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Review: Lotus Foreign Exchange international money transfers

Send fast international transfers and buy travel money in over 35 currencies, but make sure you double-check the exchange rate and transaction fee first.

This product is not currently available via Finder. Visit the provider's website directly, or compare other options.

Tim Falk

Updated Apr 9, 2020

Fact checked

COVID-19 update

Lotus Foreign Exchange company operations are closed, and online services limited. Sending money online or with a money transfer app could be safer and easier.

Quick verdict

Good for

Fast transfers
Large transfer network
Cash pick-up and telegraphic transfers
Foreign currency exchange services

Not so great for

Online transfers
Dated website
Limited information available online

See our full list of pros and cons below.

Learn more about:

Exchange rates and fees
Currencies
Services
Transfer time

Is it safe?
How to register
Alternatives to LotusFX
FAQs

Lotus Foreign Exchange exchange rates and fees

Unfortunately, there’s limited information available online about the exchange rates and transaction fees offered by Lotus Foreign Exchange. While the website lists transfer fees in New Zealand dollars for sending money to destinations such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China and Bangladesh, these fees vary depending on the amount you want to send. You’ll also need to contact the provider directly for more information about what exchange rate will apply to your transaction.

Available currencies

Lotus Foreign Exchange allows you to send international transfers and purchase travel money in a range of currencies, including:

NZD New Zealand dollars

FJD Fijian dollars

INR Indian rupees

GBP British pound

PKR Pakistani rupee

LKR Sri Lankan rupee

CNY Chinese yuan

EUR Euro

What types of transfers can you make with Lotus Foreign Exchange?

Lotus Foreign Exchange offers two types of transfers:

Cash pick-up transfers. Lotus Foreign Exchange is associated with MoneyGram International, which operates approximately 350,000 cash pick-up locations in over 200 countries around the world.
Telegraphic transfers Lock in a favourable exchange rate now and send your money up to two years into the future.

The company also offers currency exchange services for anyone looking to purchase travel money. These services are available at Lotus Foreign Exchange’s offices in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

Learn more about how to get the best exchange rate

How long does a transfer with Lotus Foreign Exchange take?

Cash pick-up transfers sent via the MoneyGram network are typically available for your recipient to collect within minutes.

Telegraphic transfers take longer to process, but no exact time frame is quoted on the Lotus Foreign Exchange website.

What payment methods does Lotus Foreign Exchange accept?

Lotus Foreign Exchange accepts the following payment methods:

Cash
Bank cheque
EFTPOS
Bank transfer

Transfers typically take Clock icon for transfer speed

Within minutes

Is Lotus Foreign Exchange safe to use?

Regulated in New Zealand by the Financial Markets Authority and the Financial Services Providers Register.
Regulated in Australia by ASIC and AUSTRAC.

Global network: International cash transfers via MoneyGram’s global network.

Lotus Foreign Exchange is licensed to offer transfer and foreign exchange services in New Zealand, and is listed on the Financial Services Providers Register. It is regulated in Australia by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and is listed on the AUSTRAC Remittance Sector Register. It is also licensed in Fiji.

However, there’s no information on the company’s website about what security measures it has in place to protect customer data and funds.

How does Lotus Foreign Exchange make money?

Lotus Foreign Exchange makes money from transaction fees and from the margin it adds on top of the mid-market rate. The mid-market rate is the “real” exchange rate you see listed on currency conversion sites like XE.

Country	Regulated by
New Zealand	Financial Markets Authority and Financial Services Providers Register
Fiji	Reserve Bank of Fiji
Australia	Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC)

How to register an account

As Lotus Foreign Exchange does not offer an online transfer service, you don’t need to register for an online account before sending funds. And if you wish to buy foreign currency from the provider, you’ll need to visit one of its branches in person.

How do I make an international money transfer with Lotus Foreign Exchange?

To send a cash transfer you will need to:

Visit your nearest Lotus Foreign Exchange branch.
Fill out a form with your name and address and your recipient’s name and contact details.
Specify the amount you want to send.
Pay for the transaction.
You’ll be provided with a PIN which you can use to track the transaction and which your recipient will need to collect the cash.

To send a telegraphic transfer you will need to:

Fill out a requisition of telegraphic transfer form with your name and contact details, and your recipient’s name and bank account details.
Review the exchange rate and transaction fee.
Pay for the transaction.

What is Lotus Foreign Exchange?

Lotus Foreign Exchange is a foreign currency exchange and international money transfer provider with branches in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. It offers cash transfer services via MoneyGram as well as a telegraphic transfer service.

In addition, the company offers foreign exchange services if you want to purchase overseas currency. It allows customers to exchange travel money in more than 35 major currencies, with competitive exchange rates and four New Zealand branches.

Lotus Foreign Exchange’s New Zealand branches are located in Queen St, Auckland; Manukau, Auckland; Hamilton; and Christchurch.

In a nutshell

Pros:

Fast cash transfers. When you send a cash transfer with Lotus, the money you send is typically available for your recipient to collect within minutes.
Large transfer network. Because Lotus Foreign Exchange is associated with MoneyGram, you can send money to hundreds of thousands of locations in over 200 countries around the world.
Also offers travel money. If you’re looking to purchase travel money at a competitive rate, Lotus also offers foreign exchange services. You can visit a New Zealand branch and use NZD to buy more than 35 foreign currencies.

