How long does it take to send money from France to Argentina?

Deposit from France: 90% of SEPA transfers arrive in under 20 minutes if your French bank supports SEPA Instant. Standard SEPA takes up to 1 business day.Peanut-to-Peanut transfer: Instant. Your recipient's balance updates in milliseconds.Spending in Argentina: Mercado Pago QR payments are instant — the merchant receives pesos immediately. Cash ATM withdrawals are instant once the QR code is scanned. Bank withdrawals (if the recipient chooses this option) depend on the Argentine bank's processing time.Total time from your French bank to your recipient spending in Argentina: typically under 30 minutes if you use SEPA Instant, or same-day if you use standard SEPA.

What's the exchange rate for France to Argentina?

Peanut uses the cripto dólar rate — a direct EUR to digital dollars to ARS market conversion. This is roughly 5-10% better than the MEP rate (the regulated rate used by credit cards, banks, and Wise).The conversion happens in two steps: EUR to USDC (approximately 0.75% provider spread) to ARS via the cripto dólar market rate (approximately 0.8% provider spread). Even with these spreads, you get 5-10% more pesos because the cripto dólar rate is significantly better than MEP.The rate locks at the moment of payment — no slippage after you confirm. What you see on the confirmation screen is exactly what gets charged.

How do I deposit from France?

Use SEPA. Tap "Deposit" in the Peanut app, select "SEPA," copy the IBAN and reference number. Open your French banking app and create a SEPA transfer to that IBAN. Include the exact reference number so Peanut can match the transfer to your account.Send in EUR. Your French bank handles the SEPA transfer. Deposits are free — no Peanut fee, no bank fee. 90% arrive in under 20 minutes if your bank supports SEPA Instant (mandatory in France under the EU Instant Payments Regulation). Standard SEPA takes up to 1 business day.Name on your bank account must match your Peanut account name for verification purposes.

Does the recipient in Argentina need a bank account?

No. The recipient can spend via Mercado Pago QR (accepted at over 1,000,000 merchants) or withdraw cash at Red ATMs. Neither requires a local bank account, DNI, or any Argentine financial infrastructure.Foreigners, tourists, and digital nomads can use Peanut without needing a DNI or local bank account. Verify with a passport and you're in.If the recipient does have an Argentine bank account, they can withdraw to it — but it's optional.

Is Peanut cheaper than Wise for France to Argentina?

Yes. Peanut uses the cripto dólar rate, which is roughly 5-10% better than the MEP-equivalent rate Wise uses. Wise also charges 0.4-1.5% in fees on top of the rate.On a EUR 500 transfer, you save approximately EUR 25-50 using Peanut versus Wise. For someone sending EUR 500/month, that's EUR 300-600 saved per year.Additionally, Peanut delivers instant spending via Mercado Pago or cash ATMs. Wise transfers take 1-2 business days and require the recipient to have a bank account. Peanut doesn't.

Can I send money to myself in Argentina?

Yes. You can send to your own Peanut account and spend via Mercado Pago or withdraw cash when you're in Argentina. This is a common use case for French tourists and digital nomads — deposit euros from your French bank before or during your trip, spend at the cripto dólar rate once you arrive.You can also send to friends, family, or anyone else in Argentina. They don't need to have Peanut yet — share a Peanut Link and they can claim the funds with one tap.

What if I need help or something goes wrong?

Contact Peanut support at peanut.me/support. Common issues include: SEPA deposit delayed: Verify you included the reference number. Check that the name on your bank account matches your Peanut account. SEPA transfers don't process on weekends or holidays — wait until the next business day. Payment declined at Mercado Pago merchant: Insufficient balance. Top up and retry the same QR code. ATM QR code expired: The QR code expires after 60 seconds. Generate a new one and start the ATM flow again. For any issue not resolved through the app, file a support ticket. Response times are typically under 24 hours.

Send Money from France to Argentina

Deposit via SEPA, get the cripto dólar rate — 5-10% better than cards. Recipient spends instantly via Mercado Pago. No fees.

