Currency exchange near you can happen in a handful of very different places: major U.S. bank branches (usually for account holders), dedicated currency exchange shops (Travelex, Currency Exchange International, ICE, and independent kiosks), airport counters (worst rates), online services with local pickup (Wise, OFX), or by using your debit card at an ATM in the destination country. This page shows how to find the closest option, which banks exchange foreign currency, how to handle damaged currency or heavy coins, and when it is better to skip the exchange counter entirely.
Map of currency exchange locations near me
Use the map below to see nearby money exchange stores. The Google Map will return the closest currency-exchange kiosks, bank branches offering foreign exchange, and airport locations in your area.
Currency exchange options at a glance
- Major U.S. banks: Bank of America, Chase, Citibank, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, and PNC exchange foreign currency for account holders, typically by order-ahead. Rates and fees vary by bank and by currency.
- Dedicated currency exchange stores: Travelex, Currency Exchange International (CXI), ICE (International Currency Exchange), Currencies Direct, and independent kiosks; often located at airports, malls, tourist areas, and border crossings.
- Airport counters: Fast and open long hours, but almost always the worst rates and highest fees. Use as a last resort.
- Online with local pickup or delivery: Wise (formerly TransferWise), OFX, Currency Exchange International (order online, pick up at a branch), Bank of America and Wells Fargo (order online, deliver to home or branch). Often better rates than counter service.
- ATM in the destination country: Frequently the best cash rate. Use your debit card at a bank-branded ATM abroad; you get the interbank rate minus your bank’s foreign-transaction and ATM fees.
- Peer-to-peer travel apps and prepaid multi-currency cards: Revolut, Wise Multi-Currency Card, and similar let you convert online at market-like rates and withdraw abroad from any ATM.
Banks that do currency exchange
Most large U.S. banks exchange foreign currency for account holders. Some also serve walk-ins (with an ID). Order-ahead is often required for less-common currencies.
- Bank of America: Offers foreign currency exchange for over 100 currencies. Account holders can order online at bankofamerica.com and pick up at a financial center or have it delivered to their home. Orders under a threshold ship free; smaller orders may have a delivery fee.
- Chase Bank: Chase branches sell more than 30 foreign currencies to account holders. Order in-branch or by phone; larger orders typically ship next day.
- Citibank: Foreign currency available at select branches for Citi customers, typically with order-ahead. Citigold clients often get preferential rates.
- Wells Fargo: Foreign currency for account holders, available in-branch or by phone; free shipping over a minimum order. Wells Fargo also sells travelers’ checks.
- U.S. Bank: Foreign currency for customers, order in-branch, typical next-day availability.
- PNC Bank: Foreign currency for account holders through PNC’s foreign exchange desk.
- Regional banks and credit unions: Coverage varies; call your local branch to confirm whether they can order euros, pounds, yen, or your target currency.
Dedicated currency exchange shops
Non-bank options are useful if you do not have an account at a major bank, need a less-common currency, or want walk-in service without an appointment. Major U.S. currency exchange chains include:
- Travelex: The largest currency exchange chain worldwide. Locations at major U.S. airports (JFK, LAX, MIA, ORD, ATL, DFW, SFO, LAS, EWR, BOS, IAD, DCA, SEA, and more) plus select downtown offices. Online orders can be picked up in-store or delivered.
- Currency Exchange International (CXI): Retail branches in shopping malls and airports across the U.S. and Canada; also runs an online order-and-pickup service (order online, pick up at a CXI branch).
- ICE (International Currency Exchange): Airport-focused chain, mostly through Travelex or Global Exchange partnerships in the U.S.
- Independent money changers: Frequently found in tourist areas (Times Square NYC, Union Square SF, downtown Chicago, French Quarter New Orleans), border towns (San Diego, El Paso, Detroit), and Chinatowns/Little Havanas. Rates vary widely; compare posted buy and sell rates before committing.
Airport rates are typically 5% to 15% worse than online or bank rates because of the captive-audience premium.
Exchanging damaged currency
Damaged, torn, worn, or mutilated U.S. currency is exchanged through two paths, depending on how bad the damage is:
- Slightly damaged bills (torn, taped, worn, but more than half the bill is intact): Take them to any bank branch where you have an account. Most banks will exchange them for you at face value, either directly at the teller or by sending them to the Federal Reserve for replacement.
- Severely damaged or mutilated bills (burned, water-damaged, mixed with mud, chewed by pets, or less than half the note remaining): Mail them to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) Mutilated Currency Division, Office of Compliance, 14th and C Streets SW, Room 344A, Washington, DC 20228. Include a letter with your contact information and describe how the currency was damaged. Do not tape or reconstruct the bills. The BEP evaluation is free but can take 6 to 36 months.
For damaged currency, start with your bank; only mail to the BEP for genuinely mutilated notes.
Coin exchange
To exchange large amounts of loose coin for cash or a bank deposit:
- Coinstar kiosks: Green kiosks at Kroger, Safeway, Walmart, ShopRite, and other grocery chains. Coinstar charges a service fee (about 12% in most locations) unless you choose to convert your coins into a merchant e-gift card (Amazon, Starbucks, Target, and others) instead of cash, which is fee-free.
- Your own bank: Many banks will accept rolled coins from account holders for deposit at no fee. A smaller number of branches still have coin counting machines (Synovus, some Chase branches, some Wells Fargo, and select credit unions like Bellco). Call ahead to confirm.
- Credit unions: Community credit unions are often the most coin-friendly option, sometimes accepting loose coin without pre-rolling and without a fee.
