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This provider has closed as of January 30, 2019 – read on for alternatives.
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World First has discontinued its services in the US effective January 30, 2019. The company will accept no new trades or transactions after this date, and inbound transfers received after 5 p.m. CT will be returned to the sender.
If you’re a personal or business customer who’s concerned about your account, call 737-226-5240 for assistance.
To find a suitable alternative, compare money transfer specialists compare money transfer specialists to find the best rates, fees and turnaround you’re eligible for.
Adrienne Fuller is the head of publishing at Finder. With a decade of experience creating guides in finance and education, she aims to deliver the accurate and transparent information she wishes she had when she made some of life's important financial decisions. For the past 3 years she has been the publisher of money transfers, helping readers save when they send money all over the globe. She has a BA from Colorado College and loves to hike with her two Catahoula dogs around her home in San Diego.
Alternatives to WorldFirst
Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.
Our experience transferring money with WorldFirst
Here’s what we found when we sent live transfers to Mexico and France through WorldFirst:
With WorldFirst’s transparent fee structure, we paid $0 fee.
In addition to low fees, we received exchange rates within 2.14% of the mid-market rate on average, with rates updated multiple times a day.
Though we had to call WorldFirst for a delivery for our transfer, our funds were deposited into our recipient’s French bank account in a speedy two days.
WorldFirst’s easy-to-use website allowed us to sign up and initiate a transfer in about 4.5 minutes. You also have the option of initiating a transfer by phone.
How much will I pay to transfer money with WorldFirst?
You won’t pay anything for your first transfer with WorldFirst. That’s because WorldFirst is one of our trusted partners, and we want to make sure you have the chance to try out this fast, convenient service.
Simply click “Go to site” to take advantage of this exclusive offer.
What are WorldFirst’s exchange rates?
WorldFirst offers customers the opportunity to view live exchange rates and take advantage of rate graphs and economic commentary to better understand developments in the foreign exchange market.
Because WorldFirst takes a smaller margin than banks, it is typically able to offer better rates than a bank can. In fact, it backs up its exchange rates with the WorldFirst Price Promise.
WorldFirst's Price Promise
If you get a better quote from another international transfer service, WorldFirst will beat it. You just need to:
Register with WorldFirst.
Inform WorldFirst of how much money you’re looking to transfer and the rate you were quoted, including the time of day you received the quote.
Conditions do apply:
You must have an active trading account with another provider.
You must have the quote in writing or email to send to WorldFirst within three hours of receipt.
WorldFirst cannot give you a rate better than the rate at which they buy the currency.
What types of transfers can you make with WorldFirst?
WorldFirst only offers bank-to-bank transfers — meaning, funds must be drafted from your bank account, which will then be deposited into your recipient’s bank account. You cannot use cash or a debit or credit card to make the transaction.
While you can’t schedule recurring transfers, WorldFirst offers three tools to get the most out of your transfers.
Spot contracts. Make a one-time transfer at the time of payment.
Forward contracts. Lock in an ideal exchange rate and schedule a transfer now for up to three years later.
Limit orders. Use these market orders to execute a money transfer when your ideal exchange rate is met.
Pros and cons of using WorldFirst
Pros
Transparent fee structure. Pay a $0 fee for transfers of up to $10,000.
Strong exchange rates. Especially when compared with your local bank.
Easy-to-use website. We signed up and initiated a transfer in about 4.5 minutes.
Customer service. WorldFirst has a customer satisfaction rating of 98%. You can get help through email, chat, over the phone or through its app.
Lock in your rate. If you like the exchange rates on offer now but aren’t ready to make a transfer, WorldFirst allows you to lock in an exchange rate now for use on a transaction up to three years into the future.
Cons
Two-step process. You must first wire your money to WorldFirst, which then deposits the money into your recipient’s bank account.
Social Security number and government-issued ID required. You’ll need to be a US citizen and provide this information.
High minimum transfers. If you need to send less than $1,000, you will need to find another money transfer provider.
How can I register and transfer money?
