Send Money To Singapore

As of June 2017, the department of statistics in Singapore indicated that approximately 214,700 Singaporeans live abroad. Some of them are students studying while others are expatriates who moved with their families overseas.

The largest communities of Singaporeans abroad can be found in Australia, the UK and Malaysia. From time to time, overseas Singaporeans send home money for family upkeep, education, property purchase or for social contributions. Whatever the case, the bulk of these transactions come through the banking system and money transfer providers.

Currently, Singapore has 228 banks and 98 money transfer operators. Some of the common remittance providers and money changers include Currencyfair, Instarem, OFX, Transfast, Transferwise, Western Union Business Solutions, World First Asia, WorldRemit, and Aramex.

Singapore is a global financial destination with lots of popular transfer corridors. Such countries normally have lots of sending channels as well. However, the more the providers and banks in the Singapore corridor the more you need to do your homework well before you send money. Due diligence will ensure that you get a provider that is fast, affordable and simple.

In this guide, we explore the different ways of sending money to Singapore, what is required to send and receive money in the country, reasons why people send money to Singapore and some of the factors to bear in mind when sending.

How To Send Money To Singapore

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

Find a Trusted Provider

Use our comparison table to find the best provider for your needs.

Sign Up and Deposit

Sign up with the provider and deposit the amount you want to transfer.

Transfer Money

As soon as you're ready, you can start sending money online.

Ways To Send And Receive Money In Singapore

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

Ways to Send Money to Singapore

When sending money to Singapore there are a number of channels you could use. Three of the most prominent are international wire transfers, online money transfers, and in-store cash transfers.

International Wire Transfers

You can wire money from your local bank to a bank in Singapore. This channel works well if both you and the recipient have bank accounts. Most banks abroad allow for online bank transfers, in-person branch transfers, and mobile banking transfers.

Whatever the options available, bank transfers to Singapore may be delayed depending on the country you are sending from and the time of day. For instance, sending money to Singapore from the United Kingdom through Barclays Bank PLC, you will pay £15 for Online Banking and £25-£40 for branch or telephone transfers.

JP Morgan Chase has a branch in Singapore that you can use to make transfers if the recipient has an account there. For outgoing international wire transfers, JP Morgan Chase charges its customers $40-$50 per transfer.

Looking at how expensive bank transfers can get and the time it takes for money to reach the recipient, it may not be economical to use them for small transfers or not at all if you have a better option.

Online Money Transfer

As stated earlier on, Singapore has 98 money transfer operators. Most of them are global giants with wide sending and disbursing network coverages. When sending money to Singapore using online money transfer services, you will enjoy the simplicity, flexibility, speed and affordability.

Signing up for an account is simple and fast. All you need is to provide your personal details including email address and physical address and you are up and running. The verification process usually takes a shorter time, about 30 minutes to a couple of hours.

Depending on the provider, you’ll have different transfer payment options and other few requirements. Most online money transfer providers accept credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers as payments options. The costs of sending in terms of transfer fees and exchange rate margins also vary.

For instance, sending 1000 GBP through TransferWise from the UK to Singapore, it will only cost you 4.26 GBP and you get to transfer midmarket rates. WorldRemit will cost you a little lower in transfer fees at 2.99 GBP but their exchange rates come with a margin of about 1.14% off the mid-market rate. On the same route, NatWest will cost you 22.00 GBP and still charge an exchange rate margin of about 3.08%.

The payout options for online money transfer services range from direct-to-bank deposits to cash pickups. For instance, Xoom can send money direct to Singaporean banks such as DBS, POSB, United Overseas Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank within two business days.

Xoom cash pickups in Singapore can be accessed from 20 locations operated by the following contracted agents: BKK Forex Pte Ltd, AAA Money Pte Ltd, Mass Express Pte Ltd and Ameertech Remittance and Exchange.

WorldRemit supports direct-to-bank transfers to Singapore and the transfers take about 3 business days.

