How do I send money to Argentina?

Last verified: 27 Oct 2026 · Status: Changing

Short answer. Send a bank wire in US dollars to the recipient's own Argentine dollar account. The dollars arrive in full, resident individuals pay no local bank commission, and they can later sell at the MEP rate. A wire converted to pesos on arrival gets the bank's official market rate, about 2.3% below MEP on 23 Oct 2026.

As of 26 Oct 2026. Rules in force at that date.

Key rules

Conversions into pesos in the official market (MLC) go through BCRA authorised banks or exchange houses, at a freely agreed rate, with an exchange ticket signed as a sworn statement (BCRA "Exterior y Cambios", points 1.1, 1.3, 1.4 and 5.3).

No duty to convert personal transfers. The duty to sell foreign currency covers exports, sales of non produced assets and foreign debt (points 2.1 to 2.5). Gifts and family support are "personal transfers" (point 6.10), with no conversion duty.
Dollars stay dollars. Banks must credit foreign transfers to the client's own foreign currency account, in full when currencies match (point 2.8). Resident individuals pay no commission, only documented foreign bank charges at cost (point 2.8; Com. A 8330, point 2). The beneficiary is notified within one business day (point 5.6).
Companies are different. A resident company exporting services must convert the proceeds within 20 business days (point 2.2.1). Foreign loans must be converted to be repaid later through the MLC (point 2.4). Capital contributions need not be converted, but only those converted in the MLC can be repatriated without BCRA approval, after 180 days if converted from 21 Apr 2025 (point 3.13.1.7).
KYC. Transfers must carry the sender's full name, address or tax ID, client number and account or IBAN, and the beneficiary's name (point 5.5.1); incomplete ones are held (point 5.5.4). Banks also apply UIF rules (UIF Res. 14/2023, art. 41), so expect questions on source of funds.
Crypto. Banks may not carry out or facilitate unauthorised digital asset operations (Com. A 7506), and nor may wallet providers (BCRA "Proveedores de servicios de pago", point 4.6). Crypto to peso exchange is for CNV registered virtual asset service providers (Law 27.739, art. 37).
Cards. The text sets conversion rates only for cards issued in Argentina (point 4.1.3), not for foreign cards used or withdrawing cash in Argentina (unconfirmed).
Wallets are peso only. Wallet providers keep 100% of client funds in peso accounts at Argentine banks (PSP text, point 4.1.2), so a remittance paid to a CVU arrives in pesos.

What changes the answer

Who receives. The no commission rule protects resident individuals only (point 2.8). Others may be charged, as a separately itemised commission.
Why the money is sent. Residents' service fees, asset sale proceeds and foreign loans must be converted in the MLC (points 2.2 to 2.4). Individuals exporting services may keep them in a dollar account instead (point 2.2.2.1).
Recent official dollar purchase. A resident individual who bought dollars in the MLC promised not to buy securities settled in foreign currency for 90 days (point 3.8.5). A MEP sale starts by buying a bond with dollars, so route 2 may be blocked (unconfirmed).
Future repatriation. A foreign investor who funds a subsidiary through MEP instead of the MLC loses the point 3.13.1.7 exit route for that capital.

Worked examples

US$ 1,000 sent on 23 Oct 2026. Wholesale reference (Com. A 3500): ARS 1,528.263 (BCRA series 5), /data/oficial/. Dólar MEP: ARS 1,563.90 per US$ on 23 Oct 2026 (dólar MEP selling rate (dolarapi.com)), /data/mep/. Foreign sending fees are excluded (unconfirmed).

Step or item	Time	Cost ARS (pesos received)	Cost USD (value at MEP)
1. Wire to a dollar account, kept in dollars (point 2.8)	1 business day notice (point 5.6)	0 (holds US$ 1,000)	1,000.00
2. Same, then sold through MEP	Same day after credit (unconfirmed)	1,563,900 before broker fees (unconfirmed)	1,000.00
3. Wire converted to pesos in the MLC	1 business day notice	at most about 1,528,263	977.21
4. Same, credited to a company peso current account (0.6% tax on credits)	Same	about 1,519,093	971.35
5. Remittance app, card or crypto	Minutes to days	Provider's quote, not regulated (unconfirmed)	n/a

Step by step.

Dollar account: US$ 1,000 credited in full (point 2.8).
MEP sale: 1,000 × 1,563.90 = ARS 1,563,900. Broker commissions and market fees reduce this (unconfirmed).
MLC conversion: 1,000 × 1,528.263 = ARS 1,528,263. Banks set their own buying rate (point 1.3), normally below the wholesale reference, so this is a ceiling (unconfirmed). Gap to MEP: 1,563,900 − 1,528,263 = ARS 35,637, or 2.28%, about US$ 22.79.
Company current account: 1,528,263 × 0.6% = ARS 9,169.58 tax on the credit (Decree 380/2001, Annex, art. 7), leaving ARS 1,519,093.42, or US$ 971.35 at MEP. Exemptions depend on account type and holder (unconfirmed).
Apps, cards and crypto: no official source fixes the rate. A quote beats a bank conversion only above ARS 1,528,263 all in, and beats route 2 only above ARS 1,563,900 less broker fees.

Cost to do it: routes 1 and 2, foreign wire fee plus broker fees, one business day. Route 3, about 2.3% below MEP plus the bank's spread.

Practical traps

Sending to a wallet expecting dollars. Wallet balances are backed by peso accounts (PSP text, point 4.1.2). Send dollars to a bank dollar account.
Incomplete wire data. A missing sender ID or account number freezes the funds until fixed (points 5.5.1, 5.5.4).
Informal "cuevas" and unregistered crypto desks. Only authorised entities may deal in exchange (point 1.1); breaches fall under the Criminal Foreign Exchange Regime Law (point 1.5). Its reach over private crypto for peso trades is unsettled (unconfirmed).

FAQ

Can a non resident receive a wire into an Argentine account? Only into an account in their own name. Opening one as a foreigner is covered in Can a foreigner open a bank account in Argentina?.

Is there a limit on money received from abroad? The BCRA text sets none for credits to an own dollar account (point 2.8). Banks still ask for source of funds (UIF Res. 14/2023).

Does a company have to report foreign capital or loans? Yes, in the BCRA survey of external assets and liabilities, even if nothing entered the MLC (point 1.9).

Are inflows taxed? The FX rules impose no charge. Peso current account credits bear the 0.6% bank tax unless exempt (Decree 380/2001, Annex, art. 7).

Published 27 Oct 2026 from our research draft. Points marked (unconfirmed) have not yet been checked against the official text; rely on the primary sources linked below.