Wise
International transfers · Wise
- Fees
- Varies
- English
- Yes
A licensed money-transfer service that uses the mid-market exchange rate with a transparent, upfront fee — often cheaper than bank wires for personal transfers.
Weekend exchange-rate markups
Why some providers add a charge when currency markets are closed, how Wise and Revolut treat weekends differently, and how to time a conversion to avoid the surcharge.
Direct answers
When markets are closed, providers price the risk differently: Wise generally uses the last available Friday market rate with no separate weekend surcharge, while Revolut Japan’s Standard plan adds 1% outside its defined market hours.
Key points
- Foreign-exchange markets effectively close over the weekend, and providers handle the gap differently.
- Wise states it normally uses the last available Friday market rate and does not describe a separate weekend surcharge.
- Revolut Japan Standard adds 1% on fiat exchanges outside its market hours, on top of any high-frequency charge.
- Card purchases abroad on a weekend can also carry the out-of-hours markup — timing a conversion for weekday market hours avoids it.
Why a weekend charge exists
Wholesale currency markets are largely closed from Friday evening to Monday morning. A provider that guarantees you a rate over the weekend is taking on the risk that the market reopens at a different level, and different providers price that risk in different ways.
Wise states that weekend transfers normally use the last available Friday market rate and does not describe a separate weekend surcharge. Revolut Japan’s Standard schedule instead adds 1% to fiat exchanges outside its defined foreign-exchange market hours, on top of any high-frequency exchange charge that may already apply.
Timing to avoid it
If your conversion is not urgent, execute it during weekday market hours to sidestep an out-of-hours markup. This applies to app conversions and, on some cards, to purchases made abroad over the weekend — the same out-of-hours rule can apply at the point of sale.
Check your specific provider and plan: allowances, market-hour definitions, and high-frequency thresholds vary, and a plan that is free within an allowance can start charging once you exceed it.
Who this is for
- Revolut and Wise users converting on weekends
- Travellers spending abroad over a weekend
What this is not
- Readers needing an urgent conversion who cannot wait for weekday hours
Important cautions
- Allowances and market-hour rules change; confirm your plan’s current terms before relying on a “free” conversion.
Related products & services
Revolut
レボリュートMulti-currency account · Revolut
- Fees
- Varies
- English
- Yes
A multi-currency app account with a card and fee allowances for currency exchange, useful for people who spend or hold multiple currencies.