International payments to suppliers can include two fees, depending on how the payment is routed: a foreign exchange (FX) fee, and in some cases, a SWIFT fee. This article breaks down when each applies, so you know the total cost before you pay. Fees are shown as estimates at setup and confirmed once Nium processes the payment.
How It Works
- FX fee (0.95%): Applies to every payment converting your account's currency into your supplier's, factored into the FX rate you see at setup.
- SWIFT fee (USD $25 flat): Applies when a payment is sent via SWIFT, converted to your currency at the processing-time exchange rate.
- No SWIFT fee on domestic payments, or on CNY and NZD payments, where SWIFT works only as the local payment rail, not an international wire.
- Routing determines the fee: Payment method and destination currency decide whether a payment goes via SWIFT or a local rail, so not every international payment attracts the SWIFT fee. See How do I create an international bank payment? for how routing is set up.
- Estimates vs. final amounts: Figures shown at setup are estimates. Nium confirms the final rate, fee, and total once the payment is processed, since market rates can shift in between.
Good to know
- Because the SWIFT fee is fixed in USD, the amount debited in your account's currency can vary slightly day to day. It's always equivalent to USD $25.00, based on the exchange rate at the time of processing.