Cheapest Way to Send Money to Romania (2026) — SEPA, EUR & RON Rates

Romania received approximately $9 billion in remittances in 2025, making it one of the largest remittance corridors in Europe. An estimated 4–5 million Romanians live abroad — primarily in:

• Italy: ~1.2 million — the largest Romanian community abroad
• Spain: ~700,000
• Germany: ~800,000
• United Kingdom: ~400,000
• France, Austria, Belgium: Smaller but significant communities

Romania's position as an EU member state gives it a major advantage: SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) transfers are available, making EUR deposits fast, cheap, and sometimes free. But Romania's national currency is the Romanian Leu (RON), not the Euro — so currency conversion is still a factor for most transfers.

For broader context on international transfers, see our how to send money abroad guide.

This is the most important choice for the Romania corridor and one most guides miss:

Option A: Send in EUR (to a Romanian EUR account)

• How it works: You send EUR, recipient receives EUR in their Romanian bank's EUR account
• Cost: Very low — SEPA transfers from the EU are often free or under €1
• Speed: SEPA Instant: seconds. Standard SEPA: 1 business day
• Best for: Recipients who have EUR expenses (rent, imported goods), travel frequently in the EU, or want to avoid RON conversion
• Key detail: Most Romanian banks offer multi-currency accounts. Your recipient can hold EUR and convert to RON when the rate is favorable using their own banking app.

Option B: Send in RON (converted at transfer)

• How it works: Your EUR/GBP/USD is converted to RON by the transfer provider
• Cost: Provider markup on EUR/RON (0%–2% depending on provider)
• Speed: 1–2 business days for bank deposit
• Best for: Recipients who need RON immediately for local expenses, bills, or mortgage payments

Recommendation: If your recipient has a EUR account at their Romanian bank, send EUR via SEPA. It avoids conversion markup entirely and arrives in seconds with SEPA Instant. This is the single biggest money-saving tip for the Romania corridor.

From Italy, Spain, Germany (EUR → RON or EUR → EUR)

For a €500 transfer:

• SEPA bank transfer: If sending EUR to a EUR account, use your regular bank's SEPA transfer — it's free or nearly free and arrives in seconds with SEPA Instant.
• Wise: Best for EUR→RON conversion. Mid-market rate with ~€2–€4 fee.
• Revolut: Free RON conversion on weekdays up to €1,000/month. Both sender and recipient need Revolut accounts for the cheapest option.

From the UK (GBP → RON)

Post-Brexit, UK→Romania is no longer a SEPA transfer. For a £500 transfer:

• Wise: Best GBP→RON rate. Mid-market rate with ~£3–£5 fee. Delivery in 1–2 business days.
• Revolut: Competitive for smaller amounts if both parties have Revolut.
• UK banks: Charge £15–£30 SWIFT fee plus 2%–4% markup — avoid for regular transfers.

From the USA and Canada

• Wise: Best USD/CAD→RON rate with transparent fee.
• Remitly: Competitive with faster delivery. Express option available.
• XE: Good for larger amounts ($5,000+) with phone support.

Romanian IBAN Format

Romania uses IBANs for all bank transfers. The format is:

• Length: 24 characters
• Format: RO + 2 check digits + 4-letter bank code + 16-digit account number
• Example: RO49 AAAA 1B31 0075 9384 0000

See our Romania IBAN guide for full details on format and validation.

What You Need for a Transfer

For bank deposit (EUR or RON):

• Recipient's full name (as on bank account)
• Romanian IBAN (24 characters starting with RO)
• Bank name (e.g., Banca Transilvania, BRD, BCR, ING Romania, Raiffeisen)
• For SWIFT transfers: BIC/SWIFT code (8 or 11 characters)

For Revolut-to-Revolut:

• Recipient's Revolut username or phone number
• Instant and free for Revolut users

Major Romanian Banks

• Banca Transilvania: Romania's largest bank. EUR and RON accounts widely available.
• BRD - Groupe Société Générale: Strong international connectivity
• BCR (Banca Comercială Română): Part of Erste Group. Excellent for EUR accounts.
• ING Romania: Digital-first bank, popular with younger Romanians
• Raiffeisen Bank Romania: Strong EUR/RON multi-currency offerings

SEPA is the single most important thing to understand for the Romania corridor. Here's a complete breakdown:

What Is SEPA?

