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Table of Contents
Wise is the best personal multi-currency account in Canada for most people. It lets you hold 40+ currencies, convert between them and spend using the Wise card.
But there is not much direct competition… RBC, TD and Simplii offer separate foreign-currency accounts, which are better when you want to keep a specific currency at a Canadian bank.
A multi-currency wallet, Canadian USD account and US bank account can all hold US dollars, but they do not give you the same payment details or ways to use the money like a multi-currency account.
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Best multi-currency and foreign-currency accounts
There aren’t many multi-currency account options available in Canada, but here are the closest options available:
Account
Product type
Works for
Main limitation
Wise Account
Multi-currency wallet
Holding, converting and spending several currencies
Wise is not a bank, and receiving details vary by currency
RBC foreign-currency accounts
Separate bank accounts
Holding USD, EUR, GBP or HKD without a monthly fee
No single wallet or linked multi-currency card
TD foreign-currency accounts
Separate bank accounts
Holding a less common currency at a Canadian bank
Branch opening and monthly fees
Simplii USD Savings Account
USD bank account
Holding US dollars without a monthly fee
No card, ATM or cash access
An account may let you hold a currency without giving you local receiving details, card spending or cash withdrawals in that currency.
Which type of account do you need?
Start with what you need to do, then compare the accounts that can do it.
What you need
What to look for
Hold and spend several currencies
A multi-currency wallet with a card
Keep EUR, GBP or another currency at a Canadian bank
A foreign-currency savings account
Receive a US ACH payment
An account with US routing and account details
Save in USD without spending it
A Canadian USD savings account
Pay US bills or use US branches
A Canada-US cross-border banking package
Avoid card FX fees while travelling
A multi-currency debit card or no-FX credit card
Receive business revenue or pay suppliers
A business multi-currency account
Send money abroad in another currency
A money transfer company
Canadian USD accounts
A Canadian USD account normally sits on Canadian payment rails (network). It does not automatically give you US ACH details, US bill pay or access to US branches.
Multi-currency accounts
Wise is the only real option you have for holding, receiving, and spending international currencies.
Wise
Wise is the best personal multi-currency account because it lets you hold, convert and spend 40+ currencies from one account.
Here is a quick summary of what you get:
Category
Wise Account
Type
Multi-currency wallet
Currencies
40+
Monthly fee
None
Card access
Wise card
Receiving options
Local receiving details for selected currencies
ATM fees
Free up to 100 CAD / month, 2.69 CAD + 2.69% after.
Protection
RPAA safeguarding (Wise is not a CDIC member)
Wise is the closest thing you can get to a real personal multi-currency account in Canada.
You can convert between the currencies you hold, spend with the Wise card and receive payments using selected local account details.
Canadian dollar details accept EFT credits, direct deposits and Interac Autodeposit, but not domestic wires or online bill payments.
There is no opening, monthly or holding fee.
Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate and adds a separate conversion fee (from 0.19%) which changes with the currency and amount.
Here’s an example of Wise’s fees from our live comparisons:
The first card is free to order in Canada, and Wise does not charge a conversion fee when you spend money you already hold in the currency you’re paying in.
The ATM allowance is less competitive compared to other options.
Wise does not charge its own ATM fee on total withdrawals up to CAD$100 per calendar month.
Once you go over the allowance, it charges CAD$2.69 per withdrawal plus 2.69% of the amount above the CAD$100 allowance (and that’s not including additional local ATM fees).
Wise Payments Canada is not a bank or CDIC member.
Instead, it safeguards Canadian customer funds under the Retail Payment Activities Act.
Eligible money held in trust at a CDIC member can qualify for pass-through coverage when the trust and aggregation rules are met, but this does not make Wise itself CDIC-insured.
The account does more than the bank-held options below, but the ATM allowance and differences between its receiving details are important to consider.
Pros
Hold and convert 40+ currencies in one account
No opening, monthly or holding fee
Card spending abroad and local receiving details
Cons
Wise is not a bank or CDIC member
The fee-free ATM allowance is only CAD$100 / month
Receiving details and methods vary by currency
In my opinion, Wise is the best place to start when you want to hold different currencies in one account, and spend it abroad (for example when travelling).
For holding large balances (like savings), branch access, or getting foreign cash, a foreign account at a bank might be better.
Bank-held foreign-currency accounts
These accounts hold one foreign currency each.
They do not replace Wise if you want one balance, one card and easy conversion between several currencies.
But they can make more sense when you want to keep a particular currency at a Canadian bank.
RBC
RBC is the best bank option for holding USD, EUR, GBP or HKD without a monthly fee.
