Considerations before bringing money from the United States

Bringing money from the U.S. involves thinking about two things: cost and friction.
Most users do it for very specific reasons: to receive payments from clients, get paid for freelance work, earn income from products or services, receive family remittances or bring rental income into the country.
The problem is that each of these cases usually involves slow processes, variable commissions and, in some countries, regulations that add time and paperwork. Therefore, choosing the right method is key to avoid losing value along the way.

Key data

Today there are three main categories for bringing money from the United States to Latin America:

1. Global money transfer platforms: These include services such as Western Union or Remitly. They are usually fast, but have costs that combine fixed fee plus percentage, and in many cases they apply their own exchange rate. The commission can vary between 2 % and 6 % depending on the amount and the country.
2. International digital wallets such as Wise, PayPal or Payoneer. They have a good user experience, but apply shipping fees + conversion fees + possible local bank withdrawal fees. The total cost can end up between 3% and 8%, depending on the country.
3. Traditional banks: Wire or SWIFT transfers have high costs: fixed fees ranging from USD 20 to USD 55 per transaction, plus commissions from the receiving bank. The average time is usually 3 to 5 business days. They also require additional paperwork and documentation depending on the country's legislation.

In practice, the final cost depends on the amount, the exchange rate, the rates of each entity and the requirements of each market.

How to receive it in your bank

The banking option remains the most traditional, but also the slowest and most expensive. A summary by country:

Argentina
To enter dollars from abroad into an Argentine bank it is necessary to justify the origin of funds, complete forms and, in many cases, accept the automatic conversion to pesos at the official exchange rate. In addition, some entities charge commissions for foreign currency entry. The operation may take several business days.

Mexico
The process is simpler than in Argentina, but it still involves commissions that can be between 15 and 40 USD per international transfer, depending on the issuing and receiving bank. The time is usually 1 to 3 business days and some entities require additional validation if it is a large amount.

Colombia
Banks usually ask for documentation of the origin of the funds, and the fee for receiving international transfers can be between 10 and 30 USD. In some cases registration or declaration in the exchange system is required. Accreditation takes 2 to 4 business days.

In all countries, banks apply their own exchange rate if they convert foreign currency, which generates an additional cost that is difficult to anticipate.

How to receive money with CiNKO

Receiving money from the U.S. with CiNKO is designed to avoid the complexity of traditional options. The process is straightforward, with no additional paperwork and clear costs from the start.

1. Low and transparent commissions: Receiving money via wire transfer from the US costs $1.
   It doesn't matter if they send you $20 USD, $200 USD or $5,000 USD. There is no percentage, no hidden costs and we do not apply exchange rate margins.
2. No more paperwork: You don't have to fill out additional documentation for each transfer, nor do you have to justify it at bank counters. Identity verification is done only once when you create your account.
3. Direct transfer from any US bank: The sender only needs your ACH bank details provided by CiNKO. We do not use intermediaries that add delay or extra fees.
4. Fast crediting: Transfers are usually credited within hours or within the same business day, depending on the originating bank.
5. Immediate availability to use the money: Once received, you can:

• Load your CiNKO Visa card
• Paying at international retailers, apps and services
• Withdraw to local banks (subject to availability per country)
• Send to other users
• Maintain the balance in dollars without obligatory conversion

6. A real alternative to Wise, banks and international wallets: While other options combine fixed fees + percentages + withdrawal fees, CiNKO keeps it simple:
   One dollar to receive.
   One dollar to activate your Visa card.
   No matter the amount.

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