vahetustasu

Vahetustasu is a fee charged for converting one currency into another. It is applied by banks, payment service providers, and currency exchange services, and can take various forms: a fixed charge, a percentage of the exchanged amount, or a markup embedded in the exchange rate (the spread). The effect is that the recipient gets fewer units of the target currency than the mid-market rate would imply.

The fee can appear in different situations. It commonly occurs when exchanging currencies at bank branches or currency offices, when using a card abroad for purchases or cash withdrawals, and during online transfers between currencies. In card transactions, the cost may come from the merchant’s currency conversion option (dynamic currency conversion) or from the issuer’s foreign transaction fee, often described as currency conversion or international service charges.

Calculation and impact vary by provider. Some charges are a fixed amount per transaction, others are a percentage of the amount, and many combine both. In addition, the exchange rate offered by the provider may contain a markup over the market rate. Therefore, the total cost of the transaction is determined by both the rate and any explicit or implicit fees.

To minimize vahetustasu, compare rates and total costs across providers, and consider options such as using cards with low or no foreign transaction fees, withdrawing in local currency, or avoiding merchant-initiated currency conversions by opting for the local currency price. Regulations in the European Union require clear disclosure of fees, but consumers should still review the total cost rather than rely on advertised commissions alone.