Here is a quick summary of its foreign-currency accounts:
Category
RBC foreign-currency accounts
Type
Separate foreign-currency savings accounts
Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP and HKD
Monthly fee
None
Card access
No linked multi-currency card
Receiving options
Incoming wires in the account currency
Protection
Eligible deposits can receive CDIC coverage
RBC offers separate savings accounts in all four currencies, with no minimum balance.
You can transfer between your own RBC personal deposit accounts without a transfer fee, although an exchange-rate markup applies when the currencies differ.
Here’s an example of the RBC’s currency conversion markup from our comparisons:
CAD
Currency pair
Markup
No results, please ensure you have currencies selected
Exchange rates update weekly.
The foreign-currency accounts can also send and receive wires.
Outgoing wires and foreign-cash deposits or withdrawals need branch access, and the relevant fees still apply.
The main downside is that this is not one wallet.
You manage each currency separately, there is no linked multi-currency card and RBC does not advertise local EUR, GBP or HKD payment details abroad.
RBC is a CDIC member, meaning eligible deposits are covered within the normal CAD$100,000 limit per depositor, insurance category and member institution.
You do not get a separate CAD$100,000 limit for every currency.
RBC keeps the accounts simple, but you give up the single wallet and everyday card you get with Wise.
Pros
No monthly fee or minimum balance
Supports four popular currencies
Can send and receive wires without converting the balance first
Cons
Each currency uses a separate account
No linked multi-currency card
Outgoing wires and foreign-cash transactions need branch help.
I would pick RBC over Wise when you simply need to hold and accumulate any of these four currencies at a Canadian bank.
TD Bank
TD is the best traditional bank in this comparison for holding less common currencies.
Here is a quick summary of its foreign-currency accounts:
Category
TD foreign-currency accounts
Type
Separate foreign-currency accounts
Currencies
12 non-USD currencies, plus separate USD accounts
Monthly fee
Applies to all 12 non-USD accounts (seven offer a minimum-balance waiver)
Card access
No linked multi-currency card
Receiving options
Transfers and wires in the account currency
Protection
Eligible deposits can receive CDIC coverage
Its personal accounts cover EUR, GBP, AUD, JPY, CHF, NZD, HKD, MXN, SAR, AED, SGD and ILS.
Eligible deposits payable in Canada can receive CDIC coverage in Canadian dollars or a foreign currency, subject to the normal limits and aggregation rules.
The currency range plus CDIC protection is TD's main advantage, but the fees and branch access make the accounts less convenient for everyday use.
This makes it useful for accumulating foreign currencies, but not ideal for travelling and spending compared to Wise.
Pros
Broadest traditional-bank currency selection
Hold and receive supported currencies without converting them first
Seven non-USD accounts offer a monthly-fee waiver
Cons
Accounts need to be opened in a branch
Every non-USD account lists a monthly fee (unless waived)
No linked multi-currency card
No direct foreign-cash access
I would use TD to hold and accumulate currencies the other Canadian banks do not. For travelling, ATM withdrawals or everyday spending abroad, I’d stick to Wise.
Simplii
Simplii is best if you already bank with it and want a simple place to hold US dollars without a monthly fee.
Here is a quick summary of the account:
Category
Simplii USD Savings Account
Product type
USD savings account
Currencies
USD
Monthly fee
None
Card access
No debit card, ATM or point-of-sale access
Receiving options
Incoming wires, mailed cheques and transfers from Simplii CAD accounts
Protection
Eligible deposits share the applicable CIBC CDIC limit
You can move money into the account from a Simplii Canadian-dollar account, another Simplii USD account, an incoming wire, or USD and non-USD cheques by mail.
There is no cash deposit or withdrawal option, so this is more useful for holding US dollars than spending them.
You can send US dollars to the US through Simplii Global Money Transfer without a transfer fee, but for other destinations, one of our top money transfer companies will usually be better.
You can also order a bank draft or money order from the account.
The account is straightforward, but access to the money is limited compared with a multi-currency wallet like Wise or a cross-border bank account like RBC or TD.
Pros
No monthly fee or minimum balance
Accepts incoming wires and cheques by mail
Easy transfers between Simplii CAD and USD accounts
Eligible deposits can receive CDIC coverage
Cons
Supports US dollars only
No debit card, ATM or point-of-sale access
No cash deposits or withdrawals
Simplii is not available in Quebec
If you already bank with Simplii and only need to hold US dollars, it is a good option. If you need several currencies or a card for spending, Wise makes more sense.
