Brigantia partners with Wise: making currency exchange easier for expats

Why currency exchange matters for expats

Living abroad often means dealing with multiple currencies - whether you’re sending money home, receiving income from the UK, or investing in property overseas. Small differences in exchange rates and fees can add up to large costs. In fact, the World Bank estimates that people lose about 7% on average in fees when sending money internationally (adding up to around $200 billion in hidden charges globally). Traditional banks often hide hefty fees in poor exchange rates, meaning you might be losing thousands without even realising. For high-net-worth expats moving significant sums, those losses are especially painful.

At Brigantia, our mission is to eliminate unnecessary costs and bring transparency to financial advice. That’s why finding a better solution for currency transfers has been a priority. We want our clients to keep more of their money when moving funds across borders. With the right platform, you can avoid the typical 3–5% bank markups and save substantial amounts on each transfer. This is where our new partnership with Wise comes in.

Introducing Wise - our preferred partner for international transfers

Wise is a world-leading financial technology platform specialised in low-cost international money transfers and currency exchange. If you haven’t heard of Wise, here’s a quick overview of why we’ve chosen them as our go-to partner:

• Multi-Currency Accounts: Wise provides an easy-to-use multi-currency account (sometimes called an “e-wallet”) that lets you hold and manage money in 40+ currencies at once. You can convert between currencies instantly within the app at real exchange rates. This is ideal for expats who might earn in one currency but spend or invest in another.
• Fast, Low-Cost Transfers: With Wise, you can send money abroad quickly in 40+ currencies with no hidden fees or exchange rate markups. Transfers are often very fast - in many cases your money arrives the same day or even instantly, and typically no slower than a couple of days. Crucially, Wise uses the real mid-market exchange rate (the same rate you’d see on Google) and charges only a small, transparent fee (starting around 0.33% of the amount). There are no sneaky commissions; everything is clearly shown upfront. In fact, Wise’s fees are so low that using Wise can be roughly 3-4% cheaper than using a traditional bank for currency exchange, which means you could save up to £20,000 on a £400,000 transfer by avoiding bank charges. Those savings go straight back into your pocket.
• Local Bank Details in 9 Currencies: One of Wise’s standout features is that it gives you local bank account details in nine different currencies, including GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, CAD and more. In practical terms, this means you can have your own local UK account number, European IBAN, US routing number, etc., all within your Wise account. As a British expat, you could receive your UK pension or rental income in GBP into your Wise account, or get paid in euros or dollars, without the sender needing to worry about international transfer fees. You then hold or convert those funds at your leisure. It’s like having bank accounts in multiple countries, but managed from one app – perfect for a global lifestyle.
• Regulation and Security: Security is paramount when moving large amounts of money. Wise is authorised by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Electronic Money Institution, and is regulated in every country it operates in. This means they meet strict standards for safeguarding client funds. Your money is always held securely in established financial institutions, and Wise uses two-factor authentication and advanced encryption to protect your transactions. In short, you can trust Wise with your funds, just as you would a traditional bank – but with far lower fees and more innovation. (It’s worth noting that Wise isn’t a bank, they’re a payment institution, so your account isn’t FSCS-insured. However, they keep client money in segregated accounts for safety. Many expats, including our team, have been using Wise for years with full confidence.)
• Additional Features: Beyond transfers, Wise offers some useful extras for expats. You can earn interest on your EUR, GBP, and USD balances held in Wise (where eligible, depending on your country of residence) - a nice bonus for money that might otherwise sit idle between transfers. Wise also provides an optional debit Mastercard for account holders. This card lets you spend directly from your multi-currency balances and automatically converts currencies at the real rate when you swipe it abroad. It’s great for travel or visits back home, helping you avoid the usual foreign transaction fees on purchases and ATMs. Essentially, Wise can serve as an all-in-one international spending account to complement your existing bank accounts.

In summary, Wise brings together speed, low cost, and convenience in a way traditional banks or brokers simply haven’t matched. It has over 12 million customers worldwide and handles billions in cross-border transactions each year, so it’s a proven platform at a global scale. Given these advantages, it’s no wonder we’re confident about recommending Wise to our clients.

Pete’s personal experience - why we chose Wise

At Brigantia, we never recommend something we wouldn’t use ourselves. In fact, our founder Pete Wands has been a Wise user long before this formal partnership. As an expat financial adviser (and an expat himself), Pete has tried various methods to transfer money internationally, from high-street banks to traditional FX brokers. The experience was often frustrating: slow transfers, surprise fees, poor rates, and lots of paperwork. A few years ago, Pete decided to try Wise to send money from a overseas work assignment back to the UK. The results were eye-opening.

“The transfer took just a few seconds and cost a fraction of what my bank would charge,” Pete recalls. “I kept checking to see if I’d missed any fees – but there were none. The rate was the same mid-market rate I saw online. That’s when I realised how much expats like me were overpaying through banks.”

This positive experience is a big reason why Brigantia is partnering with Wise today. Pete’s personal endorsement comes from genuine satisfaction - he’s seen first-hand how Wise can save money and hassle. We’ve done our due diligence too: Wise’s commitment to transparency and low costs aligns perfectly with Brigantia’s mission. By choosing Wise as our preferred partner, we’re confident that we’re offering you a solution that we trust for our own finances.

