Tag Archive for: xe

Hoe kunnen bedrijven hun bedrijfsresultaten beschermen tegen de valutamarkten? (Dutch item)

25-03-2021 | treasuryXL | XE |

Komt uw bedrijf in aanraking met vreemde valuta? Wybe Schutte legt in onderstaand interview uit hoe bedrijven de complexiteit van FX kunnen aanpakken.

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Wybe Schutte is Head of Business Development Europe bij Xe. Wybe’s carrière is altijd gericht geweest op internationale bedrijfsontwikkeling en het beheren van relaties. Binnen XE spelen beiden een belangrijke rol, aangezien Xe wereldwijd de vertrouwde partner zijn van veel bedrijven en hun helpen bij het beheren en verminderen van het risico die gepaard gaan met internationaal zakendoen en valuta’s.

INTERVIEW

1. Kun je iets vertellen over Xe en haar missie?

Bij Xe draait alles om valuta’s. De meeste mensen kennen Xe van de “Currency Converter”, maar we bieden al meer dan 25 jaar internationale betalingsverkeer diensten aan voor bedrijven. Xe’s Business Solutions ondersteunt bedrijven die in aanraking komen met vreemde valuta door hun te ondersteunen bij het beschermen van de winstmarges, en het verbeteren van de cashflow. Dit onder andere door het valutarisico waarmee ze worden geconfronteerd te kwantificeren en door strategieën te implementeren om dit te beperken. Zodat onze klanten zich kunnen concentreren op hun corebusiness en zich geen zorgen hoeven te maken over hun FX.

2. Welke soorten valutarisico’s zijn er en hoe gaat XE ermee om?

Binnen elk bedrijf kijken we waar de valutarisico’s zitten en hoe we deze risico’s kunnen beperken. Waarbij er verschillende opties zijn voor bedrijven om bescherming te bieden tegen het risico, zoals termijncontracten. Valutarisico kan worden onderverdeeld in drie soorten: 1) Transactie risico, wanneer een bedrijf zaken doet in een land dat verschilt van de basisvaluta; 2) Translational risico, wanneer een bedrijf een activa of passiva in een vreemde valuta op de balans heeft staan, en 3) Economisch risico waarbij een verandering in de wisselkoers een bedrijf een concurrentievoordeel kan geven in de markt.

3. Hoe kan je de verschillende soorten valutarisico’s meten?

FX-risico kan een negatieve of positieve invloed hebben op de bedrijfsresultaten. Als je terugkijkt op de afgelopen 10 jaar, valt er te zien wat de potentiële impact zou kunnen zijn in de meest extreme, minst extreme en gemiddelde scenario’s op een gegeven tijdlijn.
Dit kan worden gedaan door te kijken naar de hoogte- en dieptepunten van de markt en de valutapositie van een bedrijf. Deze stap helpt bedrijven te begrijpen wat de impact op het bedrijfsresultaat kan zijn.

4. Wat zijn de meest voorkomende kritieke FX-problemen die bedrijven hebben?

Bedrijven die een transactionele risico hebben, kunnen een onderscheid maken tussen gecommitteerde of verwachte blootstelling aan valuta risico. Een gecommitteerde blootstelling is wanneer de prijs voor goederen of diensten in een vreemde valuta bekend en gecontracteerd zijn. Hierdoor heeft elke wisselkoersschommeling een directe impact op hun winst of kosten, tenzij ze worden afgedekt. Een verwachte blootstelling is wanneer een bedrijf een inschatting maakt om te zien wat hun vereisten kunnen zijn. De betrouwbaarheidsniveaus in de voorspelde perioden kunnen sterk variëren en het is normaal gesproken zo dat hoe groter de periode, hoe lager de betrouwbaarheidsniveaus.

5. Hoe kunnen bedrijven hun bedrijfsresultaten beschermen tegen de valutamarkten?

Er zijn een aantal belangrijke stappen die een bedrijf kan volgen om de FX-volatiliteit te verminderen. De eerste is het type risico te identificeren om daarna de risico-elementen te kwalificeren en vervolgens een strategie te ontwikkelen en deze tijdens het implementatieproces te implementeren. In deze fases kunt u beslissen welke producten het meest geschikt zijn, zodat u vervolgens over kunt gaan op markttiming en uitvoering. Ten slotte moet u uw aanpak regelmatig analyseren, herzien en aanpassen. Het is belangrijk om te onthouden dat het niet om marktspeculatie gaat, maar om het beperken van uw risico.

