compared to online
Wells Fargo online transfer limit: Variable limits apply based on your account type
Wells Fargo receiving limit: Usually no limit
| Wells Fargo large transfers pros | Wells Fargo large transfers cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Send online or in branch, with variable limits based on your account type ✅ Secure and reliable service ✅ No fee for overseas wires arranged online in a foreign currency ✅ Talk through your payment in person or by phone if you need to | ❌ You may need to visit a branch to set up a very high value transfer ❌ No discounts on high value transfers ❌ In branch payments cost 40 USD |
This guide looks at Wells Fargo’s payment limits and also touches on a couple of alternatives which might be handy if you find your Wells Fargo limit is too low, or if you simply want to compare some options to see which is the best available deal.
Services like Wise and OFX are not banks but do support high value payments to many countries and regions globally, with fair exchange rates and low overall costs. More on that later.
Can you send high value international transfers with Wells Fargo?
Wells Fargo allows account holders to send money online and in person at a branch. There are limits on the amount you can send online which apply for security reasons. These limits can vary according to your account type and usage, and can be viewed online before you set up your payment.
If you find your transfer is too high to send online with Wells Fargo, you can visit a branch to ask for an increase in your limit, and to arrange your payment in person. Higher fees apply for branch payments.
It’s worth noting that if you’re sending a payment online with Wells Fargo you’ll need to register for online banking and the verification process can take 1 – 3 days to complete.
You must have a current residence in the United States to send a digital wire. You can’t send a digital wire from American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Wells Fargo high amount transfer fees
Wells Fargo does not charge an upfront fee for international transfers sent online in a foreign currency.
However, for higher value payments you might find you need to visit a branch to set up your payment – which means paying a fee of 40 USD.
Aside from the transfer fee you’ll also pay a fee which is included in the exchange rate used to convert your payment, and third party charges. If you choose to avoid having your payment converted – so you send money in USD to an account overseas – there’s a 25 USD fee for digital transfers.
Wells Fargo exchange rate for international transfers
Wells Fargo states in its account fee schedule that the exchange rate used for converting your USD to the currency needed for deposit in your recipient’s account includes a markup. This is a fee which is rolled into the exchange rate applied.
When you’re sending a higher value payment overseas, the exchange rate is especially important because even a small percentage change can add up to a high fee in absolute terms. If you find your bank adds 3% to the exchange rate you get, for example, this adds up to a 300 USD fee on a transfer of 10,000 USD. That’s far higher than the transfer fee you see in the bank’s fee schedule, and can mean you’re paying more than you think for your overseas payment.
Not all providers use a markup on their exchange rate. We’ll look at one which doesn’t – Wise – a little later.
Is Wells Fargo safe for large amount transfers?
Yes. Wells Fargo is a safe, trusted and properly regulated bank with a local, regional and international presence.
Wells Fargo transfer limits
Wells Fargo money transfer limits may vary based on the account you have.
You may find that there are also limits on how much you can send with Wells Fargo, depending on the currency, or country you send money to.
To find your Wells Fargo transfer limit you’ll need to log into your online banking or visit a branch.
If you discover that the payment you need to make exceeds the bank’s online payment limit, you can visit a branch to request your limit to be raised, or make the transfer in person in a branch instead.
Alternatives to Wells Fargo with higher transfer limits
If you need to send a high value payment it’s worth comparing your options on convenience and cost. While Wells Fargo may well be able to process your transfer, you might find that an alternative could offer you a better exchange rate, lower costs, or a quicker delivery time.
Here we’ve picked out OFX, Wise and Xe Money Transfer as some online services you might want to look at, which can support high value payments online and in app, with good exchange rates and low overall costs. Here’s how they measure up:
| Providers | International transfer limits | Transfer methods | Transfer fees & exchange rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo | Variable limits depending on the account you hold | Transfer online, in app or in person | 0 USD – 40 USD transfer fee Exchange rate includes a markup |
| OFX | No limit | Transfer online, in app or by phone | No transfer fee Exchange rate includes a markup |
| Wise | 1 million USD per payment | Transfer online or in app | Fee from 0.33% |
| Xe Money Transfer | 535,000 USD per payment | Transfer online or in app | Often no transfer fee Exchange rate includes a markup |
*Other limits may apply, depending on the payment method and destination country
** Information correct on 3 December 2024
OFX – no transfer limits
| OFX – best features for high value transfers |
|---|
|
OFX allows customers to send money in 50+ currencies, all over the world. OFX does not charge US customers any transfer fee, although there is a fee included in the exchange rate that’s used to process your payment.
