Send money to Japan
TapTap Send
Rate 157.1049 · Fee free
You send
$1,000
Estimated receipt
¥157,105
¥6,700 more than the lowest estimate · 0.52% markup vs mid-market
Affiliate link · No extra cost to you
Quick answer: TapTap Send ranks first of 9 for 1,000 USD → JPY: 157,104.91 JPY estimated. Customer ratings order near-ties, so XE Money Transfer pays 47.38 JPY more yet ranks below. 6,739.48 JPY separates first from last.
Latest pricing observation: . Oldest observation used: . Quotes are kept per USD→JPY pair, not per country, so confirm the provider sends from your country before you commit. Methodology.
What is the cheapest way to send USD to JPY?
Sending $1,000 to Japan, ranked by estimated payout.
Source: our collected quotes
¥157,104.91
recipient gets
TapTap SendBest value
Effectively tied · rated 4.6
157.1049
Free
¥157,104.91
Send
154.8782
$0.99
¥154,724.82
Send
152.9357
Free
¥152,935.66
Send
151.4985
Free
¥151,498.53
Send
Estimated payout difference: ¥6,739.48 between first and last on $1,000.
Japan has a large and growing immigrant worker population, particularly from Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and Nepal — driving remittance outflows more than inflows. However, Japan is a significant receive country for family support transfers from Japanese nationals abroad, as well as for business payments. The JPY is one of the world's most traded currencies, making rates highly competitive.
- Japan Post Bank (Yucho Ginko) is the largest bank by deposits in Japan with over 120 million accounts. It accepts international transfers but domestic processing can be slower than major commercial banks.
- Japan's domestic payment system (Zengin) processes interbank transfers near-instantly during business hours. Transfers arriving via SWIFT are credited same-day if received by the cut-off time.
- Major banks for receiving: MUFG Bank, SMBC (Sumitomo Mitsui), Mizuho Bank, Resona Bank, and Japan Post Bank. All support inbound SWIFT wires.
- Japan's strict anti-money laundering rules require banks to verify the sender's identity and purpose for transfers over JPY 1 million (~$7,000).
- SBI Remit, Trans-Fast, and Wise are among the most used services for sending money within Japan and for receiving international transfers.
Which provider offers the best USD to JPY rate?
TapTap Send
4.6Exchange rate
157.1049
Fee
Free
Recipient gets
¥157,104.91
Speed
Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers)
Crypto & stablecoin routes for USD → JPY
Each is a fiat on-ramp → blockchain → local cash-out, not a one-tap transfer. All-in cost below.
CoincheckBitcoin · LightningBeats mid-market
Strike → Lightning Network (BTC) → Coincheck (BTC) · ~1 second
157,796 JPY
0.04% rebate all-in
+
CoincheckBitcoin · LightningBeats mid-market
Strike → Lightning Network (BTC) → Coincheck (BTC) · ~1 second
157,796 JPY
0.04% rebate all-in
- 1Strike USD→BTC: FREE
- 2Lightning Network network: 0.000001 BTC
- 3Coincheck (BTC): 0.01% spread
- 4407 JPY withdrawal fee
Source: Coincheck REST API
Crypto rails involve exchange accounts, wallets, and price/liquidity risk. Costs are estimates from live exchange and network data, refreshed every 6 hours. Not financial advice.
Guides, fees & how it works
Which provider suits each USD→JPY transfer?
TapTap Send currently leads on both cost and speed for transfers to Japan.
Cheapest transfer
TapTap Send
Delivers the most JPY for your money
Fastest transfer
TapTap Send
Delivers in Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers)
Cash pickup
Western Union
Widest cash pickup network
Bank transfer
TapTap Send
Best rate for bank deposit to Japan
What you need to send money to Japan
Full name
Recipient's name in katakana or romaji as registered with the bank
Bank account number
7-digit Japanese bank account number
Example: 1234567
Branch code
3-digit branch code identifying the specific bank branch
Example: 001
Bank code
4-digit bank code (e.g. 0001 for Mizuho, 0005 for Mitsubishi UFJ)
Example: 0001
Account type
Ordinary (futsu) or current (toza) account type
Note: Japan does not use the IBAN system. Japanese bank transfers require a 4-digit bank code, 3-digit branch code, and 7-digit account number. The recipient's name must be in katakana — romaji (Latin letters) may cause delays if the bank requires katakana matching.