6. Wat is volgens jou het grootste voordeel van een werkende FX strategie?

Gezien de altijd onzekere wereld waarin we momenteel leven, kunnen financiële afdelingen en treasury teams op zoek zijn naar een strategie om met deze valutaschommelingen om te gaan. Een strategie die na verloop van tijd een aanzienlijke invloed kunnen hebben op de bedrijfsresultaten van een bedrijf. Een gestructureerde benadering van valutarisico’s kan een bedrijf in staat stellen om strategische beslissingen te nemen, in plaats van te proberen in te spelen op de dagelijkse ontwikkelingen in de markt.

7. Ervaar je verschillen in FX vóór COVID19 en de tijd waarin we nu leven? Wat zijn de verschillen?

Er hebben zich aanzienlijke bewegingen voorgedaan op de valutamarkten tijdens de Covid19-periode en er zijn nog steeds veel factoren die de dagkoersen beïnvloeden. In deze onzekere tijden zijn onze opdrachtgevers op zoek naar zekerheid en stabiliteit. En hoewel prijs altijd belangrijk is, werden andere sleutelfactoren zoals veiligheid en geloofwaardigheid belangrijker. Uiteraard was de impact op onze klanten heel verschillend en we hebben met hun samengewerkt om de oplossingen en flexibiliteit te bieden die ze nodig hadden. We hebben veel nieuwe klanten verwelkomd uit nieuwe industrieën terwijl ze groeiden, en we ondersteunen nieuwe en bestaande klanten die groeiden, het lastig hadden, of hun bedrijfsmodellen aanpasten aan de veranderende markt.

8. De markt verandert voortdurend, hoe blijft XE op de hoogte van de laatste ontwikkelingen in de valutawereld?

We werken nauw samen met onze klanten om hun behoeften continu te begrijpen en hierop aan te passen. Onze deskundige dealers houden de markt nauwlettend in de gaten. Inzicht in de bewegingen, weerstandsniveaus en belangrijke economische en politieke updates die de markt kunnen beïnvloeden zijn erg belangrijk, en we houden die in de gaten zodat onze klanten zich daar geen zorgen over hoeven te maken. Xe werkt ook nauw samen met onze zusterbedrijven en moederbedrijf Euronet Worldwide.

9. Hoe ziet de toekomst van FX er in jouw perspectief uit?

De nabije toekomst zou het hoofd kunnen bieden aan buitengewone niveaus van balansuitbreiding en recessie, wat mogelijk zou kunnen leiden tot een langer stimulerend/ expansief monetair beleid dat op zijn beurt de valutakoersen van de landen die ze dragen, zou kunnen drukken. De gevolgen hiervan op de korte tot middellange termijn zouden een gebrek aan grote economische expansie kunnen zijn, aangezien het kapitaalrendement vaak negatief is wanneer de inflatie wordt meegerekend. Dit kan betekenen dat we een herschikking van de FX-sterkte zien naar op commodity based valuta’s (CAD / AUD / NZD) en alternatieve veilige havens (CHF). We zouden deze verschuiving echter op langere termijn kunnen zien, aangezien met name de overheidsschuld houdbaarder en aantrekkelijker wordt tegen zulke lage rentetarieven en bredere investeringen zou kunnen uitnodigen voor landen en tot op zekere hoogte de particuliere industrie.

We zijn getuige geweest van een grote volatiliteit in de FX-markt door een grotere afhankelijkheid van een smallere data kern. Inflatie en rentetarieven, maar ook verhalen over de overheidsschuld en de uitbreiding van de balans hebben de meeste invloed op de renteschommelingen.

10. Wat is tot nu toe jouw beste ervaring ooit in de wereld van valuta’s?

Een scale-up ondersteunen met hun complexe FX-vereisten en hen in staat stellen hun bedrijf in een korte tijd te laten groeien door het FX-risico te elimineren en gaandeweg aanzienlijke kostenbesparingen te realiseren.

 

Meer over XE

Bij XE draait alles om Valuta. We bieden een uitgebreid portfolio van valutadiensten en -producten aan, waaronder onze valutacalculator, marktanalyses, valutagegevens-API en snelle, gemakkelijke en veilig betalingsverkeer voor consumenten en bedrijven.

XE faciliteert wereldwijd meer dan 13.000 bedrijven per jaar bij het beheren van hun vreemde valuta en het vooruit plannen om de risico’s van valutaschommelingen te beperken.

XE is onderdeel van Euronet Worldwide (EWI), een aan Nasdaq genoteerde wereldwijde aanbieder van elektronische en transactie verwerkingsoplossingen met een marktkapitalisatie van ongeveer 7,5 miljard dollar.

