How long does it take to send money from the UK to Argentina?

SEPA deposits from the UK to Peanut take under 20 minutes for 90% of users (if your bank supports SEPA Instant). Standard SEPA transfers arrive within one business day. Once your Peanut balance updates, sending to your recipient in Argentina is instant — they receive digital dollars in their account immediately.Spending in Argentina is also instant. Mercado Pago QR payments confirm in seconds. Cash ATM withdrawals happen at the machine. Total time from UK bank to spendable pesos in Argentina: under 20 minutes for most users.

What's the exchange rate for UK to Argentina?

Peanut converts GBP to EUR (via your UK bank's standard rate, as SEPA uses euros), then EUR to digital dollars, then digital dollars to Argentine pesos at the cripto dólar rate. The cripto dólar rate is 5-8% better than the MEP rate used by Wise, credit cards, and traditional money transfer services.The rate locks at the moment of payment — when your recipient confirms a Mercado Pago QR scan or ATM withdrawal, the peso amount displayed is exactly what gets charged. No slippage, no post-transaction adjustments.

How do I deposit from the UK?

UK banks retain SEPA membership for euro-denominated transfers. Open the Peanut app, tap "Deposit," select SEPA, and copy the IBAN and reference number displayed. Go to your UK banking app and create a euro transfer to that IBAN — include the reference number exactly as shown.If your account is in GBP, your bank will convert to EUR automatically before sending (small conversion fee from your bank). Most UK banks that support SEPA Instant deliver deposits in under 20 minutes. Standard SEPA transfers arrive within one business day. Peanut charges no deposit fees.

Does the recipient in Argentina need a bank account?

No. Your recipient does not need an Argentine bank account to receive or spend money. They verify with their passport (no DNI required), receive digital dollars in their Peanut account instantly, and spend via Mercado Pago QR at over 1,000,000 merchants or withdraw cash at Red ATMs.If they have an Argentine bank account, they can optionally withdraw to it. But it's not required for using Peanut.

Is Peanut cheaper than Wise for UK to Argentina?

Yes. Peanut gives your recipient 5-8% more pesos than Wise because Peanut uses the cripto dólar rate and Wise uses the MEP-equivalent rate. On a GBP 500 transfer, that's approximately GBP 25-40 more in pesos.Peanut also delivers faster (SEPA in under 20 minutes vs Wise's 1-2 days) and enables instant local spending via Mercado Pago QR. Wise requires the recipient to have a bank account and wait for a transfer. Peanut requires no local bank account — spending is instant via QR or ATM.

Can I send to someone who doesn't have a Peanut account?

Yes. You can send via a Peanut Link — share a link via WhatsApp, email, or SMS. Your recipient clicks the link, claims the money, and creates a Peanut account if they don't have one. The setup takes under 2 minutes (passport verification). Once verified, they can spend via Mercado Pago QR or withdraw cash immediately.

What if I need to send more than GBP 2,000?

UK and European users have no hard monthly limit. Transactions above $100,000 USD equivalent may trigger additional questions for compliance review, but there's no automatic block. If you're sending large amounts regularly, contact support to discuss your use case.Recipients in Argentina using Mercado Pago QR or cash withdrawals are subject to a $2,000 USD per month spending limit (combined across deposits, withdrawals, and payments). This limit can be increased with additional documentation.

Send Money from the UK to Argentina

Get the cripto dólar rate — 5-8% better than Wise. Deposit via SEPA, recipient spends instantly via Mercado Pago. No fees.

Get Early Access

Sending money from the UK to Argentina with Peanut gives you the cripto dólar exchange rate — 5-8% better than the MEP rate used by Wise and traditional services. Deposit via SEPA from your UK bank account (90% arrive in under 20 minutes), and your recipient can spend instantly at over 1,000,000 merchants via Mercado Pago QR. No fees on deposits or payments.

