Venstar Exchange is a US-based Company providing international currency transaction services at wholesale rates to individual and business clients, with offices in London, Los Angeles, and Boston.

Venstar Exchange was founded in 1990, and administers hundreds of millions of dollars in client exchanges every year.

Venstar Exchange is AA rated with the Better Business Bureau and has never had a single complaint and a proud member of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

Venstar Exchange has no access to clients' funds (client funds are transferred directly to Barclays Bank, converted and transmitted to the client's designated beneficiary account(s).

Due to the USA Patriot Act, clients must first register with Venstar Exchange. Once registration with Venstar Exchange has been approved, clients contact their designated Account Specialist (or any other available Account Specialist) by phone or email for a real-time quote and to lock in an exchange rate for the transaction. Once the rate is booked, Venstar Customer Service will provide a Transaction Confirmation Email that includes instructions to initiate a wire transfer from your bank to Barclays Bank. (See: How to Initiate a Wire Transfer . below) Venstar Exchange Customer Service will also provide you with a link to the beneficiary payment form, which client's will fill out and fax or email back to Venstar Exchange. As soon as client funds are received, they are converted at the rate locked and transferred to the client designated beneficiary account.

Venstar Exchange offers Service, Savings and Security. Higher quality service is the 'hallmark' of Venstar Exchange. Venstar Exchange works one-on-one with private clients, small firms and large corporations to save money on exchange rates and manage currency risk more effectively. Venstar Exchange clients are assigned a Venstar Account Specialist who delivers professional and personalized service to assist with your foreign exchange and risk management strategy that is best suited for each client.

Wholesale exchange rates. Venstar Exchange has relationships with secure and well-established institutions worldwide. Because we remain independent from these institutions (and do not act as an agent for any entity) we are in a unique position to provide our clients with access to highly competitive exchange rates and services tailored to their particular needs.

Secure settlement and delivery. With Venstar Exchange your funds are transferred directly to Barclays Bank, the largest financial institution in the world. Funds are immediately converted at your locked rate, and transferred to any beneficiary account(s) you designate.

Venstar is compensated directly by the institutions we work with due to the large amounts of exchange volume transacted by Venstar clients.

There is no obligation, no commitment, and no fees when registering with Venstar Exchange.

Venstar Account Specialist will email you the link to the Registration Forms. You may download the forms (they are in PDF format) at your convenience. The Registration Form is a two-page form which will take about 10 minutes to fill out. You may either fax it or scan and email it, along with the required forms of ID, to Venstar's Customer Service Department. As soon as your registration is approved (you will receive an email notification from Venstar Customer Service), you may book your transaction by contacting your designated Venstar Account Specialist (or any other available Venstar Account Specialist) by phone or email.

To comply with US Patriot Act and Anti-Money laundering legal requirements, Venstar Exchange requires proof of ID and address verification from each of its clients.

There is no exclusive commitment to do an exchange when registering with Venstar Exchange.

It usually takes 2 to 8 hours from the moment we receive your Registration Forms to get your account established with Venstar Exchange

The credit card details on the Registration Form insure against potential losses in the event you don't transmit your funds after you have requested to lock a rate. Your credit card will be charged ONLY if you book a rate but do not deliver the funds. Every time you request to lock a rate, we take that position in the market on your behalf. If your funds are not received to cover that position, your credit card will be charged for any losses incurred. The losses are calculated as the differential between the rate you locked less the current market rate at the time you request us to unwind your position.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to provide credit card information, you may transfer your funds without locking a rate prior to your funds being received. After your funds are received, you may lock a rate with your Venstar Account Specialist and your money will then be converted.

Venstar Exchange handles all major currency pairs, in both directions. We also handle many minor and exotic currencies. For availability of minor or exotic currency pairs, please contact a Venstar Exchange Account Specialist.

The exchange rate between two currencies specifies how much one currency is worth in terms of the other. A market-based exchange rate will change whenever the values of either of the two component currencies change. A currency will tend to become more valuable whenever demand for it is greater than the available supply. It will become less valuable whenever demand is less than available supply.

The exchange rate is greatly influenced by interest rates of respective countries. Inflation, balance of trade accounts and political factors also impact exchange rate. It is important to look at the big picture when considering a foreign currency exchange strategy.

The rates seen online are the Interbank trading rates and are not for physical delivery. The physical delivery market is completely different. The trading market prices are only for trading when not taking physical delivery of an alternate currency that are being traded for speculation purposes. We are plugged into the physical delivery market rates of several banks we partner with. Venstar receives better pricing based on its huge volume, and are able to pass those savings on to its clients.