Currency exchange ATMs
A few U.S. ATMs sell foreign currency by the note (dispensing euros or pounds directly from the machine). These are rare and usually located at international airports, some tourist areas, and select bank branches. More commonly, “currency exchange ATM” refers to using your debit card at an ATM in the destination country, which typically gives you the interbank exchange rate minus your bank’s fees, better than most exchange counters.
ATMs do not exchange currency. The practical route is to withdraw the local currency from a bank ATM at your destination, or use a card that reimburses foreign ATM fees such as Charles Schwab Bank Investor Checking or Fidelity Cash Management. See ATM fees by bank for a comparison.
Currency conversion vs. currency exchange (they are different)
Currency conversion means computing what one amount of money is worth in another currency at today’s exchange rate. It does not involve physical cash and is usually done by a currency converter tool or a bank statement.
Currency exchange means actually swapping physical banknotes (or a bank account balance) from one currency to another, typically at a rate that is a few percent worse than the mid-market rate (the difference is the exchange counter’s profit margin plus a small fee for handling physical cash). If you need real cash in another currency rather than a conversion figure, use one of the currency exchange options above. If you just need to know what your USD is worth in another currency, use a free converter such as XE.com, Google Finance, or your bank’s app.
Airport currency exchange
Major U.S. international airports have currency exchange counters (usually Travelex or ICE) in the terminal, both before security and past security. Airport rates are convenient but expensive; if you have time before your trip, ordering online from your bank or CXI is almost always a better deal. Airport counters are useful for:
- Last-minute currency needs before departure
- Converting leftover foreign cash back to USD when returning home (rates on the sell-back side are usually slightly better than the buy side)
- Less-common currencies you cannot order from your bank
Airports with Travelex or ICE currency exchange include JFK, LGA, EWR (New York area), LAX (Los Angeles), SFO (San Francisco), ORD (Chicago), ATL (Atlanta), DFW (Dallas), IAH (Houston), MIA (Miami), MCO (Orlando), BOS (Boston), IAD and DCA (Washington DC), SEA (Seattle), LAS (Las Vegas), PHX (Phoenix), and DEN (Denver), plus many regional international airports.
Online currency exchange and money transfer
For sending money in another currency (rather than getting physical cash for travel), online providers usually beat both banks and exchange counters on rates:
- Wise (formerly TransferWise): Wire-like international transfers at close to the mid-market rate with a small flat fee. Also offers a multi-currency debit card for travel.
- OFX: No transfer fee for most transfers; competitive rates for large amounts.
- Xoom (a PayPal service): Fast transfers, especially to Latin America and Southeast Asia. Rates and fees vary by corridor.
- Revolut: Multi-currency account with card, good for travel and international spending.
- Western Union and MoneyGram: Wide global cash-pickup network, higher fees.
- Bank wire: Traditional international wire from your U.S. bank (Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo). Convenient but often the most expensive option (typically a $30 to $50 outbound wire fee plus a rate margin).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place to exchange currency near me?
For most travelers, the best exchange rate comes from ordering foreign currency online from your bank (Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo) at least a few days before your trip, or from using your debit card at a bank ATM in the destination country. Airport counters are the worst option for rates, though the fastest for last-minute needs.
Which banks exchange foreign currency for non-account holders?
Most major U.S. banks require you to be an account holder to exchange currency. Chase and Bank of America occasionally serve walk-in non-account customers at select branches, but the rate is typically worse than what account holders get. Currency Exchange International (CXI) and Travelex serve walk-ins without an account.
Where can I exchange damaged currency?
Slightly damaged bills (worn, taped, torn but with more than half the note intact) can be exchanged at your bank at face value. Severely damaged or mutilated currency should be mailed to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Mutilated Currency Division at 14th and C Streets SW, Room 344A, Washington, DC 20228. The BEP evaluation is free but can take 6 to 36 months.
Where can I exchange coins?
Coinstar kiosks are the most common option (about 12% fee for cash, or fee-free if you take an e-gift card). Many banks accept rolled coins from account holders for free deposit. Community credit unions are often the most coin-friendly and may accept loose coin without pre-rolling.
Is currency exchange better at a bank or at an exchange shop?
Banks are usually better if you have time to order in advance. Exchange shops are useful for walk-in service or less-common currencies. Both are typically better than an airport counter. The mid-market rate published on Google or XE.com is the theoretical best; every place you exchange adds a margin of 1% to 15%.
Can I exchange money at an ATM?
Withdrawing local currency from an ATM at your destination is one of the best cash rates for travel. A small number of U.S. ATMs actually dispense foreign banknotes (rare, mostly at international airports). “Currency exchange ATM” in the U.S. usually refers to standard ATMs that support foreign card networks (Cirrus, Plus, Visa, Mastercard) so international travelers can withdraw USD.
What is the nearest currency exchange to me?
Use the map above and search “currency exchange” plus your ZIP code to see options in your area. In small towns without a Travelex or CXI branch, your best bet is often your bank (order in advance) or a nearby larger city or airport.
How much does it cost to exchange currency?
Costs come in two parts: an explicit fee (often $0 to $10) and a rate margin (the difference between the counter’s rate and the mid-market rate). Rate margins typically run 1% to 3% at banks with online ordering, 3% to 7% at retail exchange shops, 8% to 15% at airport counters, and near 0% on multi-currency prepaid cards from Wise or Revolut.
Where is the nearest money exchange open now?
Most bank foreign exchange desks operate during normal branch hours (typically Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM local time, plus limited Saturday hours). Airport currency exchange counters usually open early and close late to match flight schedules. Dedicated currency exchange shops in tourist areas and malls follow the retailer or mall hours.
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