Complete Guide: Who, When, and Where to Exchange Currency in Romania
From the tourist exchanging 200 EUR to the corporation trading millions — each profile has its own needs and channels. Find out which option is best for you.
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1. Individuals — Tourists and Travelers
The most common reason for currency exchange in Romania
When they exchange
- •Before vacations abroad
- •Business trips (conferences, meetings)
- •Studies abroad (tuition, accommodation, living expenses)
- •Medical treatments in another country
Where they exchange
- •Exchange offices — good rates in urban centers
- •Banks — security, but high spread (2-4%)
- •ATMs — convenient but watch out for DCC
- •Revolut / Wise — best rate, no commission
Requested Currencies
EUR (Euro)
USD (US Dollar)
GBP (Pound Sterling)
HUF (regional)
BGN (regional)
TRY (regional)
Practical Tips
- ⚠Avoid the airport — the spread can be 5-10% above the BNR rate
- ⚠Compare rates — on curs.online/comparatie you can see all differences
- ⚠Revolut on weekends — a markup of 0.5-1% applies on exotic currencies
- ⚠Refuse DCC — at ATMs or POS terminals, always choose "no conversion"
2. Expats and Workers Abroad (Remittances)
Send money home monthly — large aggregate volumes
When they exchange
- •Monthly — part of salary sent to family
- •Occasional — family support, medical emergencies
- •Seasonal — holidays, purchases (house, car)
Where they exchange
- •Wise — lowest cost, mid-market rate
- •Western Union — cash withdrawal at destination
- •MoneyGram / Ria — extensive networks in Romania
- •SEPA bank transfer — free in EUR, 1-2 days
Typical amount / month
500 — 3.000 EUR
Savings with Wise vs bank
30 — 120 EUR/an
Watch Out for Hidden Costs
- ✗Hidden fees — some providers advertise "0 commission" but have an exchange rate marked up by 2-5%
- ✗Marked-up exchange rate — always compare with the BNR or mid-market rate
- ✗Recipient fee — check if the receiver pays anything
Compare costs on the transfer comparison page.
3. Small Businesses and PFA
Freelancers, consultants, small importers
When they exchange
- •Paying foreign suppliers (materials, software, services)
- •Importing goods (China, EU, USA)
- •Receiving payments from foreign clients (freelancing)
- •Paying subscriptions (SaaS, hosting, licenses)
Where they exchange
- •Multi-currency account — ING, BT, BCR, Raiffeisen
- •Wise Business — best rate, multi-currency IBAN
- •Revolut Business — 0 commission up to 5,000 EUR/month
- •PayPal Business — international payments (fee 2-4%)
Important Accounting Aspects
- ●BNR rate vs bank rate — accounting uses the BNR rate from the invoice date, but the bank applies its own rate for the exchange
- ●Exchange rate differences — income/expenses from exchange rate differences arise (accounts 665/765)
- ●Simple hedging — forward contracts with the bank for large predictable amounts
- ●Average rates — use BNR monthly average rates for reporting
4. Companies and Corporations
Treasury, hedging, large transactions (10K — 10M+ EUR)
When they exchange
- •International supplier payments (raw materials, components)
- •Employee payroll in other countries
- •Foreign direct investments (FDI) and acquisitions (M&A)
- •Distribution of dividends to foreign shareholders
Where they exchange
- •Bank treasury — negotiated rate, minimal spread
- •FX dealing room — spot, forward, swap transactions
- •Forward contracts — fix the rate for 1-12 months
- •FX swap — for liquidity management
Currency Risk Management
●ISDA Master Agreement — standard legal framework for OTC derivatives
●Bilateral netting — offsetting between subsidiaries, reduces transaction volume
●Cash pooling — centralization of liquidity by currency
●Hedge accounting (IFRS 9) — accounting for hedging against fluctuations
Typical amounts / transaction
10.000 — 10.000.000+ EUR
For amounts over 50,000 EUR, banks offer negotiated rates (dealing desk)
5. E-commerce and Online Payments
Online stores, SaaS, marketplaces
When they exchange
- •International sales (clients from EU, USA)
- •SaaS subscriptions collected in USD/EUR
- •Marketplace payouts (Amazon, eBay, Etsy)
- •Paying tech suppliers (servers, APIs, cloud services)
Where they process
- •Stripe — settlement in RON or EUR, fee 1.4%+0.25 EUR
- •PayU / Netopia — local processors, RON settlement
- •PayPal — popular but fee 2.9%+0.30
- •Revolut Business — accept payments + multi-currency account
E-commerce Cost Optimization
- ●Settlement currency — choose RON only if you spend mostly in RON; otherwise, keep EUR/USD
- ●Currency conversion fees — processors add 1-2.5% for automatic conversion
- ●Multi-currency pricing — display prices in EUR/USD for foreign clients
- ●Payoneer — ideal for marketplaces (Amazon, Fiverr, Upwork)
Detailed processor guide: E-commerce payment processor comparison
6. Crypto and Digital Assets
Trading, investments, DeFi, NFT — fiat on/off ramp
When they exchange
- •Active trading — daily/weekly, speculation on volatility
- •Long-term investments — monthly DCA (dollar cost averaging)
- •DeFi yield farming — deposits, staking, lending
- •NFT — purchases of digital collectibles
Where to exchange (fiat on/off ramp)
- •Binance — largest volume, RON P2P available
- •Coinbase — easy to use, EUR bank transfer
- •Kraken — low fees, SEPA instant
- •Local exchanges — Tradesilvania (native RON, SEPA)
On-ramp: Card
Fee 1.8-3.5%
Instant, low limit
On-ramp: SEPA
Fee 0-0.5%
1-2 days, high limit
On-ramp: P2P
Negotiated rate
Cash or transfer, escrow
Crypto Regulations and Taxes in Romania
- ●16% tax on gains — from 2026 applies to the difference between selling price and purchase price
- ●MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) — mandatory EU regulation, exchanges must be licensed
- ●Mandatory KYC — identity verification on all regulated platforms
- ●Extreme volatility — BTC can vary 10-20% in a week
Details: Crypto Romania — exchanges and fees
7. Summary Comparison Table
All profiles at a glance
| Profile | Frequency | Average Amount | Recommended Channel | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist | 2-4x / year | 200 — 2.000 EUR | Revolut / Exchange Office | 0 — 2% |
| Expat | Monthly | 500 — 3.000 EUR | Wise / SEPA Transfer | 0.3 — 1.5% |
| PFA / Freelancer | Weekly — monthly | 1.000 — 10.000 EUR | Wise Business / Bank | 0.2 — 1% |
| SME (import/export) | Weekly | 5.000 — 100.000 EUR | Multi-currency Account / Forward | 0.1 — 0.8% |
| Corporation | Daily | 50K — 10M+ EUR | Treasury / FX Dealing | 0.02 — 0.3% |
| E-commerce | At each settlement | 1.000 — 50.000 EUR | Stripe / Local Processor | 1 — 2.5% |
| Crypto Trader | Daily — weekly | 100 — 50.000 EUR | Binance / Kraken / SEPA | 0.1 — 3.5% |
Compare rates before exchanging
Regardless of your profile, always check the BNR rate and compare with banks and fintechs