Send money from Switzerland to Rwanda
Ask anyone in Zurich who sends to Kigali regularly and they'll tell you the same thing: the rate matters more than the fee. The Rwandan diaspora in Europe is large and settled. Transfers home cover parents, school fees and the odd land purchase outside Kigali.
CHF
RWF
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How Swiss senders reach Rwanda
Start from the recipient's side. Someone in Kigali needs a fixed sum in Rwandan francs by a fixed date, and they bank with Bank of Kigali or another local bank. The Rwandan diaspora in Europe is large and settled. Transfers home cover parents, school fees and the odd land purchase outside Kigali.
Grey works backwards from that: enter the RWF figure, see the EUR cost from Zurich, and send. The rate holds.
How sending to Rwanda works
Sign up
One passport or residence permit and a few minutes is all it takes to open Grey in Zurich. Grey works with regulated partners in Europe.
Fund
Move euros in by SEPA transfer in euros from a Swiss bank from UBS, PostFinance, Raiffeisen or any Swiss bank with a euro account. Or send from USD, EUR or GBP you already hold on Grey.
Send
Enter the recipient's Bank of Kigali, Equity or I&M account number, check the EUR to RWF rate, and send from Zurich.
Two numbers, both shown first
With Grey, a sender in Zurich sees three numbers before confirming: the EUR debited, the fee, and the RWF that reaches Kigali. None of them change afterwards.
RWF amount held from send to settlement
Enter the RWF amount first if the recipient's figure is what matters. Grey shows the EUR cost from Zurich and locks it.
The person at Bank of Kigali sees exactly the sum you agreed.
The corridor most banks won't touch
Between Zurich and Kigali, the problem is well known. Because Rwanda is small and the amounts are modest, people assume the transfer is cheap. It usually isn't. From Zurich, Grey does the conversion transparently and delivers RWF as a domestic credit at Bank of Kigali or any other bank.
How it lands in Kigali
The RWF posts directly to the recipient's own account at any Rwandan bank, including Bank of Kigali, Equity Bank Rwanda, I&M Bank Rwanda, Cogebanque. To them it looks like a domestic credit. The sender in Geneva sees it settle in the app.
Works with every Rwandan bank
From Bank of Kigali to the smallest regional lender.
Looks local to them
A RWF deposit on their statement, nothing more.
Grey optional on their side
Unless they want GreyTag, which is instant and free.
Topping up in Zurich
Funding from Geneva for a transfer to Kigali works like this. Swiss senders fund in euros by SEPA from UBS, PostFinance or Raiffeisen. Grey doesn't hold a franc balance, so the euro account is the working balance. Convert to RWF when a payment to Bank of Kigali is due, not before.
SEPA transfer in euros from a Swiss bank
The standard route from UBS, PostFinance, Raiffeisen or any Swiss bank with a euro account.
Dollars from abroad
Skip the EUR leg by sending from a USD balance.
Leftover balance
Whatever's on Grey converts to RWF instantly.
For a Swiss sender, being able to convert to RWF at the exact moment you choose is worth more than any fee saving.
Who sends from Switzerland to Rwanda
Tuition
Fees at ALU, CMU-Africa, University of Rwanda and Mount Kigali University, paid in francs.
Business and NGOs
Paying Kigali-based staff, contractors and suppliers in local currency.
Conferences
Hotel deposits and registration for events at the Kigali Convention Centre.
Family support
Monthly transfers covering rent, food and medical costs for relatives in Kigali and the provinces.
For senders in Zurich and Geneva, the Kigali side matters most. The Rwandan diaspora in Europe is large and settled. Transfers home cover parents, school fees and the odd land purchase outside Kigali. From Zurich and Geneva, the senders are a mix of families, students' parents and businesses.
Why Grey for Switzerland to Rwanda
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