XE Business Services

Internationale betalingen en beheer van valutarisico’s van ‘s werelds vertrouwde autoriteit op valutagebied. De concurrentie voorblijven is al moeilijk genoeg zonder de complexiteit van vreemde valuta. XE kan u helpen tijd en geld te besparen, zodat u kunt blijven doen waar u goed in bent: uw bedrijf runnen. Onze oplossingen bieden u zekerheid in een onzekere wereld en stellen uw bedrijf in staat om de juiste beslissingen te nemen.

Bezoek XE.com

Lees XE blogs

 

 

How can Exchange rate movements affect your business?

11-03-2021 | treasuryXL | XE |

If your business works with international currencies, your business could be impacted by exchange rate movements.

Does your business:

  • Make income from overseas operations?
  • Import or export goods and services from abroad?
  • Pay overseas invoices?
  • Or interact with foreign currencies in any way?

If so, your business can be impacted by exchange rate movements. Whether you’re a sole proprietor or a large corporation, in manufacturing or healthcare, you will face some level of foreign exchange risk when making international payments.

What is foreign exchange risk?

It’s exactly what it sounds like: it’s the possibility that a business’s financial position or performance could be negatively impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates in the foreign currency markets. As the saying goes, the markets never sleep. Exchange rates are prone to fluctuations at any given moment, and while experts can forecast where they think currency values might go, you can’t predict where the rates could go—or what it could mean for your business. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

How does a falling domestic exchange rate affect your business?

A falling domestic exchange rate can:

  • Increase costs for importers and potentially reduce their profitability.
  • Make domestically produced products more competitive against imported products.
  • Increase the cost of capital expenditure (for example, if it includes the importation of capital equipment).
  • Increase the cost of servicing foreign currency debt.
  • Improve exporter competitiveness.
  • Make a business a more attractive investment proposition for foreign investors.
  • Increase the costs of investing in overseas operations.

How does a rising domestic exchange rate impact your business?

On the other hand, a rising domestic exchange rate can:

  • Make exports less competitive, reducing exporter profitability.
  • Decrease the value of investment in foreign subsidiaries and monetary assets (when translating the value of such assets into the domestic currency).
  • Reduce foreign currency income from investments.
  • Reduce the cost of foreign raw materials, giving importers a competitive advantage.
  • Reduce the value of foreign currency liabilities and hence the cost of servicing these liabilities.
  • Reduce the cost of capital expenditure (for example if it includes the importation of capital equipment).
  • Make a business less attractive to foreign investors.

Did you notice anything? No matter which direction the exchange rate is moving, it could have the potential to impact your business—and your bottom line.

How can you protect your business from market volatility?

No one can predict how the markets will move, but a knowledgeable FX provider can give your business the guidance and solutions to help you to make informed decisions to minimize the impact of market motion.

Are you curious to know more about XE?

Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page

 

 

 

What can we expect from the Pound in 2021?

04-03-2021 | treasuryXL | XE |

The Pound has just recently hit its highest rate against the USD since April 2018. In our forecast, we’ll discuss what we anticipate for the Pound in the coming months of 2021.

The United Kingdom has outstripped other major world economies when it comes to the vaccination rollout and the Bank of England seems to have delayed the potential for negative interest rates, boosting the market’s demand to buy Sterling. However, there is more to consider than just these two obvious factors.

The Pound, at a glance

What’s impacting the Pound right now?

  • The Bank of England stated it expects the UK Economy to “recover rapidly” once out of lockdown.

  • UK consumers have built up around a whopping £154B in savings—signifying pent-up demand when the economy is back open for business.

  • COVID-19 cases are dropping, and vaccinations are increasing.

  • Governor Bailey appears to be ready to buy bonds in stimulus.

  • The furlough scheme does appear to be capping unemployment rates.

These points allude to the potential for a U-shape recovery out of the COVID-19 pandemic recession for the UK.

Compare to the sharp fall experienced at the outbreak of the virus, where we saw the UK economy drop a whopping 20%, which was then followed by a period of flat or marginal changes and ultimately a sharp increase in economic growth.

The Pound, in review

Looking back in recent history, the Sterling Index shows the incredibly negative impact the EU referendum result had on the value of the Pound against a basket of currencies since 2016.

GBP to USD, 2011-2021

Line chart illustrating the Pound sterling to US dollar exchange rate between February 2011 and February 2021.

