Cross-Border Payments to Europe Amid Sanctions
WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE SENDING MONEY TO EUROPE?
Before choosing a method to send funds from Russia to Europe, it’s important to take several key factors into account:
CURRENT
SANCTIONS
Many Russian banks have been sanctioned, and access to the SWIFT system has been blocked for most large financial institutions. To perform international transfers, choose banks that continue to support SWIFT transactions.
EXCHANGE
RATES AND
COMMISSIONS
All banks and payment systems charge a commission, and it’s not always small. Prefer services and financial institutions where the commission matches the volume of your transfer. Also, keep in mind that the euro exchange rate in banks and payment systems may differ from the official rate and is not always favorable—this is an important point to consider when planning transactions.
LIMITS
As of 2024, Russian citizens face limits on international transfers: amounts over $1 million per month cannot be sent via bank transfers, and payment systems have a limit of $10,000. Additionally, the destination country may have its own rules and restrictions on transfers from Russia.
TRANSFER
SPEED
If the speed of the transfer or receiving funds is a priority for you, carefully check the terms and conditions of your chosen method. In some banks and services, processing payments may take from a few days to several weeks.
BANK
REQUIREMENTS
In some cases, banks may ask for additional documents, such as proof of the legal origin of funds. Minimizing such checks can significantly simplify and expedite the transfer process.
RELIABILITY
Check the reliability of the service you plan to use for the transfer to ensure that the funds will reach the recipient in the EU or be returned if needed. This is especially important for payment systems and exchangers, as banks typically raise fewer concerns in terms of trust.
HOW TO SEND MONEY TO EUROPE?
Choosing the right financial partner directly influences your business stability, speeds up financial operations, and helps mitigate risks. For most companies, this becomes a key factor for success and cost optimization. It is especially important to consider these aspects in the unstable international economic environment, where partner errors can lead to blocked payments or penalties. To avoid problems, avoid common mistakes. Focusing only on low service prices can lead to hidden costs and insufficient service levels. Ignoring technical support increases the risk of transaction failures, and partnering with unverified agents can result in fraud or legal issues. When analyzing payment agents, it’s important to take several key factors into account to choose the most reliable and cost-effective solution for your business.
4 WORKING PAYMENT METHODS FROM RUSSIA IN 2025
NTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFER SERVICES
Some Russian money transfer systems continue to facilitate transfers to European Union countries. In 2024, services like "Zolotaya Korona," "Unistream," and Avosend still process international transfers. Their main advantages are relatively low commissions and high reliability. However, this method has a significant downside—only a very limited list of countries are available for sending transfers. Most services only offer transfers to Greece and Cyprus, which significantly limits transfer options.
SWIFT TRANSFER VIA RUSSIAN BANKS
Some Russian banks are not sanctioned and continue to work with SWIFT, allowing them to send transfers to Europe. However, this method has its drawbacks: many transfers are currently blocked by European banks during processing. These operations may take several days or even weeks, and sometimes they don’t reach the recipient at all. Additionally, banks working with SWIFT have almost completely stopped opening new accounts for foreign currency transfers.
VISA AND MASTERCARD CARDS FROM FOREIGN BANKS
Sending money to the EU is possible not only with Russian cards but also with foreign-issued cards. Many financial institutions in Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan actively work with Russian clients, offering favorable conditions for opening accounts and issuing VISA and MasterCard without restrictions. Since these countries are not under sanctions and continue to work with SWIFT, their banks can easily perform transfers worldwide. They offer competitive fees and flexible limits, making their services comfortable and cost-effective.
INTERMEDIARY SERVICES
Before sanctions, intermediary services that provided foreign money transfers operated without significant restrictions. However, since 2022, the demand for these services has increased significantly due to the sanctions. The principle of operation for these services is that the sender transfers money to the intermediary's ruble account, which then sends the funds from another account, for example, in euros, to the recipient's account.
RSI GARANT — YOUR RELIABLE PAYMENT AGENT
International business is simple when you are guided by professionals! RSI GARANT offers services that make it easy and safe to perform international transactions. We provide:
- Foreign economic activity operations
- Interaction with real estate agencies and banks
- Financial transaction optimization
- Transaction documentation support
Our team provides reliable support for global financial operations, minimizing risks and accelerating financial processes for your business. Contact us for guarantees of safety and efficiency!
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