If you only need US dollars
You probably do not need a multi-currency account if USD is the only foreign currency you use.
What you need USD for
Accounts to consider
Examples
Saving USD in Canada
Canadian USD savings account
EQ Bank, RBC, TD or Scotiabank
Receiving US ACH payments
Account with US routing and account details
Wise or an eligible business account
Paying US bills and using US branches
Cross-border banking package
RBC or TD cross-border banking
Holding USD for investing
USD account linked to an investment platform
Wealthsimple or your brokerage
EQ Bank's US Dollar Account
EQ Bank's US Dollar Account has no everyday banking fees or minimum balance.
It supports electronic transfers to linked Canadian accounts, but not cash, cheques, wires or card spending. And it’s unavailable in Quebec.
Wealthsimple USD Savings
Wealthsimple USD Savings can receive a USD wire or money from a linked Canadian USD account.
It does not support card spending, bill payments, direct deposit, cash or Interac e-Transfer. It is not covered by CDIC, and does not offer other deposit-insurance coverage for it.
RBC and TD cross-border packages
RBC and TD cross-border packages make more sense for snowbirds or anyone who needs US bill pay and US-domiciled banking.
A Canadian USD savings account at the same bank is a different product.
How much does a multi-currency account cost?
A free account can still be expensive if it uses a poor exchange rate or relies on paid wires.
When choosing an account, you need to consider:
The account or plan fee
The conversion fee or exchange-rate margin
Incoming and outgoing wire charges
Intermediary-bank deductions
Fees for receiving local payments
Card conversion and foreign-transaction fees
ATM fees
Interest you earn or give up while holding the balance
Converting CAD$1,000 to other currencies
Wise shows its conversion fee separately, while a bank may include the exchange-rate margin in its customer rate.
Here’s how the options compare depending on the destination.
Last updated at 2026-09-11
CAD COP
Mid Market Rate$1 = $2,262.5479
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
RBC
3
TD Bank
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
$2,216,092.44
2257.1500
0.24
$18.19
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
CAD EUR
Mid Market Rate$1 = €0.6223
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
TD Bank
3
RBC
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
€618.35
0.6223
0.00
$6.34
€604.60
0.6046
2.89
$0.00
€603.35
0.6034
3.09
$0.00
CAD GBP
Mid Market Rate$1 = £0.5357
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
TD Bank
3
RBC
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
£532.05
0.5357
0.00
$6.78
£519.72
0.5197
3.03
$0.00
-
-
-
-
CAD GHS
Mid Market Rate$1 = GH₵8.2667
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
RBC
3
TD Bank
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
GH₵8,127.38
8.2903
-0.29
$19.65
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
CAD INR
Mid Market Rate$1 = ₹68.9191
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
RBC
3
TD Bank
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
₹68,429.24
68.9651
-0.07
$7.77
₹66,269.05
66.2691
3.92
$0.00
₹66,024.00
66.0240
4.29
$0.00
CAD MXN
Mid Market Rate$1 = $12.2763
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
TD Bank
3
RBC
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
$12,171.73
12.2767
0.00
$8.55
$11,770.40
11.7704
4.21
$0.00
-
-
-
-
CAD NGN
Mid Market Rate$1 = ₦958.1476
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
RBC
3
TD Bank
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
₦984,121.97
992.7790
-3.55
$8.72
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
CAD PHP
Mid Market Rate$1 = ₱45.2834
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
RBC
3
TD Bank
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
₱44,908.27
45.2855
0.00
$8.33
₱43,859.65
43.8596
3.19
$0.00
-
-
-
-
CAD PKR
Mid Market Rate$1 = Rs 200.9507
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
RBC
3
TD Bank
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
Rs 199,616.01
201.4980
-0.27
$9.34
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
CAD PLN
Mid Market Rate$1 = zł 2.6908
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
TD Bank
3
RBC
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
zł 2,671.30
2.6909
0.00
$7.30
zł 2,552.97
2.5530
5.26
$0.00
-
-
-
-
CAD USD
Mid Market Rate$1 = $0.7244
Transfer Amount$1,000
1
Wise
2
RBC
3
TD Bank
They get
Exchange rate
Markup
Transfer fee
$719.01
0.7244
0.00
$7.41
$707.11
0.7071
2.41
$0.00
$703.33
0.7033
2.95
$0.00
Receiving US$10,000 into a CAD account
Receiving US dollars can be free and still leave you with an expensive conversion.
An ACH credit, Canadian USD wire and international SWIFT wire can have very different charges even though they all arrive in US dollars.
