Send money to Argentina

On the official rail, Wise and Remitly typically have the smallest ARS markup, but both settle at the BCRA wholesale rate — which can be 30–80% weaker than the parallel/MEP rate. For maximum ARS received, many senders use providers that route via local fintech rails or stablecoin (USDT/USDC) liquidity — these can pay out at a rate close to MEP. Always compare the total ARS the recipient receives, not just the fee, because the rate spread completely dominates cost on this corridor.

Transferencias 3.0 is the BCRA-operated instant payment scheme launched in 2020, with QR interoperability between every bank, wallet, and fintech in Argentina. Recipients can be identified by a 22-digit CBU (Clave Bancaria Uniforme — bank accounts), a 22-digit CVU (Clave Virtual Uniforme — fintech/wallet accounts like Mercado Pago and Ualá), or a human-readable Alias (e.g. juan.perez.mp). Transfers settle in under 30 seconds, 24/7/365. Several international providers now deliver to CVUs at Mercado Pago and Ualá, which is the fastest route for most recipients.

The official rate (dólar oficial) is BCRA's wholesale rate and applies to most regulated inbound remittances via MULC. The blue rate (dólar blue) is the unofficial parallel market rate quoted in Argentine media — it is illegal to use formally but widely referenced. MEP (Mercado Electrónico de Pagos, also called dólar bolsa) is a legal rate obtained by buying a USD-denominated bond locally and selling its peso pair. CCL (Contado con Liquidación) is the rate used to move dollars out of the country via securities. International transfers settled via fintech or stablecoin rails typically clear near MEP, while traditional bank rails clear at the official rate — the difference can be 30–80% of the amount sent.

Transfers to a CBU or CVU via providers that use local rails settle in seconds once the international leg clears — usually same-day. Wise typically delivers to Argentine bank accounts within 1–2 business days. SWIFT wires from US/UK commercial banks take 2–4 business days and are subject to MULC settlement delays. Cash pickup is rare in Argentina — bank or wallet deposit is the standard delivery method.

For a bank account: the recipient's CBU (22 digits) plus their CUIT/CUIL/DNI (tax/national ID) and full legal name. For a fintech wallet (Mercado Pago, Ualá, Brubank, Naranja X): their CVU (22 digits) or Alias. For international SWIFT routing you also need the bank's SWIFT/BIC code — e.g. Banco Galicia (GABAARBA), Santander Argentina (BSCHARBA), BBVA Argentina (BFRPARBA), Banco Nación (NACNARBA), Banco Macro (BSUDARBA). The CBU/CVU encodes the bank and branch, so SWIFT is only needed on the sending leg, not for the recipient.

Personal inbound remittances are not subject to Argentine income tax (Impuesto a las Ganancias), and there is no IOF-style transaction tax. BCRA's capital controls (cepo cambiario) restrict residents' ability to buy USD, but they do not restrict the receipt of inbound transfers. There is no cap on the amount you can receive, but transfers above USD 10,000 are reported under standard AML rules. Funds received in pesos via the official rail are at BCRA's wholesale rate, which is the main implicit cost on this corridor.

For maximum convenience, Wise and Remitly are the best-known options and deliver directly to a CBU or CVU — but both settle at the official BCRA rate. For maximum ARS received, providers that route via local fintech rails or stablecoin liquidity (delivering close to the MEP rate) typically beat the official-rate apps by a wide margin. Mercado Pago and Ualá are the most common recipient wallets — most Argentines under 35 have at least one. Always check today's official-vs-MEP gap before choosing a provider: when the gap widens, the choice of rail matters far more than the choice of brand.