Why Peanut for UK to Argentina Transfers

Better Exchange Rate

Peanut uses the cripto dólar rate — the parallel market rate for digital dollar-to-peso conversion that's 5-8% better than the official MEP rate used by banks and traditional money transfer services. When you send GBP from the UK, Peanut converts it to digital dollars first (via SEPA), then converts those directly to Argentine pesos at the cripto dólar rate.

Credit cards and services like Wise use the MEP rate — a regulated exchange rate that's artificially lower than the free market. They convert through multiple steps (GBP to USD to ARS), and each step eats into what your recipient gets. Peanut's direct conversion means more pesos arrive in Argentina.

Easy SEPA Deposits from the UK

UK banks retain SEPA membership for euro-denominated transfers even after Brexit. Deposit euros to Peanut via SEPA — it's free, and 90% of transfers arrive in under 20 minutes. If your bank account is in GBP, your bank will convert to EUR before sending (small conversion fee from your bank, not Peanut).

Info

UK banks retain SEPA membership for euro-denominated transfers even after Brexit. If your account is in GBP, your bank will convert to EUR automatically before sending. Most UK banks that support SEPA Instant deliver deposits in under 20 minutes.

SEPA deposits are instant for most UK banks that support SEPA Instant. Standard SEPA transfers process during business hours but are still much faster than international wire transfers. No Peanut fees on SEPA deposits.

No Fees

Peanut charges nothing for deposits, conversions, or payments. SEPA deposits from the UK are free. Paying via Mercado Pago in Argentina is free. Your recipient gets the full amount at the cripto dólar rate with no hidden charges. The only cost is the exchange rate itself — which is 5-8% better than alternatives.

Compare this to Western Union ($5-15 per transfer plus a 5-10% rate spread) or PayPal (3-4% cross-border fee plus an unfavorable exchange rate markup).

Instant Spending in Argentina

Your recipient doesn't wait for a bank transfer to clear. The money arrives in their Peanut account instantly, and they can spend it immediately at over 1,000,000 merchants across Argentina via Mercado Pago QR — supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, kiosks, street food, clothing stores, electronics shops, and pharmacies.

They can also withdraw cash at any Red ATM using a QR code (no card needed). No local bank account required. No DNI required. Just their passport for verification.

Skip the Waitlist

How to Send Money from the UK to Argentina

1
Sign up and complete verification
Download the Peanut app and create an account. Upload a photo of your passport or national ID card and take a selfie. Verification is handled by Persona (SOC 2 Type 2 certified, GDPR-compliant). Most users complete verification in under 2 minutes.
2
Deposit from the UK via SEPA
Tap "Deposit" and select SEPA. Copy the IBAN and reference number. Go to your UK banking app and create a euro transfer to that IBAN — include the reference number exactly as shown. If your account is in GBP, your bank converts to EUR automatically. 90% arrive in under 20 minutes.
3
Send to your recipient
Tap "Send" and enter your recipient's details. Send to their Peanut account, or send via a Peanut Link (they claim it instantly). The transfer is instant — they receive digital dollars immediately.
4
Recipient spends in Argentina
They scan any Mercado Pago QR code at 1,000,000+ merchants for instant peso payments, or generate 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 payment system in Argentina — over 1,000,000 merchants accept it. Your recipient scans the merchant's QR code with the Peanut app, reviews the peso amount and exchange rate, and confirms. Payment arrives instantly in the merchant's Mercado Pago account.

Works at supermarkets (Carrefour, Dia, Coto, Jumbo), restaurants, cafes, street food vendors, kiosks, clothing stores, electronics shops, and pharmacies. QR codes are displayed at checkout — printed stickers or on-screen displays.

Info

Peanut supports Mercado Pago QR codes only. MODO and Cuenta DNI use incompatible QR formats and are not supported.

See the full Mercado Pago payment guide.

Cash Withdrawals at Red ATM

Red ATM is a cardless QR withdrawal network available across Argentina — Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Bariloche, Salta, Ushuaia, and other major cities. Your recipient generates a one-time QR code in the Peanut app (valid for 60 seconds), goes to a Red ATM, selects "Retiro sin tarjeta" (withdrawal without card), scans the QR, and collects pesos.