Transfer examples: USD to JPY
Send $500
| Provider | Fee | Rate | Receives | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TapTap Send157.10 · Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers) | Free | 157.10 | ¥78,552 | Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers) |
| XE Money Transfer157.15 · 1-4 business days | Free | 157.15 | ¥78,576 | 1-4 business days |
| Wise157.96 · 24 hours | $2.52 | 157.96 | ¥78,581 | 24 hours |
| Western Union154.88 · Minutes to 5 days | $0.99 | 154.88 | ¥77,286 | Minutes to 5 days |
| OFX154.50 · 1-3 business days | $5.00 | 154.50 | ¥76,477 | 1-3 business days |
| Wells Fargo152.94 · 2-5 business days | Free | 152.94 | ¥76,468 | 2-5 business days |
Send $1,000
| Provider | Fee | Rate | Receives | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TapTap Send157.10 · Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers) | Free | 157.10 | ¥157,105 | Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers) |
| XE Money Transfer157.15 · 1-4 business days | Free | 157.15 | ¥157,152 | 1-4 business days |
| Wise157.96 · 24 hours | $7.26 | 157.96 | ¥156,811 | 24 hours |
| Western Union154.88 · Minutes to 5 days | $0.99 | 154.88 | ¥154,725 | Minutes to 5 days |
| OFX154.50 · 1-3 business days | $5.00 | 154.50 | ¥153,727 | 1-3 business days |
| Remitly154.06 · Minutes to 3-5 days | $6.99 | 154.06 | ¥152,980 | Minutes to 3-5 days |
Send $5,000
| Provider | Fee | Rate | Receives | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise158.15 · 24 hours | $7.26 | 158.15 | ¥789,588 | 24 hours |
| TapTap Send157.10 · Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers) | Free | 157.10 | ¥785,525 | Under 3 minutes (95% of transfers) |
| XE Money Transfer157.15 · 1-4 business days | Free | 157.15 | ¥785,761 | 1-4 business days |
| OFX156.96 · 1-3 business days | $5.00 | 156.96 | ¥784,029 | 1-3 business days |
| Remitly156.57 · Minutes to 3-5 days | $6.99 | 156.57 | ¥781,745 | Minutes to 3-5 days |
| Western Union154.88 · Minutes to 5 days | $0.99 | 154.88 | ¥774,237 | Minutes to 5 days |
How much does it cost to send money to Japan?
Of the 9 estimates we hold for $1,000 USD to JPY, 4 charge no transfer fee and 5 charge between $0.99 and $7.26. Their exchange rates sit 0.00% to 4.31% above the mid-market rate (median 2.17%), a spread worth 6,807 JPY on this amount.
A steady pair: just 3.5 points apart; today's "great" is typical. Best payout day Wise (1 July 2026), worst Wise (5 May 2026).
Ways to send money to Japan
Bank deposit via the Zengin (Japanese Bankers Association) payment system is the primary method. Japan's banking system is highly reliable but can be strict about name matching — ensure the recipient's name exactly matches their bank records.
How can my recipient receive money in Japan?
Bank Deposit
Direct transfer to any Japanese bank account via the Zengin system. The standard method for domestic and international transfers.
Cash Pickup
Collect cash at convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart), post offices, and agent locations across Japan.
What are the transfer limits and regulations for Japan?
Regulatory body
Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan
Inbound transfer limits
Transfers over JPY 1,000,000 (approx. $7,000) must be reported to the Bank of Japan
Documentation you may need
- Sender's government-issued photo ID
- Purpose of remittance for amounts over JPY 1,000,000
- Recipient's residence card (zairyu card) for non-Japanese nationals
Important things to know
- Japan's Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act requires reporting of large cross-border transactions.
- The Zengin system processes transfers on business days only — weekend transfers settle on Monday.
- Japanese banks are strict about name matching — katakana names must match the account holder exactly.
- My Number (individual number) may be requested for tax reporting on large inbound transfers.
How long does it take to send money to Japan?
5 of the 10 providers quoting USD to JPY advertise delivery within minutes (TapTap Send, Western Union, Remitly); 5 quote longer, such as XE Money Transfer at 1-4 business days on USD to JPY.
Provider-stated speeds for Japan, not our measurement.
- TapTap SendUnder 3 minutes (95% of transfers)
- Western UnionMinutes to 5 days
- RemitlyMinutes to 3-5 days
- Xoom (PayPal)Minutes to 3 days
- PayPalInstant to 3 days
- XE Money Transfer1-4 business days
- Wise24 hours
- OFX1-3 business days
- Wells Fargo2-5 business days
- Regency FXSame day may be available; confirm your route
Popular banks in Japan
SWIFT/BIC codes are shown where we could verify them; confirm the rest with the receiving bank.
