NZD accounts in the UK

UK citizens heading off to New Zealand for business or leisure, and New Zealanders in the UK for work, travel or study, could benefit from having a UK based NZD account. Your NZD account will let you hold a balance in New Zealand dollars, send payments internationally, and in some cases offer low cost ways to receive and spend with a linked debit card.

There are a few different options for a NZD account in the UK, including products from banks like Barclays and HSBC, and low cost digital multi-currency services from providers like Wise and Revolut. This guide walks you through your core options.

What is a NZD currency account?

A NZD currency account allows you to hold and manage a balance in New Zealand dollars.

Different accounts have their own target customers, and can come with quite different features. Some are for individuals who want to save or send payments, some are great for day to day spending and currency management, and some are intended for business customers.

What can you do with a NZD account in the UK?

So – why might you want an account to hold New Zealand dollars in the UK? Here are a few common uses for NZD accounts which may interest you.

• Add money in GBP and convert to NZD: If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand, or if you need to make personal or business payments in NZD, you can add money to your account in GBP and convert to NZD for later use.
• Send payments to New Zealand in NZD: Use your account to send payments to NZD, for travel, study, a mortgage or to pay suppliers for example – transfers may be cheaper than a standard international payment as no currency conversion is needed.
• Receive NZD payments from others: Some accounts offer NZD account information, or SWIFT details, to receive payments from others – options like Wise have local NZD account details to receive low cost payments easily.
• Get a debit card for spending and withdrawals: Travellers for business or leisure might benefit from a NZD account which has a linked international debit card to spend and withdraw when you’re away.
• Hold your NZD balance for later use: Build up a balance in NZD to convert later, to send a payment, or to hold out for a better exchange rate – there’s no need to convert back to GBP if you don’t want to.

Types of NZD accounts

The types of New Zealand dollar accounts you can find in the UK tend to fall into two major categories – multi-currency accounts, and foreign currency accounts. Both have their pros and cons, so selecting the right one for you will require a little thought. Here’s an introduction to each type, as well as the accounts we’ve featured in this guide.

Multi currency accounts: A multi-currency account allows you to hold NZD as well as other currencies, all in one place. This can be very flexible if you need to manage many different currency transactions for travel or business.

• Wise Account: Hold 40+ currencies, and get local account details for receiving 8+ currencies including NZD, and SWIFT details for receiving 20+ currencies easily. For personal and business customers.
• Revolut Account: Hold 25+ currencies and get local details to receive GBP and SWIFT details to receive NZD and other supported currencies.
• HSBC Global Money Account: Hold NZD along with 17 other currencies, with no HSBC ATM or monthly maintenance fees
• Airwallex Account: Business account supporting 20+ currencies including NZD and GBP, with ways to receive customer bank and card payments online.

Foreign currency accounts: The other common option is a foreign currency account which is dedicated to NZD only. These may be targeted at people looking to save and invest in foreign currencies more than travelers.

• Barclays NZD Account – NZD account through Barclays to hold and send NZD, and get dollars in cash over the counter if you need them – no debit card offered

Best NZD currency accounts in the UK

You can choose a NZD account in the UK from either a bank or a specialist provider.

Bank foreign and multi-currency accounts may be targeted at people who already have a GBP account with that specific bank and need add-on services.

Specialist accounts are often from providers which are experts at currency management, like Wise and Revolut, and can come with a very flexible range of currencies and services designed for day to day use.

Here we’ve selected some different providers and banks offering NZD accounts in the UK for personal and business use, looking at convenience, cost and customer intention. Here’s a roundup:

💡 At a glance
Wise Account	Hold and exchange NZD and 40+ other currencies, spend with a Wise card in 150+ countries, send and receive payments globally in GBP, NZD, USD and more.
Revolut Account	Choose from 5 different account plans which all offer a debit card, and support 25+ currencies for holding and withdrawal. Travel perks available on some account tiers.
Barclays NZD Account	Accounts which allow you to hold NZD, and send international payments or withdraw cash over the counter in New Zealand dollars
HSBC NZD Account	Global Money Account to hold 18+ currencies with a linked debit card for spending and withdrawals. Spend at home and abroad, and send payments internationally from the HSBC app.
Airwallex	Business account supporting NZD, GBP and 20+ other currencies for holding and exchange, with low conversion costs and great exchange rates.