How Brigantia clients will benefit

This new partnership isn’t just in name - it comes with tangible benefits for Brigantia clients:

• Exclusive Fee Discounts: We’ve arranged for our clients to get special pricing when using Wise. By signing up via Brigantia’s referral link, you’ll receive discounted transfer fees and even your first transfer (up to £1,000) with no fees at all. In other words, you can test out Wise on a sizeable transfer completely free up to that limit, and see the savings yourself. Every transfer after that will still cost you far less than it would through a bank, meaning more of your money goes where it’s needed instead of towards fees.
• Seamless Integration with Your Financial Plan: As your wealth manager, we at Brigantia will help ensure that currency transfers via Wise fit smoothly into your broader financial strategy. Need to move funds to rebalance your investment portfolio overseas? Receiving monthly income from abroad that needs converting to GBP? We’ll incorporate Wise into our advice, so moving money becomes a frictionless part of your plan rather than a headache. Think of Wise as another tool in our kit to maximise your financial efficiency.
• Personalised Support: We understand that some clients may want extra reassurance, especially for very large transfers or complex situations. Through our partnership, we can introduce you to a dedicated Wise specialist if needed. This means if you have questions about using Wise or need guidance on a big transfer (say, selling a property and repatriating the proceeds), you won’t have to navigate it alone. A Wise account manager can walk you through the process, and of course, the Brigantia team will be right beside you as well, coordinating the financial aspects with your overall plan. This level of support is completely free and there’s no obligation - it’s simply there to give you peace of mind as you get started.
• Greater Transparency and Control: By using Wise, you’ll gain real-time visibility into exchange rates and fees. No more waiting for a bank to tell you what rate they gave you after the transfer is done. With Wise’s app, you can decide when to convert (you might wait for a favourable rate) and you’ll always know the fee upfront. This transparency is empowering - it puts you in control of your money across borders, just as Brigantia’s transparent fee model puts you in control of your investments. It’s a perfect complement to our philosophy of no surprises and no hidden costs.

Getting started with Wise (through Brigantia)

Ready to take advantage of Wise? Getting set up is easy, and we’re here to help. Here’s how to begin:

1. Sign Up via Our Exclusive Link: To access the Brigantia client benefits, make sure you register using our partner link https://wi.se/brigantia-wealth. This link automatically tracks that you’re a Brigantia referral. The sign-up is free and only takes a few minutes. By using this link, you’ll get the fee-free transfer on your first £1,000 (or equivalent) as a welcome bonus.
2. Set Up Your Wise Account: Once registered, you can immediately create your multi-currency account. This involves adding some basic details and verifying your identity (as with any financial service, this is for security). You can then add money to your Wise account from your local bank or card. For example, if you plan to send money from the UK to Thailand, you might add GBP to your Wise account via a bank transfer or debit card.
3. Explore the Features: Inside the Wise app or website, try opening a few currency balances. If you’re a UK expat in Asia, you might open a GBP balance and a local currency balance (like THB or whatever you need). This will also show you the local bank details for the main currencies. It’s quite empowering to see account details for the UK, US, Europe, etc., all available to you. You can share those with anyone who needs to pay you in those currencies.
4. Make a Transfer or Receive Money: When you’re ready, initiate your first transfer. The interface will guide you step by step - choose the currency you have and the currency you need to send to, enter the amount, and Wise will show you the exact rate and fee. You’ll see exactly how much the recipient will get. No guesswork needed. If you’re receiving money (say your pension into Wise), give the payer your Wise local account details and the funds will show up in that balance. From there, you can convert it or send it onward as you please. It's worth noting that at time of writing, we don't have the facility to add local THB account details, however we can set up a THB balance, convert other currencies to THB, and make THB transfers out.
5. Ask for Help if Needed: If at any point you’re unsure or have a special request, remember that Brigantia can arrange for a Wise specialist to assist you. There’s also a comprehensive Help Centre and 24/7 support from Wise for any technical questions. Our partnership means you have an added layer of support - you can always reach out to us, and we’ll connect you with the right people to ensure your transfers go smoothly (and with us having no visibility of your transactions with Wise - we simply introduce you).

By following these steps, you’ll quickly see why we’re enthusiastic about Wise. It’s straightforward, efficient, and transparent. And once you’ve set it up, you’ll wonder how you managed all those years without it.

A commitment to your financial well-being

In partnering with Wise, Brigantia is reaffirming a core principle of our firm: put the client’s interest first. We constantly seek out solutions that make your financial life abroad more efficient and cost-effective. High fees and opaque exchange rates run counter to that mission, which is why this collaboration makes so much sense.

With Brigantia and Wise working together, you can enjoy the freedom to move your money globally without fear of being gouged by charges. It’s about giving you more control, more value, and more confidence in every international transaction. Whether you’re planning a major life change like relocating, managing your ongoing investments and income streams, or just looking for a better way to handle everyday expenses across borders, we believe this partnership will be a game-changer for you.

As always, if you have any questions about getting started with Wise or how international currency strategies fit into your financial plan, feel free to reach out to us at Brigantia. We’re here to help make your expatriate financial journey as smooth and rewarding as possible. Here’s to a future of simpler, cheaper, and smarter money transfers!

And here's that Wise referral link once again:

https://wi.se/brigantia-wealth