GBP to Euro, 2011-2021

Line chart illustrating the exchange rate from Pound sterling to Euro between February 2011 and February 2021.

The currency has not recovered to pre-referendum levels against its major counterparts. The sheer uncertainty and political instability in the United Kingdom has been the constant “grey cloud” hanging over the Pound. Accordingly, the number of short positions on the Pound and lack of desire to hold Sterling in a portfolio of currencies has left it out in the cold.

In March and April of 2020 this lack of desire to hold Sterling was amplified when the world’s risk propensity changed and investors and traders alike sold out of anything considered risky—be it the Pound, stocks or even gold—and into the traditional tried and tested safe haven of the US dollar. Sterling traded at its lowest levels since 1985 against the dollar and worst level against the euro since the financial crisis in 2008.

Asset allocation of portfolios added to this sale of GBP as investors sold traditional stocks listed on the London Stock Exchange and bought the tech stocks listed in the US during the initial phases of the pandemic.

However, markets again proved that they can get used to, or price in anything over time, and with lockdowns being eased the Pound stabilised and recovered some of the ground it had lost during the panic buying of US dollars.

The next major event risk was the Brexit deadline of the 31st December 2020, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to deliver and refused to extend. This hampered any upward movement for the Pound and still hamstrings the currency today.

We did however see a Brexit deal agreed and a level of certainty arrive for the UK economy in the short term. Subsequently Sterling managed to make some gains against the euro and US dollar.

So, what has 2021 been like so far and what could happen next?

The markets want the answers to these major questions:

  1. Will the economy open sooner due to the vaccination rollout out, and

  2. Will this be before other global economies?

  3. How long will it take before consumers start spending those savings stored up during 2020 to get the wheels of the economy turning again?

  4. What will be required from the Monetary Policy Committee in terms of stimulus?

With new multi-year highs for GBP against the US dollar during the second week of February, it would seem markets believe, for now at least, that the UK can get going again and ahead of other economies. If the economy does start moving forward, will it be a “rapid recovery” like the Bank of England said it could be?

This has therefore pushed back the prospect of the Bank of England cutting interest rates to negative from May (some forecast) to August.

Things to watch out for and monitor in the near future:

  • Changes or delays to the vaccination roll out program

  • Effectiveness of the vaccinations to new variants/mutations of the COVID-19 virus

  • End to, or extension of, the UK national lockdown

  • The budget speech from Rishi Sunak on March the 3rd, specifically with regard to:

    • The health of the economy

    • Furlough scheme status/extension and its potential impact on unemployment

    • Tax rises to try and start paying for the pandemic relief

The Pound, in summary

The Pound has started stepping out of the shadows of the Brexit uncertainty and looks to be riding the wave of the vaccination rollout. However, there are a number of potential dangers to this, be it final Brexit deal negotiations on financial services or longer lockdowns due to new variants to the virus.

It could be a good opportunity for Sterling sellers currently and would seem prudent to take advantage of this for short-term committed exposures you face in foreign currency.

Are you curious to know more about XE?

Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page

 

 

 

What’s in store for the US dollar in 2021?

25-02-2021 | treasuryXL | XE |

In the opening weeks of 2021, the US dollar has seen a bout of strength. But how will the value of the dollar fare in the coming months? In the XE forecast, they will tell you what they think.

At this time, the onset of 2021 has brought a bout of US dollar (USD) strength. The USD Index has risen 2.2% from its 34-month low set on January 6th. This recent strength is a major contrast with the -15% performance the USD experienced over the prior nine months.

USD at a glance

What’s impacting the dollar right now?

  • Unemployment fell to 6.3% today from 6.7% last month.

  • The US Treasury bond yield curve is upward sloping and at higher interest rate levels, pointing toward a continued recovery.

  • The IMF, Goldman Sachs and other large investment firms are calling for a boom 2nd half to 2021.

  • COVID-19 cases have fallen dramatically in the US this week, and Johnson & Johnson is about to announce their vaccine.

These data points all hint towards positive US economic growth as 2021 continues.

Given the new U.S. presidential administration and the development of COVID-19 vaccinations, market participants are wondering what’s in store for the USD in 2021. To answer this question, it’s important to first review the dollar’s recent history.

The US dollar in review

From 2011 to early 2020, the dollar appreciated nearly +28% as global investors flocked to the US markets to buy US assets and participate in the booming US economy. This dollar uptrend held despite then-President Trump’s efforts to talk down the dollar, as higher US treasury yields and continued equity market returns kept the dollar firm.