There’s no upper limit on the amount of money you can send with OFX. If you’re sending a high value payment you may need to talk it through with OFX using their 24/7 call line, to make sure you have all the right information and documentation to support your transfer.
Some banks have a daily or per transfer limit on the amount you can send. If your bank imposes a limit, OFX can accept partial payments for a transfer – so you can make several bank transfers to pass OFX the full amount required for processing.
Wise – discounted fees on transfers over 25,000 USD
| Wise – best features for high value transfers |
|---|
|
Wise offers high value payments for individuals and businesses to 160+ countries, with the mid-market exchange rate and low fees from 0.33%. Wise is a secure provider which also offers volume discounts on fees, so the costs could be reduced if you use the service regularly or if you’re sending a large amount.
If you send more than the currency equivalent of 20,000 GBP a month (around 25,000 USD) you could get an automatic discount of up to 0.17%. There’s no need to pre-arrange the fee. Here’s how the Wise high value payment discounts break down:
| Payment volume (GBP) | Discount |
|---|---|
| Under 20,000/month | 0 |
| 20,000 – 300,000/month | 0.1% |
| 300,000 – 500,000/month | 0.15% |
| 500,000 – 1million/month | 0.16% |
| 1 million+/month | 0.17% |
The limits for Wise accounts held in licensed states, Guam and the Virgin Islands are as follows:
| Wise personal account transfer limit | Wise Business account transfer limit | |
|---|---|---|
| Per transfer | 1,000,000 USD | 1,000,000 USD |
| ACH | 50,000 USD per day 250,000 USD per 60 day period | 50,000 USD per day 400,000 USD per 60 day period |
| Debit or credit card | 2,000 USD per day 8,000 USD per week | 2,000 USD per day 8,000 USD per week |
If your account address is in Nevada, American Samoa, or Mariana Islands the limits are slightly different:
| Wise personal account transfer limit | |
|---|---|
| Per transfer | 50,000 USD |
| Per year | 250,000 USD |
| ACH limit | 10,000 USD per day 400,000 USD in a 60 day period |
Learn more: Wise large amount transfers
Xe Money Transfer – transfers up to 535k USD
| Xe Money Transfer – best features for high value transfers |
|---|
|
With Xe Money Transfer you can send a payment online or in app to 130+ countries from the US, for personal or business use. Xe has a fixed limit of 535,000 USD or the currency equivalent per personal payment. This limit does not apply on business transfers.
Xe does not market volume discounts on fees or exchange rates, but if you’re using the service for a big transfer it may be worth calling them to check if there’s a good deal to be had.
How long do large transfers take with Wells Fargo?
Wells Fargo international transfer times vary depending on the country you’re sending money to and the value of your payment.
Once your payment is processed, it’s likely to take 1 – 5 days to arrive in the destination account.
If you submit your payment request before 2pm, Pacific Time, Wells Fargo will start to process your payment on the same day you submit it. If you’re later than this, the process will begin the following working day.
It’s useful to know that all Wells Fargo transfers go through a verification process – this may mean that you need to give some paperwork to the bank to support your transfer, which can result in a delay.
How to send a large amount transfer with Wells Fargo
You can send most international transfers with Wells Fargo online – but there are variable limits which may mean you need to visit a branch instead, if you’re sending a very high amount.
Firstly, let’s look at how to send a Wells Fargo digital payment, step by step:
- Log on to Wells Fargo Online
- Select Transfer & Pay
- Add your recipient, tap the funding account, and enter the payment amount
- Review and send your payment
If you discover that your payment is too high for you to send online you’ll need to visit a branch to set up your transfer – a teller will talk you through the process and get all the required information to process your transfer.