Cons:

No online transfers. If you want to send money online, you’ll need to look for another money transfer service.
Disappointing website. The Lotus Foreign Exchange website looks quite dated and doesn’t offer a user-friendly experience.
Limited information available online. There’s not much information on the Lotus Foreign Exchange website about important factors like transaction fees, transfer times and exchange rates.

How does Lotus Foreign Exchange compare to other providers?

Use the comparison table below to see how the fees, exchange rates and transfer speeds of Lotus Foreign Exchange compare with those of other money transfer services.

I want to send

Min. Transfer Amount	Transfer Speed	Online Transfer Fee	Rate	Amount Received	Description	CTA	Details
USD 60	1 day	-	-		Skrill offers easy transfers to many popular destinations, but keep an eye out for added fees.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 60.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AUD, BDT, EUR, GBP, IDR, INR, KES, LKR, MXN, MYR, NPR, NZD, PHP, PKR, PLN, THB, USD, VND Go to site Read the full review
AUD 250	1 - 2 days	NZD 0.00	0.719	USD 7,186	OFX has no maximum limit transfers, with competitive exchange rates for 45+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount AUD 250.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Agent Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone Available currencies AED, ARS, AUD, AZN, BGN, BHD, BND, BRL, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, FJD, GBP, HKD, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KRW, KWD, LKR, MAD, MGA, MXN, MYR, NOK, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, RUB, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, THB, TOP, TRY, TWD, TZS, USD, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XOF, XPF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
NZD 250	1 day	NZD 0.00	0.719	USD 7,186	Send guarantees to match any competitor’s exchange rate. T&Cs apply. Send has fee-free transfers in 30+ currencies to over 200 countries.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 250.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, BGN, BHD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, ILS, INR, JPY, KES, KWD, MXN, NOK, NZD, OMR, PHP, PLN, QAR, RON, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
NZD 0	Same day	NZD 0.00	0.718	USD 7,179	XE has fast transfers with competitive rates and a range of foreign currency tools.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 0.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AMD, AUD, AWG, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BND, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GIP, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KRW, KWD, KZT, LKR, LSL, MAD, MKD, MUR, MWK, MXN, MYR, NAD, NOK, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SOS, SZL, THB, TMT, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UGX, USD, VUV, WST, XCD, XPF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
NZD 2,000	2 days	NZD 0.00	0.719	USD 7,186	Exclusive offer: Discounted exchange rates for all Finder customers. WorldFirst sends 60+ currencies at competitive rates. If you find a better eligible quote, WorldFirst will beat it.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 2,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Agent Transfer options One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, AZN, BAM, BBD, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BND, BOB, BRL, BSD, BWP, BZD, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ERN, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, IQD, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KHR, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MGA, MKD, MNT, MRO, MUR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SRD, STD, SZL, THB, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UGX, USD, UYU, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XCD, XOF, XPF, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review
NZD 250	1 day	NZD 0.00	0.719	USD 7,186	TorFX guarantee to beat any competitor's exchange rate for a transaction. Conditions apply. TorFX sends money overseas in 30+ currencies, with competitive rates for transfer amounts over $2,000.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 250.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Agent Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, JPY, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
NZD 1	Within an hour	NZD 3.99	0.718	USD 7,173	Use promo code 3FREE to send your first 3 transfers with no fee. Conditions apply. WorldRemit sends money to 110+ countries for bank-to-bank deposits, cash pick-ups or mobile top-ups.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BOB, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CUP, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRO, MVR, MXN, MYR, MZN, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RUB, RWF, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, THB, TJS, TND, TOP, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review
NZD 1	1 - 2 days	NZD 80.00	0.722	USD 7,158	Wise uses the mid-market rate and transparent fees to help you send money in 45+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 1.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ARS, AUD, BDT, BGN, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, COP, CRC, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, GBP, GEL, GHS, HKD, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KES, KRW, LKR, MAD, MXN, MYR, NGN, NOK, NPR, NZD, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, RON, RUB, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, XOF, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review
NZD 5	1 - 2 days	EUR 3.00	0.716	USD 7,159	Special offer: Zero fees on your first 10 transfers. CurrencyFair has bank-beating exchange rates and fast transfer times on 15+ popular currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 5.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, IDR, ILS, NOK, NZD, PHP, PLN, SEK, SGD, THB, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
NZD 10,000	1 - 2 days	NZD 0.00	0.716	USD 7,158	CurrencyTransfer lets you shop around for the best exchange rate on its online marketplace.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount NZD 10,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account, International Money Order Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ARS, AUD, BGN, BHD, BRL, CAD, CHF, CNY, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, GHS, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KWD, MAD, MUR, MXN, NGN, NOK, NZD, OMR, PHP, PKR, PLN, QAR, RON, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TND, TRY, TTD, UGX, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review

Compare up to 4 providers

Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.

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Tim Falk

Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder, writing across a diverse range of topics. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, Tim has reported on everything from travel and personal finance to pets and TV soap operas. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors.

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Review: Lotus Foreign Exchange international money transfers

Send fast international transfers and buy travel money in over 35 currencies, but make sure you double-check the exchange rate and transaction fee first.

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