MUFG Bank (Mitsubishi UFJ)
BOTKJPJT
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
SMBCJPJT
Mizuho Bank
MHCBJPJT
Japan Post Bank (Yucho)
—
Resona Bank
DIWAJPJT
Rakuten Bank
RAKTJPJT
Great time to send
SendScoreBest rate +1.28% vs the 30-day average, 88% up the 90-day range. Rates are flat over the past week. Today's best beats the median provider by +2.72%.
- 40%88% up the 90-day range
- 25%+1.28% vs the 30-day average
- 20%today's best beats the median provider by +2.72%
- 15%flat over the past week
Who is usually cheapest here
Wise delivered the most on 51 of the last 79 days it quoted here (65%). But today's best is TapTap Send, which leads on 100% of days — worth comparing rather than assuming. TapTap Send quotes here less often (29% of days) but wins 100% of the days it does — worth checking when it appears.
- 65%Wise — cheapest on 51 of 79 days it quoted
- 100%TapTap Send — cheapest on 26 of 26 days it quoted
- 35%Bank of America — cheapest on 13 of 37 days it quoted
- 3%Western Union — cheapest on 1 of 40 days it quoted
91 contested days of 91; single-quote days excluded for USD→JPY. See every corridor.
USD→JPY: 199 days of our recorded provider rates
USD to JPY Exchange Rate History
Per 100 USD sent, last 14 of 199 days.
| Date | __mid Market__ | Wells Fargo | Wise | Xoom (PayPal) | Remitly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trend | |||||
| Oct 6 | 157.9650✓ | 152.9380 | 157.9650✓ | 151.5020 | 154.0600 |
| Oct 5 | 158.1150✓ | 153.1270 | 158.1150✓ | — | — |
| Oct 4 | 157.8513✓ | 152.7630 | 157.7250 | — | — |
| Oct 3 | 157.8550✓ | 152.8990 | 157.8550✓ | — | — |
| Oct 2 | 157.8550✓ | 152.8990 | 157.8550✓ | — | — |
| Oct 1 | 158.3283✓ | 153.1130 | 158.0750 | — | — |
| Sep 30 | 157.3900✓ | 152.3770 | 157.3900✓ | — | — |
| Sep 29 | 157.4647✓ | 152.2990 | 157.2600 | — | — |
| Sep 28 | 157.7347✓ | 152.4050 | 157.4350 | — | — |
| Sep 27 | 157.2872✓ | 152.2310 | 157.2400 | — | — |
| Sep 26 | 157.3007✓ | 152.2690 | 157.2850 | — | — |
| Sep 25 | 158.3778✓ | 152.2690 | 157.2850 | — | — |
| Sep 24 | 158.8750✓ | 153.9000 | 158.8750✓ | — | — |
| Sep 23 | 158.3650✓ | 153.3870 | 158.3650✓ | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about sending money to Japan
What is the cheapest way to send money to Japan?
On USD to JPY, the measured leader is Wise, which led on 51 of the last 91 days we could compare. OFX and CurrencyFair are also worth quoting for larger amounts. Remitly and WorldRemit cover Japan for smaller everyday transfers. The JPY trades in high volume globally, so rate spreads are generally lower than for emerging market currencies.
How long does a bank transfer to Japan take?
Transfers via Wise typically arrive within 1–2 business days. Standard SWIFT transfers from US or European banks take 2–3 business days. Japan Post Bank processes SWIFT receipts by the next business day. MUFG and SMBC are known for faster same-day SWIFT processing.
What bank details do I need to send money to Japan?
You need the recipient's full name (in romaji as registered), account number, branch name, and branch code (店番号). SWIFT transfers require the SWIFT code: MUFG (BOTKJPJT), SMBC (SMBCJPJT), Mizuho (MHCBJPJT), Resona (DIWAJPJT), Japan Post Bank (JPPYJPJT). Japan does not use IBAN. Japan Post Bank account numbers have a unique 8-digit format.
Can I send money to a Japanese convenience store card or prepaid?
Transfers can be made to Suica, Pasmo, or au PAY in Japan only through domestic bank transfer, not directly from abroad. The practical approach is to transfer to a Japanese bank account, then top up the IC card or prepaid service through the bank's app. Most major Japanese banks support this in real time.
Is there a limit on money transfers to Japan?
Japan has no cap on inbound personal remittances. However, Japanese banks are required to report transfers over JPY 1 million (~$7,000) to JAFIC (Japan Financial Intelligence Center) for AML compliance. This is routine reporting and does not prevent receipt. Providers may request source-of-funds documentation for larger transfers.