How to Send Money Internationally with Pera (Remittances)

Why Pera for International Transfers

Sending money across borders through banks and wire services is slow and expensive. International wire transfers typically take 3–5 business days, cost $25–50 in fees, and tack on a 2–5% foreign exchange markup. Weekend? You're waiting until Monday.

Pera Wallet runs on Algorand, which means:

• Settlement in seconds — not days
• Network fees under $0.01 — not $25–50
• 24/7 availability — no banking hours, no weekend blackouts
• No intermediaries — you send directly to the recipient's wallet

How It Works

Step 1: Both parties need an Algorand wallet

The sender (you) needs a Pera Wallet with funds. The recipient needs any Algorand-compatible wallet — Pera or otherwise. They'll need to share their Algorand address with you.

If the recipient is new to crypto, they can download Pera Wallet at perawallet.app/download and create an account in minutes. No bank account or credit history required.

Step 2: Choose what to send

You have two practical options for remittances:

USDC (recommended for remittances) USDC is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar — 1 USDC always equals ~$1. This means neither you nor the recipient is exposed to crypto price volatility. The value stays stable from send to receive.

ALGO If the recipient wants to hold ALGO or participate in the Algorand ecosystem, you can send ALGO directly. Keep in mind ALGO's price fluctuates like any cryptocurrency.

Step 3: Send the transaction

1. Open Pera Wallet
2. Tap the Send/Receive button
3. Tap Send
4. Select the account to send from
5. Select the asset (USDC or ALGO)
6. Enter the amount
7. Enter the recipient's Algorand address — always copy/paste or scan a QR code, never type manually
8. Review the details and confirm

The transaction settles in seconds. The recipient sees the funds in their wallet almost immediately.

For the detailed step-by-step with all screenshots, see Sending a Basic Transaction.

Step 4: Recipient converts to local currency (if needed)

Once the recipient has USDC or ALGO in their wallet, they can:

• Swap to another asset within Pera using the Swap feature
• Sell through a local exchange or peer-to-peer platform to convert to their local currency
• Use Pera Fund in reverse (depending on regional availability)
• Hold it in their wallet for future use

Cost Comparison

Things to Keep in Mind

The recipient needs a wallet. Unlike traditional remittances where the recipient picks up cash, Algorand transfers require the recipient to have a wallet set up. This is a one-time setup.

USDC opt-in required. Before receiving USDC, the recipient's wallet must be opted in to the USDC asset on Algorand. Pera prompts for this automatically, but the recipient needs a small amount of ALGO (0.1 ALGO minimum) in their account to complete the opt-in.

Local off-ramps vary. Converting crypto to local currency depends on what's available in the recipient's country — local exchanges, P2P platforms, or on-ramp/off-ramp services. This varies widely by region.

Regulatory considerations. Crypto transfers are legal in most countries but regulations vary. Be aware of your country's rules and the recipient's country's rules regarding receiving cryptocurrency.

Transactions are irreversible. Double-check the recipient's address before sending. There's no way to reverse a blockchain transaction.

Start with a small test. The first time you send to a new address, send a tiny amount (even 0.1 ALGO) to confirm the address is correct. Then send the full amount.

FAQ

Is this faster than a wire transfer? Yes. Algorand transactions settle in under 4 seconds, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There's no comparison to 3–5 business day wire transfers.

What if the recipient doesn't have an Algorand wallet yet? They can download Pera Wallet for free at perawallet.app/download. Account creation takes about 2 minutes. No ID required for basic wallet functions.

Can I send to someone on a different blockchain? No. Pera sends on the Algorand network. The recipient needs an Algorand-compatible wallet. You can't send directly to a Bitcoin or Ethereum address from Pera.

What if I need to send a large amount? There's no practical limit on Algorand transaction size. The network fee is the same whether you send $10 or $10,000. That said, for very large amounts, always test with a small transaction first.

Related Articles

• Sending a Basic Transaction
• Transacting FAQs
• Funding an Account using Pera Fund
• Finding your Algorand Address on Pera Wallet

Need more help? Chat with us or visit perawallet.app/contact-us.

Updated on: 14/05/2026