Wise NZD Account

Open a Wise Account online or in the Wise app, for personal or business use, and hold NZD alongside GBP and 40+ other currencies all in the same account. You can exchange between currencies in the app with the mid-market rate and low, transparent fees, order an optional debit card for spending and cash withdrawals, and send and receive payments globally in GBP, NZD and more.

Accounts offer local and SWIFT details to receive payments, with no fee to receive NZD to your Wise account with local details. There’s a small Wise fee to receive NZD SWIFT payments.

• Hold and exchange NZD and 40+ other currencies
• Mid-market currency exchange with low, transparent fees
• Use your Wise card in 150+ countries for spending and cash withdrawals

Account opening fee: No opening fee for personal customers. Business customers pay 45 GBP for full feature access. No minimum balance

Eligibility criteria: Available to residents of the UK and many other countries and regions globally

Supported currencies: 40+ currencies, including GBP and NZD.

Monthly fees: None

Exchange rates: Mid-market exchange rates

Revolut Account

You can open 5 different types of Revolut Account as a personal customer in the UK, with an additional 4 plan options for business customers. As a personal customer you can choose a Standard plan with no monthly fee, or upgrade to a plan with maintenance fees up to 55 GBP/month.

Higher tier plans offer more no fee transactions, discounts and perks – but all accounts have a linked debit card and ways to convert in the account between 25+ currencies including GBP and NZD.

• Hold and exchange 25+ currencies in the same account
• Select your account plan based on your transaction needs
• Personal and business services offered

Account opening fee: No opening fee, no minimum balance

Eligibility criteria: Available to residents of the UK and many other countries and regions globally

Supported currencies: NZD, GBP and 25+ other currencies

Monthly fees: Personal customers pay 0 GBP- 55 GBP/month, business customers 10 GBP- 90 GBP/month

Exchange rates: Weekday currency exchange uses the Revolut rate to plan limits. After this fair usage fees of up to 1% may apply depending on plan. Weekend exchange may attract an extra fee up to 1%.

Barclays NZD Account

You can open a Barclays foreign currency NZD account if you already hold an eligible Barclays current account. This account allows you to hold NZD, send payments, and get cash over the counter. You are only able to open this account in a branch or by phone, which may not be the most convenient option – but there are no ongoing fees to pay once you have your account set up.

This account is aimed at people who want to hold a balance in NZD, and send payments locally and internationally, rather than for travel use.

• Available to eligible Barclays account holders in multiple currencies
• Withdraw your NZD balance as cash in a branch
• Send international payments conveniently using digital banking

Account opening fee: None

Eligibility criteria: Residents of the UK holding eligible Barclays account products

Supported currencies: NZD

Monthly fees: No monthly fee

Exchange rates: Exchange rates include a markup

HSBC NZD Account

The Global Money Account is the HSBC NZD Account for UK residents. This account supports 18 currencies including NZD and many other major currencies making it a good choice for travellers and for sending payments overseas. You can get a virtual and physical debit card to spend and make cash withdrawals, and there’s no fee to spend a currency you have in your balance. Bear in mind that currency conversion costs, and non HSBC fees – such as ATM operator charges – may still apply.

• Hold and exchange 18 currencies including NZD, with a card for travel spending
• No HSBC ATM fees, and no additional fee to spend currency you already hold in your balance
• App based account which makes it easy to keep on top of your transactions

Account opening fee: None

Eligibility criteria: UK residents with an active eligible HSBC GBP account

Supported currencies: 18 currencies, including NZD

Monthly fees: No monthly fees – fees may apply to your underlying GBP account

Exchange rates: Exchange rates are likely to include a markup

Airwallex Business NZD Account

If you need an NZD account for business purposes, an Airwallex Business NZD Account could help you take customer payments online, with corporate debit and expense cards for business spending online and in person.

Airwallex accounts offer great exchange rates with low fees for exchange, making this a solid choice for ecommerce businesses in particular.