Then COVID-19 struck in March 2020, changing everything.

The dollar initially sank in sympathy as global equity markets began to unravel. However, once the magnitude of COVID-19’s economic impact became more apparent, a new market “risk aversion” theme took hold. Investors quickly bailed on risky assets and flocked to USD-denominated “safe-haven” assets en masse, believing they would be more likely to maintain their value and hold steady even as financial markets crumbled.

In just two weeks, this mad dash into safe-haven USD assets spiked the USD Index +7.5% and left the USD with an artificial “risk aversion” premium built into its value from its perceived low uncertainty.

It has been this risk-aversion premium that then most influenced the USD’s 2020 USD trading.  For the prior nine years, traders had bought USD on good investor news to invest in US assets In the new COVID-19 world, traders did the opposite, selling USD on good market news.

Why?

Because traders were already overweight US assets and even more so with the newly purchased safe haven assets. So, as 2020 unfolded and the investment climate improved due to central bank and government actions, the need for safe-haven assets diminished and traders began unwinding these positions.

And, with this, the negative equity market correlation was born, and flipped risk-on and risk-off its head.

Ordinarily, the value of USD assets would rise in conjunction with increased market optimism (risk-on), and uncertainty or negativity would drive investors to sell their riskier assets in favor of safer ones (risk-off). Good news for investors would mean good news for the dollar, and the same with bad news.

Now, good news for investors was bad news for the dollar, and bad news for investors was good news for the dollar.  Economic fundamentals didn’t matter.

This theme held strong for the remainder of 2020. If US stocks went up (and they did!), then the USD would fall (and it did!). It was virtually guaranteed.

What’s going to happen in 2021?

To answer that question, we’ll need to consider two key questions.

  1. Will 2021 be a continuation of 2020’s risk-aversion trading theme?

  2. Will traders conclude that the USD risk-aversion premium has been wiped out and it is time to start trading off market fundamentals?

Up until this week, 2021 FX trading was looking just like 2020. Post-US election equity markets surged on the elimination of election risk, positive vaccine news and the idea of a large US fiscal stimulus package. Unsurprisingly, the USD fell -6%. And on January 6th, after the storming of the US Capitol, when uncertainty was reintroduced to the markets, the USD rose 2%.

So, what will it be for the dollar going forward? It depends on whether or not you believe the risk-aversion trading scenario will continue.

  • If you do believe this, then you likely believe the US dollar will continue to depreciate as global equity markets continue to move higher.

  • If you don’t believe this, then you believe the worst of the pandemic is over, traders have priced out the “risk-aversion premium” to the dollar, and that the USD will trade on fundamentals again—meaning good economic data and continued equity market returns will strengthen the USD.

In conclusion?

Should 2020’s risk-on and risk-off trend reverse, we will see a strong US dollar. The IMF recently raised the US’s 2021 GDP forecast to 5.1% from 3.1%, which was an outlier to the EU.

Additional vaccines coming onto the market could boost confidence, as would an additional fiscal stimulus package. The US could see unleashed economic growth in the second half of 2020, continuing to draw global capital.  Additionally, some currency moves may have gone too far, and natural flows will come back to the USD and US markets.

If February’s first week of trading is any indication, it looks like 2020’s negative correlation has broken as both the dollar and equity markets rallied in sync.

Are you curious to know more about XE?

Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page

 

 

 

Who sets the rates? Common questions about currency exchange rates

18-02-2021 | treasuryXL | XE |

Ever wondered where the rates come from, and how they can impact you?
We answer some common questions in this guide to exchange rates.

Who’s in charge of setting currency exchange rates? If you’ve ever sent money overseas or checked the rates, this is a question that may have definitely crossed your mind. Who decides what is the value of money, and why do rates fluctuate that much during the day?

It’s normal to wonder, and fortunately for you, we’ve got the answers to those questions and more.

How do currency exchange rates work?

Every country in the world has its own currency, and each of these currencies is valued differently. When you exchange one currency for another, you’re actually buying money, just in a different currency than the one used in your country.

The exchange rate tells you how much the currency used in your country is worth in foreign currency. The rates constantly change for some countries, whereas others use fixed exchange rates. As a rule of thumb, a country’s social and economic outlook is the main factor that influences the currency exchange rate.

That’s the quick answer. If you’re in the mood for a more in-depth look, check out our previous blog post.

What are the main types of exchange rates?

The main types of rates are variable (or flexible) and fixed rates.

Most countries have variable currency exchange rates, which are determined by the foreign exchange market. Because these rates are flexible, they fluctuate every minute, often influenced by market movements, political events, economic forecasts, and more.

