Keeping the transfer in XOF
Confirm that both accounts hold XOF and that the provider will send in that currency. Ask whether charges come out of the transfer and how much to send for the invoice to be paid in full.
Sending money from Benin to Guinea-Bissau? Calculate how much your recipient could receive in XOF when you send XOF. Compare transfer costs and check the bank details you need before booking.
Estimates use the 29 April 2025 margin model and the latest available market rate. Transfer and bank fees are excluded. We may earn commission from TorFX.
The model covers transfers between different currencies worth £1,000 to £10 million.
Ask the recipient’s bank for its written instructions for receiving XOF. A provider that pays through a local bank may request different details from a provider using SWIFT. Confirm the account holder, bank identifier, account number and any mandatory payment reference before requesting a price.
Give each provider the same total budget, including fees, and ask how much will arrive in XOF. Check whether intermediary or receiving-bank fees can still be deducted. For a fixed invoice, work backwards from the exact amount due and compare the total you would pay.
Ask for the date the beneficiary can use the funds. Confirm the funding deadline in your time zone and whether a weekend, local holiday or identity check changes the estimate. For a first payment, complete any checks before agreeing a delivery date with the recipient.
Keep the quoted rate, receipt, payment reference and expected arrival date. If the deadline passes, ask the sending provider to trace the transfer and give the recipient the reference for their bank. If any account detail is wrong, contact the provider immediately before sending further funds.
Confirm that both accounts hold XOF and that the provider will send in that currency. Ask whether charges come out of the transfer and how much to send for the invoice to be paid in full.
Specify XOF, the West African CFA franc, on the quote. A reference to “CFA francs” alone can also mean XAF, the Central African CFA franc. Check the receiving country and the currency code on the provider’s confirmation.
Check the provider’s transfer limit and your bank’s funding limit separately. Ask which documents are needed for this payment, such as an invoice or proof of the source of funds. For new or amended supplier details, call the supplier on a number already in your records before authorising payment.
For rent, pensions or family support, decide which amount must stay fixed each month: the sum leaving your account or the sum received in XOF. Ask when the rate is set for each payment, how to change the instruction and what happens if the funding date falls on a holiday.
Official sources BCEAO ↗ World Bank · Remittance Prices Worldwide ↗