Interbank rates are the rates banks/brokers quote other banks/brokers for trades between banks (inter-bank) for transactions in excess of $1,000,000 or equivalent.

A spot contract is a contract to buy or sell foreign currency at today's exchange rate, with settlement occurring typically two business days later. Spot contracts are typically used for foreign currency payments or for converting foreign currency receipts into U.S. Dollars.

A forward transaction is a contract to buy or sell a currency at a fixed rate on a specified future date. Forwards contracts allow a client to lock in today's Forward Exchange Rates and eliminate the risk of future volatility. Venstar offers short and long-dated forwards in a variety of currencies. A 10% deposit is required for forward transactions (the deposit must be received within 2 business days.) Forwards are calculated based on the amount of time going forward, i.e. 30 days, 6 months, 12 months and the interest rate differential between the two countries' currencies.

Forward rates are based on spot rates plus an adjustment for the amount of time going forward. An adjustment is then made for any interest rate differential between the two currencies for that length of time. Venstar Exchange typically requires 10% deposit on your forward transaction.

Each client's individual situation dictates the choice. Dividing up any portions of any size exchanges between spot and/or forward rates can often be the most attractive solution. One of the benefits of being a Venstar Exchange client is that Venstar Account Specialists are available to advise on the best approach to minimize risk exposure and get the best rate.

Venstar Exchange has a $10,000 USD equivalent minimum for a one-time exchange. Clients with recurring payments may do exchanges less than $10,000 USD. There are no maximum amounts for exchanges.

It typically takes 1 business day from the time your funds are received until your converted funds are in your beneficiary account. If funds are received early in the day, they will typically be converted and transferred the same day. If your funds are received late in the day, they will typically be converted and transferred the next morning (Monday - Friday, excluding Holidays).

No. Venstar Exchange does not charge its clients any fees to send wires to their beneficiaries.

However, a client's bank may charge a fee for initiating and/or receiving a wire. Clients should check with their bank to see how much their bank may charge for this service. Typically bank charges for sending a wire transfer range between $10 and $30 (for exact amount inquire with the client's sending bank). The receiving bank (Beneficiary Bank) may also charge a fee for receiving a wire transfer. The cost of receiving a wire transfer is typically $5-10. Venstar Exchange does not control the sending or receiving bank charges. Clients should inquire with their sending and receiving bank directly as to what their respective charges might be.

The beneficiary account receiving the converted funds does not necessarily have to be a bank account in the client's name, but an account denominated in the converted currency must exist for Venstar Exchange to forward the converted funds to. If converting to a foreign currency for personal use, then in most cases a client will need to have a bank account denominated in the converted currency, which may or may not reside in the destination country. In some situations, the beneficiary account can be a friend or family member, a vendor being paid directly for goods or the escrow or accountant/solicitor bank account where the final payment for the close of a Real Estate transaction should be made. In these situations, it is not necessary to have an account in the clients name denominated in the converted currency.

On a  spot contract standard settlement is within 2 days after locking the rate. On a forward contract, any deposits required are due within 2 days after locking the forward rate. The remaining balance is due on the date of settlement for the forward contract.

Clients make a request to their Bank or Brokerage Firm to initiate a Wire Transfer to Barclays Bank. Policies for initiating wire transfers differ from bank to bank. Most banks allow their clients to initiate a wire transfer by making a simple request via phone, email or facsimile. In the rarest circumstances a bank may require a client to be physically present in the bank branch to initiate the wire transfer. Most commonly, a client may initiate a wire transfer by simply phoning, emailing or faxing a request to their bank or brokerage firm.

Client's funds are transferred directly to Barclays Bank, one of the largest international banks in the world. Venstar Exchange is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce; AA rated, and has never had a single complaint.

Funds are converted at Barclays Bank upon receipt (M-F Regular Business Hours: GMT - London Time). You will receive a transaction receipt via email from Venstar Customer Service as soon your funds have been received, converted and transferred from Barclays Bank to your designated Beneficiary Account.

Wire Transfers or Electronic Transfers are the safest, most reliable and most proven method of transferring funds worldwide. With ACH or Email Transfers clients are giving another individual the ability to access their personal or corporate account. Venstar Exchange does not believe this is the safest method of transferring funds. In the interest of account security, Venstar Exchange uses Wire Transfers for all transactions.