Click “Open an account” on our website and complete the short online registration form. Your details go directly to Equals Connect, our payments partner, who will verify your identity — usually the same day. The whole process takes around 10 minutes and most accounts are open and ready within a few hours.
Not at all. Opening an account is completely free and comes with no obligation to trade. Your account simply sits ready for when you need it — whether that’s next week or next year. Many clients open an account well in advance of a planned transfer so everything is in place when the time comes.
Both private individuals and businesses can open a Misano account. We serve private clients making personal transfers — property purchases, salary repatriation, education fees — as well as small and medium-sized businesses with international payment needs. Get in touch if you’re unsure whether you qualify.
Like banks and all other currency providers, we make our money through the exchange rate margin — it’s built into the rate we quote rather than charged as a separate fee. The difference is that our margin is typically 0.5% to 4% smaller than what a high-street bank would offer, with no additional fees on top. What you see is what you pay.
Savings vary depending on the currency pair and the amount being transferred, but clients typically find our rates 0.5% to 4% more favourable than what their bank would offer. On a £100,000 transfer, that’s a saving of £500 to £4,000. On larger transfers — such as a property purchase — the savings can be considerably more significant.
No account fees, no transfer fees, no monthly charges. Our only cost is built into the exchange rate — and that rate can still be considerably more favourable than what your bank will offer. The one exception: if a booked trade needs to be amended after it has been placed, there may be a small charge depending on market movements at the time. We will always explain any such costs clearly before proceeding.
You have two options — and both give you access to the same rates:
Once a trade is booked, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the bank details to send your funds. Once received, payment is sent to your nominated beneficiary, and you’ll receive confirmation when it arrives.
Once your funds are received and allocated to your trade, payment is typically sent the same or next working day. International transfers then usually take 1–3 working days to arrive, depending on the destination currency and the receiving bank’s processing times.
Your Misano account can send and receive in 34 currencies, all managed from a single multi-currency account. If you have a specific currency requirement, please get in touch and we can confirm whether it’s available.
Yes. Business clients in particular find this useful — you can add multiple beneficiaries to your account in advance and instruct payments to several recipients at the same time. This is especially helpful for overseas payroll or multiple supplier payments.
A forward contract lets you fix today’s exchange rate for a transfer happening at a future date — from one week up to 12 months ahead. You pay a 10% deposit to secure the rate, with the balance due on or before the agreed settlement date. This is particularly useful if you know you need to make a large transfer in the future and want certainty about the cost.
Once a rate is fixed via a forward contract, it is locked in — regardless of what the market does in either direction. This means you benefit from certainty and protection if the rate moves against you, but you won’t benefit further if it moves in your favour after booking. For clients who want some certainty but also want to capture potential upside, there are more flexible options to discuss — please get in touch.
No. There is no additional fee for using a forward contract. The rate quoted will reflect the forward market at the time of booking, which may differ slightly from the spot rate, but there is no separate charge for the contract itself.
Yes. All client funds are held in segregated accounts with Barclays Bank by Equals Connect Limited, our payments partner. Your money is completely separate from any operational funds and is protected in all circumstances. Equals Connect are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 671508).
No. Misano Payments acts as the client-facing interface — we manage your relationship, provide rates, and arrange your transfers. The actual holding and movement of funds is handled entirely by Equals Connect, who are the regulated payment institution. Your money never passes through Misano Payments directly.
Absolutely — and many clients do exactly that. You might prefer to book smaller or routine transfers online, and call for larger or more complex transactions where personal guidance is helpful. Both routes give you access to exactly the same rates.
Yes, completely. Having a Misano account doesn’t commit you to using it exclusively. Many clients keep their existing bank for everyday banking and use Misano for international transfers where the rate difference is most significant.
Yes. If you have a target rate in mind, let us know and we’ll monitor the market on your behalf. When the rate reaches your target level, we’ll contact you so you can decide whether to book. This is a free service — just let us know what you’re looking for when you get in touch.
We’re always happy to talk through anything not covered here. Give us a call or drop us an email.