Information needed to send large amounts of money with Wells Fargo
To send a wire overseas with Wells Fargo, you will need this information:
| Required information for Wells Fargo international large money transfers: |
|---|
|
Is it possible to increase Wells Fargo transfer limits?
You can check your Wells Fargo digital payment limit by logging into your online banking. If you need to send a higher value payment you’ll need to visit a branch.
In the branch the team can either help you to raise your digital limit to process your payment that way – or assist to transfer your money in person.
How to increase Wells Fargo transfer limits
To increase your Wells Fargo digital payment limit you will need to visit a bank branch to have the team help you.
You’ll either be able to raise your limit or process the payment in person instead if it’s too high for the digital process.
How to receive large transfers with Wells Fargo
There’s not usually any Wells Fargo limit for receiving transfers. Wells Fargo has a 15 USD fee for incoming payments from the US and overseas.
To receive an incoming wire to Wells Fargo you must give the sender the following information:
- Bank name -Wells Fargo Bank, NA
- Bank address – 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
- Your complete Wells Fargo account number (including leading zeros)
- The name and address of your account as it appears on your statement
For domestic wire transfers you also need the following:
- Wells Fargo Wire Routing Transit Number (ABA / RTN) 121000248
And for international wire transfers:
- Wells Fargo SWIFT / BIC code WFBIUS6S
Alternatives to Wells Fargo for receiving large payments
Receiving a large value payment to your Wells Fargo account is hassle free but can mean paying an incoming wire fee. Transfers to your bank are also not always the fastest or cheapest option.
If your sender is overseas, for example, you may find you get less than you expect because of third party charges involved in sending the payment via SWIFT. You may avoid some of these costs if you choose to receive your payment to a specialist account which lets you receive payments in a foreign currency instead:
Wise Account: Receive money with local account and SWIFT details in 20+ currencies, with quick payment options and low or no fees. Hold, send, or spend your money as you choose, with mid-market exchange rates
OFX Business Account: Receive business payments in 7 major currencies to your OFX account, which you can use for future payments or withdraw to your US bank later. There’s no OFX fee to receive a payment in a foreign currency with your local account information
Wells Fargo business payments limits
Wells Fargo international business payments limits can vary according to the account type you hold.
If you need to send more than the digital limit which is set on your account you can visit a branch and request the limit increase.
Wells Fargo customer support for high amount transfers
You can get help with your Wells Fargo high value transfer by calling into your local branch, with or without an appointment. Or, if you’d prefer to get help from home, call the bank on the following number:
- General Banking – 1-800-869-3557
If you are a Wells Fargo customer, our guides might help you with your international banking:
- Wells Fargo international wire transfers
- How to open a Wells Fargo account as a non resident
- Wells Fargo cards international transaction fees
- Wells Fargo currency exchange
Conclusion: Does Wells Fargo have transfer limits?
Wells Fargo has variable digital payment limits which can depend on the account you have and how you tend to transact. You can have your transfer limits raised by calling into a branch or you could choose to send the payment in person instead of online, to avoid this issue. Branch payments have a 40 USD fee to pay.
If you’re sending a high value payment, compare the service you can get from Wells Fargo with alternatives like Wise and OFX to see which can offer more convenience and a better overall cost.
Wells Fargo transfer limits FAQs
How much can I transfer with Wells Fargo internationally online?
Wells Fargo has variable digital payment limits which can depend on the account you have and how you tend to transact. Log into your online banking to view your limit and call into a branch to raise it if you need to.
What is the maximum amount you can transfer abroad with Wells Fargo?
Wells Fargo payment limits depend on the account you have – in many cases you can send more in a branch than you can online, so this is an option if you need to send an amount which exceeds your specific account’s online payment limit.
How can I increase the Wells Fargo maximum transfer limit?
You can have your transfer limits raised by calling into a branch to request the increase – or choose a different service which has a higher limit, or no limit at all on the payment level. Check out services like Wise and OFX to see if either may be a better fit for your transfer.