• Receive, hold, send and spend 20+ currencies
• Take customer card payments online easily
• Business features including batch payments, corporate cards, and more

Account opening fee: None

Eligibility criteria: UK business owners with eligible proof of address and ID, as well as business verification paperwork

Supported currencies: 20+ including GBP and NZD

Monthly fees: 0 GBP- 999 GBP depending on plan and account usage

Exchange rates: Interbank rates with a fee of 0.5% for major currencies including NZD and 1% for less commonly traded currencies

Fees for NZD accounts in the UK

Because NZD accounts in the UK are targeted at different customer needs, the fees you can expect also vary a lot. Before you select an account it’s worth spending a bit of time reading the full fee schedule, looking in particular at any unavoidable fees, and the costs for transactions you expect to make regularly.

Here are a few common fees you’ll need to look out for:

• Monthly maintenance fee: This cost may have several different names, but it is often an unavoidable fee which you’ll pay every month to service your account. The NZD accounts we’ve selected here may have no monthly fee – like Wise – or may have different pricing plans you can select, including some with no monthly charges – like Revolut.
• ATM withdrawal fees: Where your NZD account offers a debit card, you’ll want to check any associated costs, including the ATM fees when you get cash. Some providers like Wise and Revolut have some no-fee withdrawal options before charges begin, which can help minimise the amount you spend on fees.
• Foreign transaction fees: Foreign transaction fees might apply if you have a linked card and spend a currency you don’t hold in your account. Check your account fee sheet to see if this cost applies, as it can add 3% or so onto your overseas spending.
• International transfer fees: If you need a foreign currency account you probably need to send payments internationally from time to time – look at the fees charged and also the exchange rate used where needed, to calculate the full cost of your international transfers.

How to open a NZD account in the UK

You might find that the process to open your NZD account is different depending on the provider or bank you select. Banks and providers need to check your identity before opening your account – so pretty much all accounts will require you to have an acceptable proof of ID and UK address.

Beyond that, the process can be pretty varied, with digital first providers managing everything online, and some banks asking you to visit in person to open your account.

With banks: If you want to open a NZD account with banks in the UK there’s a good chance you’ll need to also have a GBP account with that bank. You may be able to apply for both accounts online – or you might find it easier to go into a branch in person with your ID and other documents.

With online providers: Online specialist providers in the UK manage the application, verification and onboarding process digitally, so you can get everything done from home. Usually you’ll need to complete an application online or in an app, then upload clear images of your documents for checking. After verification you can access your account, to order a debit card, make a payment, or find your account information for an incoming payment.

How to use your NZD account in the UK

The way you use your NZD account in the UK depends on the way you need to transact, and whether you’re using your account for personal or business use. Here are a few common reasons you may want to use your new NZD account:

• Send money in NZD or other currencies: Use your account to send one off or recurring payments to New Zealand, or to other countries globally. Providers like Wise offer low cost international transfers, with mid-market rate conversion if you don’t have the balance you need for sending.
• Hold and exchange NZD and GBP: Having NZD and GBP in one account can be very helpful if you need to exchange from one currency to another, or view your balances easily.
• Receive payments from New Zealand: Your account may have local or SWIFT information for NZD, allowing you to receive payments. Wise has both local NZD details which you can receive with no Wise fee, and SWIFT information to receive with a 6.89 NZD incoming fee.
• Use your debit card locally and overseas: Your debit card will be linked to your balance, and so you can spend your NZD in New Zealand – or your GBP balance at home if you want. There’s usually no extra fee to spend a currency you hold a balance in, which can keep down the costs of foreign transactions.

Conclusion

Having a NZD account in the UK could be helpful for people doing business between the two countries, UK citizens planning travel or paying overseas bills, and New Zealanders in the UK who need to continue to manage their money in NZ dollars.

Getting a NZD account can help you avoid unnecessary currency conversion fees, and make it easier to send and receive payments internationally. For a flexible account for travel and payments, a multi-currency account from a provider like Wise could be a good pick. Wise lets you send, spend and hold NZD along with GBP and 40+ other currencies. Compare your options looking at features, fees, convenience and currency availability, to see which account type is the best fit for you.

Useful resources:

• Wise – Wise UK landing page with links to pricing and account features
• Revolut Personal Pricing Plans – Revolut UK personal pricing plans and feature descriptions
• Revolut Business Pricing Plans – Revolut UK business pricing plans and feature descriptions
• Barclays Foreign Currency Accounts – Barclays foreign currency account solutions – introducing the Barclays NZD account
• HSBC UK Global Money Account – HSBC NZD Account information summarised, with application details
• Airwallex Pricing – Airwallex UK account descriptions and pricing plans