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An update on my situation—this might be useful for someone down the road. So, I haven't tried the cash deposit option at a local branch yet, but...
My goal was simple: swap Payoneer for Wise, because Payoneer’s fees are just absurd. I had about $35 sitting in my Payoneer account, which isn't enough to withdraw to my own bank account (in this case, my Wise account), since they require a $50 minimum. Using the "send payment" feature wasn't an option either; when I added my Wise account as a recipient, it initially looked successful, but five days later the transaction was reversed—the dreaded "payment was declined, as there was an issue with the recipient's bank account" message.
Now, Payoneer offers their own debit card, but you need at least $30 in the account to order it (which I have) and they charge a $30 annual fee—though that fee doesn't kick in until a year after activation.
So, here was the workaround: I ordered the Payoneer debit card. Once it arrived and I activated it, I used it to make a deposit into Wise. That went through instantly and unlocked all my USD bank account details.
It took about two weeks waiting for the Payoneer card to show up, and now it’ll probably be another two weeks before the Wise card arrives. But, I can already start routing all my USD payouts to Wise. Honestly, the wait is well worth it if it means getting rid of Payoneer and avoiding my local US bank entirely.
Jeffrey Moore6 said:I suppose you could always try walking into a local branch with the cash in hand. I haven't personally tested that approach myself...
It might be best to just head down to the bank in person or give them a quick call first; it doesn't cost anything to ask.
They’ll likely charge a fee for the transfer, but honestly, since payments within the EU have become much more affordable lately, it shouldn't be too much of a headache.
Keep us posted on how it goes.
If that works, it’s definitely the best move for my current situation. Will Smith it, and thanks for the info. 🙂
I don't believe it's even possible to do foreign currency transfers with cash anymore.
But technically, is it still a foreign currency transfer if I'm depositing USD? From what I understand, Chime accepts USD deposits—so, cash in USD -> Chime USD account -> Chime automatically converts it to EUR or USD when I use the linked debit card?
Jeffrey Moore6 said:Of course they do, 😁 but there are actually several workarounds:
1. You could have someone else who uses Chime send you a transfer. (Works with any currency)
2. Someone else could send you a wire transfer (USD via domestic or international transfer)
3. You could head down to a local bank and request a wire transfer (ACH) or try to deposit cash manually. (I haven't personally tested this one though)
They only insist on the PayPal card being in your name, so once that's settled, you can eventually swap in a TW card for the TopUp process.
I've experimented with all of these myself... and honestly, the only way that consistently worked for me was using Apple Pay for the TopUp, which then lets me use TW and a few other options.
My whole goal is really just to distance myself from all the traditional local banks... 😛 But it certainly isn't easy. 🙄
So, feel free to try and piece together a combination that works for you.
Edit: I just remembered a few more details, so I've added them here.
I couldn't manage to move my USD via standard online banking because their system doesn't recognize the Chime Routing Number for those types of transfers...
I don't actually know anyone using Revolut—so this is really my only lead. Does the option exist where I could walk into a local Chase branch and say, "I need to wire $X via Visa to this account, here is my cash" (essentially having the bank use one of their own accounts for the transfer)? Or am I stuck begging a friend to handle it through their mobile banking app?
ironcyclist58 said:Don't tell me you're flying without a card?
If you are, just open a free checking account somewhere—like a basic one at Chase—or grab a prepaid card. It's not rocket science...
I don't have one. One of the main reasons I'm looking into Wise is because they offer a free debit card without those annoying monthly fees. I'm aware of the basic accounts over at Chase, but I don't need a standard US bank account right now, and it makes zero sense to go through the hassle of opening and closing one just for this single transfer. Besides, the setup isn't nearly as seamless as they claim—even after you talk to someone and sign everything via the app, you still have to transfer funds from an existing account or physically walk into a branch to get it activated. Again, it’s just way too much unnecessary nonsense for a single Wise transfer.
Jeffrey Moore6 said:It’s honestly such a headache trying to get cash onto those fintech apps... sometimes it feels nearly impossible.
I’ve been using Chime as my secondary account, which works out pretty well for me. I just loaded about $20 using my Chime card, and from there, everything else just flows through T-Mobile via standard transfers or by simply using the T-Mobile card for daily spending.
That sounds like a solid plan, especially if it works with a virtual card, but how would you actually fund the Chime account? Don't they require the deposit to come from an existing account held under the same name?
Once I finished registering, they asked for a deposit of roughly $20. For every single payment method—credit, debit, wire transfer, or ACH—they specify that the funds must come from an account held in my own name.
The whole thing is completely nonsensical... I’m trying to set up a Wise account because I don't have, nor do I want, any other type of account—but apparently, I need another account just to open Wise. I have the money ready to go, yet I am physically unable to deposit it.
Has anyone actually managed to bypass this absurdity?