Transfer guide · USA → UK
Send money from the USA to the UK
Bringing home savings, an inheritance, or the proceeds of a US sale from dollars to sterling. The process, the timing, and where the real money is won or lost.
This route at a glance
Network
SWIFT / BIC
Typical timing
1–3 working days
You will need
UK IBAN + BIC
Best for large sums
Specialist broker
The short answer
To send money from the USA to the UK, you convert US dollars to pounds and transfer over the SWIFT network to a UK account (identified by its IBAN, which begins GB, and a BIC). The US account is identified by its ABA routing number and account number, as the US does not use IBAN. For a large transfer — savings, an inheritance or sale proceeds — a specialist currency broker will usually give a better exchange rate than a high-street bank, and the exchange rate matters far more than the transfer fee. The difference between two rates on a six-figure sum can run to thousands of pounds.
Who this guide is for
This guide is written for larger, one-off transfers from a US dollar account to a UK sterling account: repatriating savings after living in the United States, bringing home an inheritance, moving the proceeds of a US property or investment sale, or returning a lump sum on relocation. If you are sending small amounts regularly, the mechanics are the same but the exchange rate matters proportionally less.
Bank, broker or app: how the options compare
| How they compare | High-street bank | Specialist currency broker | Money-transfer app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | Margin built into the rate; typically the widest | Margin built into the rate; typically tighter on large sums | Often the mid-market rate plus a visible fee |
| Transfer fee | Flat fee plus possible intermediary charges | Usually none | Upfront fee, varies by amount |
| Best suited to | Convenience if funds are already with the bank | Large transfers where the rate dominates | Smaller transfers where fees are visible |
| Dedicated dealer | Rarely | Usually | No |
| Forward contracts | Limited | Commonly available | No |
How to send money from the USA to the UK, step by step
01
Confirm the currencies and routing
You are converting US dollars to pounds. The transfer routes over SWIFT from the US account (identified by its routing number) to a UK account by its IBAN and BIC.
02
Gather the UK recipient details
The account holder’s name and address, the UK account IBAN (UK IBANs begin GB) and the bank’s BIC/SWIFT code.
03
Get a live quote
Ask your bank and at least one broker to quote the same amount at the same time. The gap between them is the cost you can control.
04
Decide on timing
If a sale or an estate distribution has a known date, a forward contract can fix today’s rate for settlement later, removing the risk of a move against you.
05
Fund and send
Move US dollars from your account to the provider, confirm the sterling amount, and release the transfer.
06
Track settlement
A dollar-to-pound transfer often settles in one to three working days; the exact time depends on intermediary banks and cut-offs. Your provider confirms when sterling lands.
What it costs — and where the cost hides
There are two costs on any US-to-UK transfer, and they are wildly different in size. The first is the transfer fee, often a flat charge plus possible intermediary fees. The second is the exchange rate margin, the gap between the interbank rate and the rate you are given. No UK currency broker publishes its margin — the one figure we could not verify in our ranking methodology — but on a six-figure sum it dwarfs any fee.
Worked example, using illustrative round rates. Converting $500,000 at a GBP/USD rate of 1.25 gives about £400,000. At 1.28 it gives about £390,600. That is a difference of roughly £9,400 on the same transfer — driven entirely by the rate, not the fee.
The figures above are illustrative, not today’s rate. The point is the scale: a fraction of a percentage point on the exchange rate is worth more than any transfer fee on a six-figure sum. This is why comparing live quotes matters more than hunting for “no fees.”
Timing and exchange rate risk
The dollar-to-sterling rate moves continuously, so the amount of sterling you receive depends on when you convert. If your transfer is tied to a future event — a sale closing, an estate distribution, the end of a tax year — the risk is that the rate moves against you before you send.
A forward contract lets you fix today’s rate for a transfer settling up to around two years ahead, which removes that uncertainty. A market order can target a specific rate and execute automatically if the market reaches it. Both are offered by most specialist brokers and rarely by banks or apps. Which tool fits depends on your deadline and how much rate movement you can tolerate.
Why a specialist broker matters on this corridor
US-to-UK transfers are frequently large and frequently tied to a sale or an estate, which makes both the rate and the timing consequential. A specialist currency broker typically offers a tighter margin on large sums than a high-street bank, provides a dedicated dealer who can talk through timing, and can arrange forward contracts to fix a rate before a distribution or closing — the combination that matters most on this corridor. For a smaller transfer where you simply want visible pricing, a mid-market-rate app may serve you better.
Whichever route you choose, the deciding step is the same: get live quotes from more than one provider for the same amount at the same time, and compare the sterling you would actually receive. See our comparison of UK currency brokers and our individual broker reviews to shortlist providers, then request quotes from two or three.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a transfer from the USA to the UK take?
A dollar-to-sterling SWIFT transfer often settles in one to three working days, depending on how many intermediary banks are involved and the cut-off times. A specialist broker can usually confirm a firm timeline once the transfer is booked.
Does the US use IBAN?
No. The United States does not use IBAN. A US account is identified by a nine-digit ABA routing number plus the account number, and the transfer to the UK uses the SWIFT network with the receiving UK bank’s BIC.
What details do I need to transfer money to a UK bank?
The recipient’s name and address, their UK account IBAN (beginning GB), and the receiving bank’s BIC/SWIFT code. Your provider may also ask for a payment reference.
Can I fix the exchange rate before a US sale completes?
A forward contract lets you fix a rate now for settlement on a future date, which many sellers use to remove rate risk between agreeing a sale and the closing. Most specialist brokers offer them; banks and apps generally do not.
Is it cheaper to use a currency broker or my bank?
On a large transfer, a specialist broker is usually cheaper because its exchange rate margin tends to be tighter than a bank’s — but neither publishes its margin, so the only way to know is to compare live quotes for the same amount at the same time.
Are there tax implications on bringing money from the USA to the UK?
Possibly, particularly on an inheritance, a sale gain or if you are a US taxpayer, and the position depends on your residency and circumstances. Tax is outside the scope of this guide and outside our expertise — speak to a qualified tax adviser. This page covers the money-transfer mechanics only.
Related guides
Sending the other way? See transferring money from the UK to the USA. To compare corridors, browse the send money abroad hub, or read the Australia-to-UK guide for another repatriation route.
Compare brokers for your USA-to-UK transfer
Shortlist a provider from our comparison of seven FCA-authorised UK currency brokers, then request live quotes from two or three.
Last updated 15 July 2026 · Compiled and checked by Charlie Hinwick, ACCA. Nothing on this page is a personal recommendation or regulated financial or tax guidance — for your own circumstances, speak to a suitably qualified professional. Exchange rates move, and past rates are not a guide to future rates. Transfer process details are general; confirm requirements with your provider before you send.