Send Money from Ireland to China

There is no single cheapest provider on this corridor — it depends on how much you send and how your recipient is paid. Compare the total amount received in Chinese yuans rather than the advertised fee, since the exchange rate margin is usually the larger cost. Bank deposit is typically cheaper than cash pickup.

Most transfers on this corridor arrive within one to three business days. Paying by debit card is generally faster than a bank transfer, and transfers initiated outside banking hours may not begin processing until the next working day.

Across the providers we compare, the available payout methods are Alipay, WeChat Pay, bank deposit, card payout and cash pickup. The most widely used options in China are bank deposit and Alipay. China applies annual foreign-exchange limits per recipient, so large or frequent transfers may need extra documentation. Not every provider supports every method, so check the table above before you commit.

No. Western Union offer cash pickup in China, so your recipient can collect the funds with valid photo ID and the transfer reference number. That said, bank deposit and Alipay generally cost less than cash collection.

Providers rarely give you the mid-market rate — the reference rate you see on Google or Reuters. Instead they add a margin, typically between 0.4% and 4%, and keep the difference. That margin is often larger than the visible transfer fee, which is why a "no fee" service can still be more expensive overall. For EUR to CNY, compare the quoted rate against the mid-market rate to see the real spread you are paying.

Yes, provided you use a licensed provider. Every service listed on this page is regulated in Ireland under the Central Bank of Ireland, which requires safeguarding of customer funds and identity verification. Send only to people you know personally, keep your transfer reference private, and be sceptical of anyone pressuring you to send money urgently to someone you have not met.

Yes. Each provider sets its own transfer limits, which vary by how much identity verification you have completed and how you pay. Larger transfers may require additional documentation such as proof of source of funds. China also applies an annual foreign-exchange conversion limit per individual, which can restrict repeated large transfers to the same recipient. For transfers above roughly €10,000, a specialist foreign-exchange broker will often beat an app on rate.

Wise's own table for this corridor never states the send amount its cost applies to. Its published balance-funded figure of 54.32 EUR is the most expensive of any corridor on this hub where Wise shows a number at all — close to, but not identical to, the 53.86 EUR the same provider showed on Spain's page for the same destination on the same day, consistent with the pattern this site has found for the handful of currencies Wise itself calls less widely used and dynamically charged. Alipay and WeChat Pay have displaced bank deposit as the default way most people in China receive money — Remitly leads with both here rather than treating them as a secondary option.