Countries such as the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Mexico all use flexible exchange rates. It’s important to note that even though government policies can influence currency exchange rates, the government can’t actually regulate them. The rates are always determined by Forex traders on the foreign exchange market.

Several countries use fixed currency rates, and that is because the government dictates when the rates change. This is the case for the Saudi Arabian riyal, for example. The fixed rates are pegged to the U.S. dollar, and the central bank in the countries that use this system holds U.S. dollars to keep the rate fixed.

How do forex traders establish currency exchange rates?

The market forces of supply and demand are the main factors that determine currency exchange rates. The level of demand for a currency determines its value in relationship with other currencies. For example, if the demand for British pounds by Americans increases, the supply-demand forces will cause an increase of the British pound’s price in relation to the dollar.

The exchange rates between two countries are affected by countless factors, both geopolitical and economic. Some of the most common of them include:

  • Inflation reports

  • Interest rate changes

  • Gross domestic product numbers

  • Unemployment rates.

Forex traders take all these factors and more into account when establishing currency exchange rates. If a country has a strong economy that’s growing, investors will be interested in buying its goods and services, which means that they’ll need more of its currency.

On the other hand, when a country has an unstable economy, investors will be put off and less willing to invest, which means that the currency will not be highly valued. Investors always want to make sure they will get paid back before deciding to hold government bonds in a particular currency.

How do exchange rates affect you?

The value of money affects every individual on a daily basis, as the prices of essentials such as groceries and gas at the pump are correlated to it. When the value of money declines steadily over time, it causes inflation, and the result of that is a price increase for everything, including basic goods.

If you’re traveling or making a payment to another country that uses a different currency, it’s important to check for exchange rate values and plan your finances accordingly. Many people check whether the currency of the country of their destination is strong or weak before booking a vacation. That’s because a weak currency in the destination country means that you can buy more of it with your own currency, so you have more money to spend on your trip.

How can you get the best rates when sending money overseas?

As we’ve said before, unfortunately there’s no specific time where you can guarantee you’ll get a great rate. But there are a few things you can do to help yourself out.

If you’re transferring money to someone in another country, you need to look carefully at your options, as some transfer methods are more expensive than others. For example, if you’re using your bank to make a transfer, you’ll often need to pay a fee on top of the exchange rates set by the bank, which are usually disadvantageous.

By using an online money transfer service such as Xe, you can save money on fees and get great exchange rates. Your money will also reach its destination faster, and the entire process of making the transfer is easy both on the website and the mobile app.

Are you curious to know more about XE?
Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page

 

 

 

How do Foreign currency exchange rates work?

11-02-2021 | treasuryXL | XE |

Ever checked the rates and wondered what’s happened to give you the rate you see? Here we break it down for you—and try to make it as simple and painless as possible.
If you’re traveling abroad for a holiday, need to pay for a school fee in another country or you want to buy an item from a foreign country,  you will need a currency exchange to carry out your transaction. But how can you tell the exact amount your currency is worth when it is exchanged into a foreign currency? And who’s setting them?

For the first question, you can easily do that on Xe’s Currency Converter. The second question? That’ll take a little more time to understand. We’ll try to make it as quick (and painless) as possible for you!

Currency exchange rates: what they are, and how they work

Exchange rates indicate how much your currency is worth if exchanged into a foreign currency. For example, on December 30, 2020, 1 U.S. dollar was equal to 0.748067 British pounds.

Currency exchange transactions happen 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a market that transact over $6 trillion a day. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating as foreign currencies are actively traded. Various trading activities boost or lower the values of different currencies.

Institutions and traders buy and sell foreign currencies in the global market 24 hours a day. For a trade to be completed, at least one currency must be exchanged for another. For example, in order to buy the U.S. dollar another currency is required for payment. Whatever currency is used, either the euros, yen, or Canadian dollar, etc. will create a currency pair. For example, if you use U.S. dollars (USD) to buy the Japanese yen, the exchange rate will be for the JPY/USD pair.

How are international exchange rates determined?

Foreign exchange rates are determined in various countries using two key methods: flexible and fixed rate. While flexible exchange rates are constantly changing, fixed rates hardly ever change. (Though you probably figured that out from their names.)

Flexible exchange rates

The foreign exchange market or forex determines most currency exchange rates. These rates are known as flexible exchange rates. These rates are constantly changing from one moment to the next. Flexible exchange rates are influenced by the open market through demand and supply on world currency markets. As such, if the demand for a specific currency is high, the value of such currency will most likely increase. But if the demand of a particular currency falls, its value in the foreign exchange market falls too.