Available 24/7, though cash availability varies by location and time. Small ATM network fees may apply (charged by the ATM operator, not Peanut). Withdrawal limits are set by the ATM operator.

Bank Withdrawal (Optional)

If your recipient has an Argentine bank account, they can withdraw pesos from Peanut to their account. This is optional — most users spend via Mercado Pago QR or cash withdrawals without needing a local bank account.

No DNI required. No CBU or CVU required. Passport verification is sufficient.

Cost Comparison: UK to Argentina

Peanut Total Cost

SEPA deposit fee: Free (Peanut charges nothing; your UK bank may charge a small GBP-to-EUR conversion fee)
Peanut fee: None — the rate you see is the rate you get (cripto dólar rate)
Spending fee: Free (Mercado Pago payments and cash withdrawals have no Peanut fee)
Total cost: Only the exchange rate spread (5-8% better than MEP)

Competitor Comparison

Service	Transfer Fee	Exchange Rate	Speed	Total Cost on GBP 500	Recipient Access
Peanut	Free	Cripto dólar (5-8% better than MEP)	SEPA: under 20 min, spending: instant	~GBP 500	Mercado Pago, cash ATM, instant
Wise	0.4-1.5% (~GBP 2-7.50)	MEP-equivalent rate	1-2 days	~GBP 507-540	Bank transfer only, 1-2 day wait
PayPal	3-4% (~GBP 15-20)	MEP + 3-20% markup	1-3 days (withdrawal)	~GBP 530-600	Bank transfer, requires PayPal account
Western Union	GBP 5-15+	MEP + 5-10% spread	Hours to days	~GBP 535-575	Cash pickup (physical office)

Savings on a GBP 500 transfer: GBP 7-100 compared to Wise, GBP 30-100 compared to PayPal, GBP 35-75 compared to Western Union.

The savings come from three sources: no transfer fees, better exchange rate (cripto dólar vs MEP), and no intermediary markups. Your recipient also benefits from instant access via Mercado Pago instead of waiting for a bank transfer.

Common Use Cases for UK to Argentina

Tourists Traveling to Argentina

You're visiting Buenos Aires, Patagonia, or Mendoza. Restaurants, cafes, and shops display Mercado Pago QR codes. Your UK credit or debit card gives you the MEP rate (5-8% worse than the cripto dólar rate), plus foreign transaction fees. Cash exchanges at the airport are even worse (20-40% markups), and blue dollar street exchanges carry counterfeit and safety risks.

Peanut lets you pay like a local from day one — scan Mercado Pago QR codes at the cripto dólar rate, withdraw cash at Red ATMs, and avoid tourist exchange rate traps. No DNI required. Just verify with your passport and deposit via SEPA before or during your trip.

See the tourist payment guide for LATAM.

Digital Nomads Living in Argentina

You're working remotely from Buenos Aires or Mendoza, earning in GBP or USD. Every local payment — rent, groceries, restaurants, coworking spaces — runs on Mercado Pago QR or cash. Your UK bank card charges foreign transaction fees and gives you the MEP rate. You're living here but paying tourist rates.

Peanut removes the premium. Deposit via SEPA (fast and free), spend via Mercado Pago QR at the cripto dólar rate, and split bills with local friends instantly. No Argentine DNI needed. No local bank account required. Your money works the same way locals' money works.

See the digital nomad payment guide for LATAM.

Sending Money to Family or Friends in Argentina

You're sending money to family in Argentina, or splitting expenses with a friend who's there. Traditional remittance services (Western Union, MoneyGram) charge high fees and give bad exchange rates. The recipient waits hours or days, then has to visit a physical office for cash pickup or wait for a bank transfer.

Peanut is instant. Send from the UK via SEPA (arrives in under 20 minutes), and your recipient gets digital dollars in their Peanut account immediately. They spend via Mercado Pago QR or withdraw cash at an ATM — no waiting, no office visit, no bad rate. They get 5-8% more pesos than they would through traditional services.