Get Early Access

Sending money from France to Argentina with Peanut gives you the cripto dólar exchange rate — roughly 5-10% better than what credit cards and bank exchanges charge. Deposit via SEPA from your French bank account, and your recipient can spend instantly at over 1,000,000 merchants via Mercado Pago or withdraw cash at Red ATMs across Argentina. No fees.

Why Peanut for France to Argentina Transfers

Better Exchange Rate

Peanut uses the cripto dólar rate — a direct EUR to digital dollars to ARS conversion that bypasses the regulated MEP rate used by traditional services. Credit cards and banks convert through the MEP rate (EUR to USD to ARS), which is artificially lower than the free market rate. With Peanut, you get roughly 5-10% more pesos per euro compared to what cards charge.

The calculation: EUR converts to USDC, then to ARS via the cripto dólar market rate. Even with provider spreads, you save 5-10% because the cripto dólar gap versus MEP is so large. Wise uses the MEP-equivalent rate. PayPal adds 3-20% markup on top. Peanut gives you the real market rate.

Easy SEPA Deposits from France

Deposit from your French bank account via SEPA. Under the EU Instant Payments Regulation (January 2025), French banks must support SEPA Instant, which means 90% of deposits arrive in under 20 minutes. Deposits are completely free — no Peanut fee, no bank fee.

Info

SEPA deposits from France are free and 90% arrive in under 20 minutes thanks to SEPA Instant. Include the reference number exactly as shown so Peanut can match the transfer to your account.

Simply initiate a SEPA transfer from your French banking app using the IBAN and reference number Peanut provides. Include the reference number so Peanut can match the transfer to your account. Your balance updates automatically once the transfer clears.

No Fees

Peanut charges no fees on deposits, conversions, or payments. SEPA deposits are free. Mercado Pago QR payments are free. Cash ATM withdrawals are free from Peanut (though the ATM operator may charge a small network fee). The exchange rate is the rate — no hidden fees or markups. What you see is what you pay.

Instant Spending in Argentina

Your recipient doesn't wait for a bank transfer. They can spend immediately at over 1,000,000 merchants across Argentina via Mercado Pago QR — supermarkets (Carrefour, Dia, Coto, Jumbo), restaurants, cafes, kiosks, street food, clothing, electronics, and pharmacies. Or they can withdraw cash at any Red ATM location across Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Bariloche, Salta, and Ushuaia. No local bank account needed. No DNI required. Just a passport for verification.

Skip the Waitlist

How to Send Money from France to Argentina

1
Sign up for Peanut
Create a Peanut account with your email or phone number. Complete identity verification with your French national ID card (Carte nationale d'identite) or passport. Verification is handled by Persona, a SOC 2 Type 2 certified provider. Most users pass in under 2 minutes.
2
Deposit via SEPA
Tap "Deposit" in the app and select SEPA. Copy the unique IBAN and reference number. Open your French banking app and create a SEPA transfer to that IBAN. Include the exact reference number. 90% of SEPA deposits arrive in under 20 minutes. Completely free.
3
Send to recipient
Once your balance is funded, send money to your recipient in Argentina. They receive it instantly in their Peanut account. If they don't have Peanut yet, you can send via a Peanut Link — they claim the funds with one tap.
4
Recipient spends in Argentina
Your recipient scans any Mercado Pago QR code at 1,000,000+ merchants for instant payments in pesos, or generates a QR for cash withdrawal at any Red ATM. No DNI or local bank account required.

Where the Money Goes in Argentina

Mercado Pago QR Payments

Mercado Pago is the dominant QR payment system in Argentina, accepted at over 1,000,000 merchants. Your recipient scans a QR code at any shop, reviews the amount in pesos, confirms, and the merchant receives payment instantly. The merchant sees a normal Mercado Pago transaction — Peanut is invisible to them.

Works at supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, kiosks, street food stands, clothing stores, electronics shops, and pharmacies. Covers Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, Rosario, and every major city.