Most major global currencies often have flexible exchange rates. These include the British pounds, Mexican pesos, European euros, Japanese yen, Canadian dollars, and others.

The government of these countries and their central banks do not interfere to keep their exchange rates fixed. Though their policies can affect rates in the long run, for most of these nations their governments can only impact and not regulate exchange rates.

Fixed exchange rates

Countries that use fixed or pegged foreign exchange rates do so via their central bank. These countries set their rate against another major world currency like the United States dollar, euro or yen.

To regulate and maintain the fixed exchange rate, the government of these countries buy and sell their own currency against the foreign currency to which it is pegged. Only the governments of these countries can determine when their foreign exchange rates should change.

Countries that use the fixed exchange rate method include Saudi Arabia and China. These countries ensure that their central banks have sufficient amounts of money in their foreign currency reserves to determine the amount their currency is worth in the foreign exchange market.

Okay, but what causes the rates to change?

Rates change when currency values change. There are several key factors that affect the movement and values of local and foreign currencies. These include three key factors known as:

  1. Interest rates

  2. Money supply

  3. Financial stability

Due to these factors, the demand for a particular country’s currency, depends on what is happening in that country.

Interest rates

The interest rates a country’s central bank is setting is a key factor that will influence the country’s exchange rate. Higher interest rates have positive impacts on the value of the country’s currency. Investors are more likely to exchange their currency for one with higher interest rates, and then save it in that country’s bank to benefit from the higher interest rate.

Money supply

The money supply made available by a country’s central bank can influence the value of the currency in the foreign exchange market. For example, if there is too much money in circulation, there will be too much of it in exchange for very few goods.

Currency holders will most likely bid up the costs of goods and services which will trigger inflation. In the event that too much money is printed and in circulation in a particular country, it triggers hyperinflation and drives down their currency value in the foreign exchange market. Cash holders prefer to invest in countries with little or no inflation.

Financial stability

The financial stability and economic growth of a country can affect its foreign exchange rates. Investors are more likely to buy goods and services from countries with a strong and growing economy. This means they will need more of such a country’s currency to buy from them. this will increase the demand for such currency and ultimately boosts its value in the foreign exchange market.

If the economy of the country is in a bad shape, investors are less likely to trade with them. Investors are only interested in trading with countries that can provide gains from holding government bonds in that currency.

Are you curious to know more about XE?
Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

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How Do I Spot an Opportunity?

04-02-2021 | treasuryXL | XE |

There are a few signs and behavioral patterns that can indicate someone who would be a good fit to transfer money with XE.

Finding opportunities to turn prospects into Xe customers can be difficult. Though some people do have plans to transfer money overseas and may be in search of the right provider to facilitate their transfers, many other people as, and some may be perfectly satisfied using their bank or a wire transfer to send their money overseas. There are a few things that you can bring up in your discussions or keep your eyes (and ears) open for in order to make the search a little easier. Let’s talk about how you can find the right opportunities.

Spotting a potential opportunity

Though everyone is different, there are a few signs and behavioral patterns that can indicate someone who would be a good fit to transfer money with Xe.

There’s one question that reigns above all others: do they make international payments? This is the fundamental question, and the first one you should look to answer. Do they make international payments or deal with foreign currencies in any capacity? Then they are someone who could benefit from a fast, cost-effective, and easy-to-use money transfer solution.

Signs of a potential opportunity: individual edition

Individuals and businesses will have different signs, and different uses for money transfer. Some examples of people who fit this category include:

  • Clients living in other countries

  • Business people with clients who live overseas

  • Expats from another country

  • People who own property in another country

  • People who work with or get paid by a company in another country

  • People who have family overseas

  • People who have shares or dividends coming from another country

  • People receiving an inheritance, gift payments, or other sums of money from overseas

  • Individuals selling property with plans to relocate abroad

  • People purchasing goods from overseas

  • Workers on temporary overseas work secondments

  • People with overseas pensions

  • Account holders of multi-currency bank accounts.

Identifying someone who has a need for international money transfer is the first step. The next step is convincing them that they shouldn’t just use their local bank branch or the first provider they come across: they should use Xe.

There are two key areas to focus on:

  • Exchange rates

  • Bank costs associated with international payments.