In-Store Cash Transfers

Western Union and MoneyGram are the biggest cash transfer operators that allow for in-store cash transfers. Western Union customers in the UK can send up to 50,000 GBP to Singapore through cash pickup or bank deposit. The cash pickup payout option is the fastest, taking only a few minutes for your money to get to the recipient. Direct to bank deposits take up to 3 business days. Sending 100 GBP to Singapore will cost you 2.90 GBP in transfer fees and up to 8.2% in exchange rate margin.

When sending to Singapore through MoneyGram, the maximum is 6000.00 GBP and the only payout is cash pickup. You’ll be charged 1.99 GBP to transfer 100 GBP at an exchange rate margin of 4.15%.

If you don’t want to pay at a store, you can opt for online payment using a credit card, debit card, or a bank transfer.

Airtime Reload

You can do an airtime recharge directly to the recipient phone through Xoom. In Singapore, Xoom has partnered with 3 carriers: M1, Singtel, and Starhub. Recharges are instant and the recipient gets an SMS notification.

What is Needed to Send Money to Singapore

Sending money to Singapore shouldn’t be a hassle with online money transfers. The information required is minimal though it varies from one provider to the other.

A government-issued photo ID document. Depending on the country you are sending from, you can use a passport, social security card or driver’s license.
The recipient’s name as it appears on their legal documents
The recipient's physical address and phone number
If you are sending directly to a bank account, the recipient bank details (bank name, branch and the account number)
The amount of money you want to send, the transfer payment option and payout methods

Most of this information is requested when opening the transfer account. For subsequent transfers, only a few details related to the recipient are asked when sending.

Common Reasons for Sending Money to Singapore

Singapore is not just home to the Singaporeans in the diaspora but also a key business hub. There are lots of reasons why people send money to Singapore. Some of the common ones include:

Family Support and Upkeep

Overseas Singaporeans whose families are still in Singapore, send money to support them with day to day living costs.

Investment

There is so much you can invest in when you consider the positive economic climate in Singapore. You may either invest in the real estate or in financial assets.

Buying Houses

Some of the inflows into Singapore are channeled into the housing market. The houses purchased could be residential or commercial.

Paying Contractors

Overseas clients with contractors and sub-contractors in Singapore often send payments for contractor fees in Singaporean dollars.

Repatriating Earnings

Singaporeans with earnings abroad that they would like to send home often use money transfer services for better rates and quick delivery times.

School Fees

Sending school fees to family or paying it directly into school accounts from abroad is possible through online money transfer providers.

Why Send Money with a Money Transfer Service?

Money transfer service providers have unique advantages when it comes to sending money from across borders. When planning your international transfer to Singapore, consider using online money transfer operators for simple, fast and cost-effective payments.

Speed of Transfer

When sending money to Singapore through banks, it can take up to 5 days depending on the host country. However, through money transfer operators it can be instant for cash pickups and anywhere from 2 to 3 days for direct-to-bank deposits

Transfer Fees

It is less costly to transfer money to Singapore through online money transfer providers. WorldRemit charges a fee of 2.99 GBP or 3.99 USD when sending money from the UK or US to Singapore. TransferWise charges a fee of only 0.86 GBP to send 100 GBP to Singapore.

Exchange Rate Margin

Money transfer service providers charge low exchange rate margins which means you get a higher rate compared to banks. Most providers charge a margin of between 0.5% and 2.5%. Transfers through TransferWise are processed at mid-market rates for the currency pair.

Multi-Currency Support

The Singaporean dollar is one of the most traded exotic currencies. Even with that, you need a transfer solution that allows sending from whichever currency in the world. Online money transfer providers support 60+ global currencies to 200+ countries.

Security

Money transfer providers are required as part of the regulations to put in place security measures to protect client funds and information. Most of them have security layers such as two-factor authentication and SSL. Some of the regulatory bodies include Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).

Simple to Sign Up

Signing up for a transfer account takes a few minutes. You may be asked for additional documents for verification purposes. Subsequent transfers are even faster because the heavy lifting is only done once during account opening.

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Things to Consider When Sending Money to Singapore

When sending money to Singapore, you need to be alive to the following factors that may affect your transfer.