See the Mercado Pago QR payment guide

Red ATM Cash Withdrawals

Red ATM is a major Argentine ATM network supporting cardless QR withdrawals. Your recipient generates a one-time QR code in the app, goes to any Red ATM, selects "Retiro sin tarjeta," scans the code, and collects pesos. Available 24/7, though cash availability varies — bank branch ATMs are refilled more frequently than standalone machines.

ATM network fees may apply, charged by the ATM operator (not Peanut). Withdrawal limits are set by the ATM operator.

See the cash withdrawal guide

Bank Withdrawals (Optional)

If the recipient has an Argentine bank account, they can withdraw to it. This is optional — Mercado Pago and cash ATMs don't require a local bank account or DNI. Foreigners, tourists, and digital nomads can use Peanut without any Argentine financial infrastructure.

Cost Comparison: France to Argentina

Peanut Total Cost

SEPA deposit fee: Free
Peanut fee: None — the rate you see is the rate you get
Mercado Pago payment fee: Free
Cash ATM withdrawal fee: Free from Peanut (small network fee may apply from ATM operator)

Total cost from Peanut: zero in explicit fees. You pay only the exchange rate, which includes provider spreads of approximately 1.55%. Even with these spreads, the cripto dólar advantage versus MEP gives you 5-10% more pesos.

Competitor Comparison

Provider	Transfer Cost on EUR 500	Exchange Rate Type	Speed	Fees
Peanut	~EUR 500 (5-10% better rate)	Cripto dólar (direct EUR to USDC to ARS)	Instant (Mercado Pago/ATM)	EUR 0
Wise	EUR 502-508	MEP-equivalent rate	1-2 business days	0.4-1.5% fee
PayPal	EUR 515-560	3-20% markup over mid-market	1-3 days for withdrawal	3-4% cross-border fee
Western Union	EUR 515-550	5-10% spread built into rate	Hours to days	EUR 5-15+ per transfer

Savings Calculation

On a EUR 500 transfer, you save approximately EUR 25-50 compared to Wise (depending on whether the cripto dólar gap is closer to 5% or 10%). Compared to PayPal or Western Union, you save EUR 60-100+.

For someone sending EUR 500/month to Argentina, that's EUR 300-600 saved per year using Peanut instead of Wise. Compared to PayPal or Western Union, annual savings are EUR 720-1,200+.

Common Use Cases for France to Argentina

Tourists Visiting Argentina

Traveling from France to Buenos Aires, Patagonia, or other Argentine destinations? You need local spending power from day one. Credit cards give you the MEP rate and charge 3-20% markup. Airport exchanges are 20-40% worse than mid-market. Blue dollar street exchanges offer better rates but carry counterfeit and safety risks.

Peanut gives you the cripto dólar rate — roughly 5-10% better than your Visa or Mastercard — and lets you pay at any Mercado Pago merchant. Scan the same QR codes locals scan. No fumbling with cash. No tourist markup.

France is among the leading European source markets for Argentine tourism. Whether you're visiting Buenos Aires, exploring Mendoza wine country, trekking in Bariloche, or reaching Ushuaia, Peanut works everywhere Mercado Pago does.

Explore travel use cases

Digital Nomads Living in Argentina

Working remotely from Argentina while getting paid in euros? You're living in the country but paying like a tourist if you rely on foreign cards. Every transaction through your French card converts at the MEP rate plus card fees. You can't easily split bills with local friends or pay into local systems.

Peanut removes that wall. Deposit euros via SEPA, spend at the cripto dólar rate. Scan Mercado Pago QR codes at restaurants, cafes, coworking spaces, and shops. Settle up with friends instantly. Pay rent or contractors directly. You live here. Your money should move here too.

France has historical cultural ties with Argentina, particularly in Buenos Aires. Many French digital nomads and expats spend extended periods in Argentina. Peanut makes it easier to integrate financially.

Explore digital nomad use cases