Source: https://rivet.global/blog/ireland-international-transfer-fees-for-business
Published: 2026-08-23 · Updated: 2026-08-23 · By Alexia M.

# International transfers from Ireland for business: SEPA, SWIFT, GBP and USD

What Irish companies pay to send money abroad: SEPA for euros, SWIFT for USD and GBP, bank fees and FX margins, verification of payee, and cheaper local payouts.

## Key takeaways

- Euro transfers in SEPA cost the same as domestic ones, and verification of payee checks the name since October 2025.
- Irish companies pay many UK and US suppliers; those payments go by SWIFT with fees and an FX margin unless paid locally.
- Paying UK suppliers by Faster Payments in sterling and US vendors by ACH in dollars avoids SWIFT.
- Holding GBP and USD from revenue in those currencies avoids converting twice.

Google's suggestions after "Ireland international transfer" include "irish money transfer companies" and the fee pages of AIB, PTSB and Bank of Ireland. Irish companies have a particular mix: euros at home, and a lot of sterling and dollars abroad.

## Rails

| Payment | Rail | Cost | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR to an EU country | SEPA | Same as domestic | Seconds to 1 day |
| GBP to the UK | SWIFT, or Faster Payments via a provider | Fee and margin, or local payout fee | 1 to 3 days, or same day |
| USD to the US | SWIFT, or ACH via a provider | Fee and margin, or local payout fee | 1 to 3 days, or 1 to 2 days |

## A month for a Dublin e-commerce brand

- Pays a UK warehouse £12,000.
- Pays a US app developer $6,000.
- Pays a Dutch supplier €9,000.

The euro payment is simple. The sterling and dollar ones, by SWIFT, each carry a fee and a margin. Paying them locally from GBP and USD balances removes the SWIFT leg.

## Ways to cut the cost

1. Hold GBP and USD if you earn them.
2. Pay on local rails where your provider supports it.
3. Send invoice payments on OUR terms if you must use SWIFT.

## Paying into Ireland: the local rail

| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Local rail | SEPA Instant Credit Transfer |
| Run by | European Payments Council scheme, run by each bank |
| Settlement | Under ten seconds, 24/7 |
| Published fee | By the EU Instant Payments Regulation, no more than the bank charges for a standard SEPA transfer |

Source: [European Payments Council: SEPA Instant Credit Transfer](https://www.europeanpaymentscouncil.eu/what-we-do/sepa-instant-credit-transfer). Checked when this guide was last updated; the scheme's own page has the current figures.

## Where Rivet fits

Rivet gives Irish companies EUR and GBP details on Growth and USD on every plan, and pays out to 120+ countries on local rails where available, with fee and FX shown first. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds. See [instant payments compared](/blog/instant-payments-compared).

## Questions

### How much does an international transfer from Ireland cost?

SEPA euro transfers cost the same as domestic ones. SWIFT transfers in GBP or USD carry the bank's fee and an FX margin.

### What is the cheapest way to pay a UK supplier from Ireland?

In sterling on Faster Payments, if your provider offers it, from a sterling balance or after one planned conversion.

### How long does a SWIFT transfer take?

Usually one to three business days.

### What is verification of payee?

A check since 9 October 2025 that the name matches the IBAN before a euro transfer is sent.