The first step is to sign up for an account. You’ll need to provide:
Once you have an account, enter the details of your transaction, including how much money you’re sending, where you’re sending it and who will be receiving the funds. Provide your recipient’s bank account details and the currency you wish to send, and you will be presented with an exchange rate quote.
You can choose to send the money right away or lock in a rate for a future transaction. It’s then a matter of depositing funds with WorldFirst from your bank account, and the company will convert the money into your currency of choice and send it to your recipient.
Steps to transfer your money online
Click on our green Go to site button, and you’ll be taken to the WorldFirst website.
Enter your name, email address and create and confirm your password. Specify whether you’d like to receive product news and other information from WorldFirst. Read the Terms and Conditions and click that you agree to them. Finally, click “Next.”
Either enter your Social Security number or check the “Call me for my SSN” box. Click “Next.”
Estimate how much you expect to transfer over the next year. Finally, tell WorldFirst that you heard about them through finder.com.
If you don’t have your passport handy, click “I’ll provide this later.” Now click “Submit.”
[OR]
You’ll need their bank, its SWIFT code and their account number or International Bank Account Number (IBAN).
Select your reason for sending the payment, and click “Continue.” Select which bank you’ll be paying through, the amount you’re sending and the date you want to make the transfer (immediately or in the future).
Review the currency exchange rate offered and lock it in for the transaction.
WorldFirst will forward bank details that you’ll use to wire your payment to your WorldFirst account. Once your transfer is complete, you’ll receive confirmation.
Bottom line
WorldFirst offers solid exchange rates and no fees, but you must send at least $1,000 in order to use their services. Be sure to compare all of your money transfer options before making a decision.
Yes, the WorldFirst app is available from the Apple App Store and the Google Play store. It allows you to place transfers whenever and wherever is convenient.
This depends on the currency you’re sending, the bank you’re using and the size of your transaction. Sterling, U.S. dollars and euros usually transfer the same day that WorldFirst receives your cleared funds. With other currencies, it sends your payment out on the date agreed to, but you’ll need to allow one to four days for your funds to reach the recipient.
For your first personal transfer, you will need to send the money by wire transfer. For subsequent transfers, WorldFirst is able to receive funds via ACH direct debit.
WorldFirst makes the payment to your beneficiary on the date you agree to when you book your trade. Your beneficiary might not be able to access the money right away, as their bank might take some time to clear the funds for them.
No. WorldFirst transfers money to bank accounts only.
Existing clients can contact WorldFirst at 877-866-8656, and new clients can contact them at 844-571-2682. You can also initiate a chat online.
Methodology
Our team analyzes money transfer providers offering services in the US — from big names to digital upstarts. We rank rates and fees, speed, services and user experience for:
Dear sir, i want to ask (faq)regarding about my uncle in belgium have cash around 10m euro to transfer to me setup a business and buying property in dubai..can i collect cash at dubai ..if ok i will ask my uncle to send money to (wf)using your money service platform for me to collect cash on dubai..pls advise us how to go about and what is the charges from your company to us?
Unfortunately there is no money transfer service that will allow you to pick up $10M EUR in cash. However, you can deposit this amount into a bank account in Dubai, which can be done within 2-5 business days if you send through World First. Click “Go to site” from this page to initiate your transfer with no fees.
Yes it is safe, actually, World First broke the record for fastest international transfer by completing a transaction in 6 minutes and 49 seconds. An established leader in the money transfer business, it takes the duty of protecting your money seriously.
– Licensed. World First is a licensed money transmitter business that adheres to the rules of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control and Financial Crimes Enforcement Center (FinCen).
– High credit rating. World First has a 3A2 rating from Dun & Bradstreet, further ensuring that your funds are covered.
– Segregated client accounts. Your money is kept separate from World First’s money. This makes it easy to identify and protect should anything happen to the company.
– Award-winning. World First has won several awards for its service, including the 2016 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
– Years of experience. Founded in 2004, World First has grown from its headquarters in London to include offices in Austin, DC, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Sydney.
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