---

If you need to get a payment to someone in the US or abroad, using a wire transfer is often a simple solution. You’ll be able to send money directly from your bank account to your recipient’s bank with no need to worry about writing a check or mailing a money order.

PNC allows customers to send payments overseas - but you’ll need to call into a local branch to set up your payment. There are also fees and charges you’ll want to know about. This guide walks through all you need to know - and also introduces a specialist in cross-border payments, Wise, as a comparison.

How to make a wire transfer with PNC Bank?

If you want to send money within the US, you can either visit your local PNC branch or branch drive-up, or call the Customer Care centre to set up your payment.
International payments can only be initiated in branch, meaning you’ll need to find a convenient location, make an appointment, and go along during business hours. You can also use the branch drive-up service.

How to receive an international wire transfer with PNC Bank?

You can receive international payments into your US dollar denominated PNC account. Check the small print of your account to see if there’s a fee to pay to receive a payment into your account - this charge is usually USD15 where it applies.

To make sure your money is received safely you’ll need to give the sender some information including:

• Your name as shown on your bank account
• Account and routing number/SWIFT code
• Your mailing address

Depending on where the payment is coming from your sender might also need to provide additional details to comply with local rules, such as giving the reason for the transfer, or confirming the source of the funds.

PNC Bank international wire transfer fee

Let’s take a look at the costs for sending and receiving wire payments with PNC.

Service	PNC fee
Incoming international wire	USD15 for most accounts
Outgoing international wire made in branch (minimum USD100 payment value)	USD45 You may also pay an additional fee in the exchange rate used - see below for more details
Outgoing domestic wire made by phone	USD45
Outgoing domestic wire made in branch	USD30

PNC Bank exchange rate

PNC states that the exchange rates they offer are competitive with other local banks. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they are the very best out there. Doing a little homework before you head to a PNC branch to make a payment can save you money. 

The best place to start is the mid-market exchange rate. This is the rate you’ll find for your currency online with a simple Google search. Banks and currency services buy foreign currency using the mid-market exchange rate - but don’t usually pass this rate on to their customers. Instead, a markup is added to create the retail exchange rate used for wire transfers and currency exchange.

When you go to a branch to arrange your international wire payment with PNC you’ll be shown the exchange rate which will apply to the payment. It’s important to check this rate against the mid-market exchange rate to see if a markup or margin has been used. This is an extra fee, which pushes up the costs of sending international payments. It also makes it hard to see the real cost of your transaction. 

Adding a markup to the exchange rate used for retail transactions is common - but not all providers choose to do this. Some services, like currency specialist Wise, prefer to use the mid-market exchange rate with no markup, and charge a simple, upfront fee for payments, making the process cheaper and more transparent. 

Send money at the mid-market rate with Wise

Worried about high bank charges and poor exchange rates? You might get a better deal with Wise.

Wise international payments all use the mid-market exchange rate with no markup - so there are no hidden fees to worry about, just simple, safe international payments all over the world. You only ever pay a transparent fee per transaction. 

All Wise payments are set up online, too - so you can save yourself the hassle of standing in line at your local bank branch. Simple.

If you send money overseas often, shop online with international retailers, or love to travel, you could benefit even more with a free Wise online multi-currency account. There’s no minimum balance and no monthly fee - simply use your account as you need, to hold dozens of different currencies and switch between them whenever you need to. Take a look today, to see if you can save.

How long does a wire transfer take with PNC?

Wire payments are processed on bank business days - Monday to Friday. The length of time it takes for them to arrive depends on the payment type and destination. You can usually expect domestic payments to arrive in a day or so, while international payments may take 3 to 5 business days.

While PNC does make it possible for clients to send payments, it’s not the simplest process. You’ll need to visit a branch in person to set up an international payment, which means you’re limited to normal office hours, and need to plan in advance to get an appointment. 

If you want more flexibility - and to save some money on international transfers - check out the low-cost payments available from Wise. Get your payment set up online, with low, transparent costs, and the mid-market exchange rate. It couldn’t be easier.