The Single Euro Payments Area allows EUR transfers between 36 European countries at near-zero cost. Romania is a full SEPA member.

SEPA Transfer Types

• SEPA Credit Transfer (SCT): Standard — arrives within 1 business day. Often free from EU bank accounts.
• SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst): Arrives in under 10 seconds, 24/7/365. The EU mandate requires all banks to support SEPA Instant by 2026 — most Romanian banks already do.

How to Use SEPA for Romania

1. Confirm your recipient has a EUR account at their Romanian bank (most banks offer this)
2. Get their Romanian IBAN
3. Initiate a SEPA transfer from your EU bank account (select "SEPA Instant" if available)
4. The transfer arrives in seconds — no conversion fees, no markup

Why this matters: A SEPA Instant transfer of €1,000 costs €0–€1 and arrives in 10 seconds. The same transfer through a traditional wire costs €15–€30 plus 2–4% markup and takes 2–3 days. That's a potential saving of €35–€70 on a single transfer.

UK Senders: Post-Brexit SEPA Access

UK banks are no longer part of SEPA. Your options:

• Wise: Acts as your SEPA bridge. Send GBP, Wise converts and delivers via SEPA to Romanian IBAN.
• Revolut: Revolut's EU entity can send SEPA transfers — useful if you have a Revolut account.
• Bank SWIFT transfer: Expensive (£15–£30 fee + poor rate). Avoid for regular transfers.

For Recipients in Romania

• No tax on personal remittances: Money received as gifts or family support is not subject to Romanian income tax.
• Gift tax: Romania does not have a gift tax. Personal transfers from family are tax-free regardless of amount.
• Business payments: If the transfer is for services or business purposes, it may be subject to Romanian income tax. Consult a local accountant.
• Property purchases: If sending money for real estate, the notary will require proof of funds origin. Keep all transfer receipts.

For Senders

• EU senders: No tax on outgoing personal transfers within the EU. SEPA regulation guarantees your right to send EUR at domestic pricing.
• UK senders: No UK tax on personal remittances. FCA-regulated providers must safeguard your money.
• US senders: No tax on gifts under $18,000/year per recipient. The new 1% excise tax only applies to cash-funded transfers.

1. Send EUR to a EUR account whenever possible. This is the golden rule for Romania. SEPA is free, instant, and avoids conversion markup entirely.
2. If RON is needed, let the recipient convert locally. Romanian banking apps (especially ING, Revolut Romania, and Banca Transilvania) offer excellent EUR→RON conversion rates — often better than transfer providers.
3. Use Wise as your SEPA bridge from the UK. Since the UK left SEPA, Wise is the most cost-effective way to send GBP→EUR or GBP→RON to Romania.
4. Avoid traditional bank wires. The fees and markup are 5–10x what specialist providers charge.
5. Revolut-to-Revolut for small, frequent transfers. If both you and your recipient have Revolut, transfers are instant and free.
6. Keep Romanian bank holidays in mind: Major holidays (Easter, December 1 National Day, Christmas) can delay bank processing by 1–3 days.
7. RON exchange rate tends to be stable. EUR/RON typically stays in a narrow range (4.95–5.00). Timing matters less than for volatile currencies like NGN or PKR.

For more tips, read our cheapest way to send money internationally guide.

Data based on real quotes collected every 6 hours. Compare live rates for the latest.

Sources: Banca Națională a României (BNR), European Central Bank, World Bank Remittance Prices, KNOMAD.