Income Taxes - Income earned outside Singapore is not taxed in Singapore. This includes remittances to support family and friends. However, any income earned from investing in Singapore may be subject to income tax.
5-Day Clearing Week (5DCW) - The clearing window for funds in Singapore’s banking system runs from Mondays to Fridays. There is no crediting or debiting of funds into customers bank accounts on Saturdays. This applies to interbank transfers, GIRO and cheques.
Transactions Over $1,500 - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) monitors every international transfer above $1,500. This was introduced to counter mounter laundering and financing of terrorism. Because of this measure, you may be required to provide additional information when sending money to Singapore. For instance, money transfer providers may ask for the National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) details of the recipient in Singapore.

Making transfers to Singapore is much easier, fast and cost-effective with money transfer services. Ensure you do cost comparisons across the board, looking at each provider before picking on the appropriate one.

Your Questions Answered

What’s The Fastest Way To Send Money To Singapore?

Western Union’s fast option is one of the fastest ways to transfer funds to Singapore. Several other large companies also offer fast options, but they are less ubiquitous than Western Union. With Western Union’s fast option, you can expect your money to reach its Singaporean destination in a matter of minutes.

The downside to using Western Union is the cost. This is especially true if you choose to use their fast option.

What’s The Cheapest Way To Send Funds To Singapore?

OFX is definitely the cheapest way to send cash online to Singapore if you’re willing to send only larger amounts. OFX does not charge any stated fees, and their hidden currency conversion costs are very low when compared to the competition.

With OFX, you must send a minimum amount with every transaction, and to achieve optimal savings, you should send more money at once. OFX has conversion rates that start around 1% if you’re sending their minimums. From here, the more money you send at once, the closer you get to their lower 0.4% rates.

What’s The Easiest Way To Send Money To Singapore?

TransferWise is the easiest way to transfer funds to Singapore. With TransferWise, you only need to follow three simple steps to transfer funds to Singapore. First, you just tap in the amount of money you’re sending, and a destination. From there, you just pay TransferWise’s upfront, stated fee. It also only takes one or two days for TransferWise to complete a transaction.

Current Exchange Rates For Singapore

The current exchange rate for the Singaporean Dollar (SGD) is 1.3514 SGD per American Dollar (USD) as of the time this was written. The SGD reached a high of 1.3678 SGD per USD, and a low of 1.3453 SGD per USD during the last 90 days. The average exchange rate was 1.3564 SGD per USD for the last 90 days.

The average volatility rate for the SGD was 0.37% for the last 90 days. This is a relatively high volatility rate, and the SGD has been fluctuating moderately for the last year. You can reasonably expect moderate fluctuations in exchange rates to continue, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

What’s The Overall Best Way To Send Money Online To Singapore?

OFX is the overall best way to send money online to Singapore. Their rates are simply unbeatable when you plan the amount of money you are going to send in advance. They offer great rates and an easy-to-use money transfer system.

How we compare

What do we mean by the top provider?
The top provider is the money transfer service that we believe is the most suitable for the country you’re sending money to. In order to keep our service free we factor in the commercial agreements we have with partners into this ranking.

How do we choose providers to display?
We make sure that each table displays the most relevant brands to the country you are sending money to and from. We consider many factors when choosing the providers to display in the table.All of the providers we display are fully regulated to provide money transfer services in the jurisdiction you are searching, relevant regulatory authorities are the FCA, ASIC, Fincen, FINTRAC & AMF. Alongside being regulated the services are manually checked by our team for both quality of service and online trust from such platforms like Trustpilot and Google reviews.We base our rankings primarily on the quality of the service provided, the benefit to the consumer and to keep our service free - the commercial agreements we have.

How do we order our comparisons?
We are affiliated with some of the partners displayed in the tables. However, the order of the providers is based on the quality of the service for the particular country corridor followed by the commercial agreement in place. You don’t pay any extra and the deal you get isn’t affected by our commercial agreement with the money transfer provider. We may receive a commission when you click through to a listing or when you make a transaction.We aim to find the balance between the quality of the service, customer satisfaction and the commercial agreements we have, and continue comparing services in a transparent way.If you have any questions about our listings, please don’t hesitate to email us at contact@moneytransfers.com

Looking to Send Money Somewhere Else?

Sending money anywhere else in the world is as easy as sending money to Singapore. If you're looking to send money to another country, here is the list of the most popular destinations.