Here’s how these options compare when receiving USD into the Canadian dollar account via wire transfer:
Account
Receiving fees
Conversion rate
CAD received
Wise
CAD$0
$1 USD = 1.3841 CAD
CAD$13,791.67
RBC
CAD$17
$1 USD = 1.33560 CAD
CAD$13,339.00
TD
CAD$15
$1 USD = 1.3362 CAD
CAD$13,347.00
Bank data last updated in September 2026, Wise information updates weekly.
How to move money in and out of the account
The account is only useful if it supports the way you get paid and the way you need to withdraw.
Interac e-Transfer
Wise can receive Canadian dollars through Interac Autodeposit.
This funds the Canadian-dollar balance, it does not mean Interac handles the foreign-currency payment.
EFT and linked bank accounts
EFT moves Canadian dollars between Canadian accounts.
If you do not want to share your online-banking credentials through a linking service, check for manual EFT, bill-payment or Interac funding before signing up.
ACH
ACH is a US payment rail (network).
You need US routing and account details to receive a normal ACH credit, which a Canadian USD savings account does not provide automatically.
SWIFT wires
Wires can move the original currency between countries, but the sending, receiving and intermediary banks may all charge.
Moving USD between two USD accounts can still cost money even when there is no conversion.
Cash and cheques
Wise does not accept cash.
RBC handles supported foreign-cash transactions in branches, while TD's foreign-currency accounts do not directly accept or dispense foreign cash.
Simplii's USD account accepts cheque deposits by mail.
Before receiving a salary or other regular payment, confirm that the payment method is supported and the account terms allow it.
A multi-currency account is not always the best travel option
Wise is the only multi-currency account here with an everyday card, this makes it great for most trips abroad.
But that does not automatically make it the best option for every trip.
A no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card may be better for hotels, car rentals and larger purchases when insurance or purchase protection matters.
A prepaid card can remove the foreign-transaction fee without making you hold several balances.
If you use an ATM or card terminal abroad, always choose the local currency. Letting the machine convert the transaction to Canadian dollars is usually more expensive.
In my opinion, Wise is useful for day-to-day spending abroad, but I would still carry a no-FX credit card for purchases where the extra protection is needed or for points.
How your money is protected with these accounts
CDIC deposit insurance and RPAA safeguarding protect against different problems.
Bank deposits
CDIC covers eligible deposits at member institutions up to CAD$100,000 per depositor, insurance category and member.
Eligible foreign-currency deposits can be covered, but different currency balances at one bank do not each receive their own CAD$100,000 limit.
RBC and TD are CDIC members.
Simplii is a division of CIBC, so its eligible deposits are aggregated with applicable CIBC deposits in the same category.
Money held through Wise
Wise is not a bank or CDIC member.
It safeguards Canadian customer money under the RPAA, and eligible deposits held in trust at a CDIC member can qualify for pass-through coverage when the disclosure and aggregation rules are met.
Safeguarding is designed to protect access to customer funds if the payment company becomes insolvent, but it is not the same as deposit insurance.
Account access
Banks and payment companies can pause a transaction or restrict an account while checking your identity, the payment purpose or source of funds.
Keep invoices, contracts and source-of-funds documents for larger or unusual payments.
I would also keep enough for rent and other essentials in a separate Canadian account if you depend on a multi-currency wallet for foreign income.
Federally regulated banks follow the Canadian bank complaint process.
Eligible unresolved complaints can go to OBSI after a final response or 56 days.
A payment app is covered by OBSI only if it participates, so check its own complaint process as well.
If you need a business multi-currency account
Use a business account when you regularly receive commercial revenue, pay suppliers or give employees access.
Personal account terms may restrict business activity even when the payment details work.
Wise Business, Airwallex, OFX, Loop, and Venn all offer different versions of multi-currency business accounts to Canadian companies.
Their fees, payment rails and protection arrangements are different, so they need a separate comparison.
The best account for holding foreign currency may give you a worse conversion rate on the transfer itself.
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Our methodology and why you can trust us
We compared personal accounts available to Canadian residents, then separated multi-currency wallets from bank foreign-currency accounts and USD-only products.
We checked the currencies held, receiving details, Canadian funding methods, conversion costs, wires, card and ATM access, protection and Quebec availability.
Product and regulatory claims were checked against current official sources in September 2026.
Commercial deals did not determine which accounts we included or their order.
Artiom is a marketing graduate from the University of Portsmouth and has been working across personal finance and remittance industries for several years. He optimises the organic experience on MoneyTransfers.com with the content team, manages and creates unique marketing tactics, and generally supports the overall growth of the website.
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