Banks and other providers often set rates that favor themselves, not the client. In addition, these institutions often come with numerous additional fees (sometimes even hidden within the transaction). On the other hand, the Xe rate comes straight from the live currency markets, and is a true, honest reflection of the mid-market rate, with no hidden margins. In addition, there are no hidden fees with Xe: what your client sees is what they will get.

Signs of a potential business opportunity

Individuals aren’t the only ones who need money transfer; there are plenty of businesses who could benefit from working with Xe. Some examples of good opportunities include:

  • Clients with overseas offices

  • Businesses with a globally-located workforce

  • Managers of international payroll

  • Businesses that import or export

  • Offshore investors

  • Businesses with multi-currency bank accounts

  • Any business that sends and/or receives international payments.

Within the realm of international payments, there are a few common concerns that could be worth discussing further. Consider discussing:

  • Do they bill clients in your local currency or their local currency?

  • Do they talk about increased costs overseas, or decreased profits on exports?

  • Are they concerned with the bank costs associated with making international payments?

These questions can help you to better understand what they’re looking for from a money transfer and FX provider, whether it’s improving their profits, cutting out unnecessary costs, or ensuring that they aren’t exposed to FX risk when they make their international payments.

Are you curious to know more about XE?
Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page

 

 

 

Improving Internal Communication to Lower FX Risk

20-08-2020 | treasuryXL | XE |

Poor internal communication can lead to businesses not making the right decisions for the business as a whole—and it can even increase foreign exchange risk.

Poor communication. It’s something that many of us have experienced in all facets of life. At best, poor communication will cause confusion and irritation. At worst, poor communication could progress to costly misunderstandings.

In the business world, internal communication is the key to a cohesive, productive organization. Unfortunately, many organizations around the world have little to no communication between teams. Sometimes this is a result of the organization being large or having recently undergone significant growth. It can also be the result of people believing that certain processes are only the responsibility of one department.

In reality, foreign exchange risk can affect the entire business, and poor internal communication is one of the most common mistakes that can increase a business’s exposure to FX risk. But what’s the solution?

How does poor communication add to foreign exchange risk?

When businesses operate in silos rather than as one collective unit, it’s very likely that they aren’t making decisions with the bigger picture in mind. Poor communication between units means that units are unlikely to have a clear picture of just how their particular operations
and currency market exposures factor into the company’s overall risk level and exposure.

If the poor communication is allowed to spread to decision-making, this could lead to businesses making autonomous decisions about transactions and risk management that aren’t consistent with the business as a whole, and could ultimately undermine other parts of the business. One example of this could be supply chain managers hedging out the risk of higher import prices without taking into account the sales department’s expected revenues from overseas.

Ultimately, your business’s FX goals should be to get the best possible rates for your international payments and minimize your risk exposure. Without effective communication, it will be very difficult—if not impossible—to accomplish this. So, how can you improve your organization’s communication?

How to improve your organization’s communication

There are two parts to this: you should prioritize internal communication, but also make a point to have strong communication with your FX provider. Internal communication, as we’ve discussed, will help your organization to make decisions that are best for the business as a whole, while communicating with your FX provider will help you to effectively resolve issues as they come up and prevent potential issues from arising.

Earlier in this series, we advised you to work with your FX provider to develop a comprehensive foreign exchange risk management policy. Having this policy can address communication issues in the following ways:

  • You and your team will better understand every aspect of your organization’s risk exposure.

  • You can then develop and implement processes to address said risk exposure on a holistic and company-wide basis.

  • You can establish protocols and procedures for how different units across the business should collaborate and communicate, in order to reduce the risk of issues arising as a result of miscommunication.

On one final note, it’s also important that you consider how you can communicate with your FX provider—not just on a day-to-day basis, but in the event that an unexpected issue arises or you need additional assistance with something. When searching for the right provider, take this into account.

Consider:

  • Do they offer phone-based or web-based assistance that you can utilize during any hour of the day?

  • Will there be one person or team as your designated point of contact?

  • How will they provide you with the information you need to make proactive decisions?

These questions could help you to find the provider that’s the right fit for your operation and your currency needs.

 

Get in touch with XE.com

About XE.com

XE can help safeguard your profit margins and improve cashflow through quantifying the FX risk you face and implementing unique strategies to mitigate it. XE Business Solutions provides a comprehensive range of currency services and products to help businesses access competitive rates with greater control.

Deciding when to make an international payment and at what rate can be critical. XE Business Solutions work with businesses to protect bottom-line from exchange rate fluctuations, while the currency experts and risk management specialists act as eyes and ears in the market to protect your profits from the world’s volatile currency markets.

Your company money is safe with XE, their NASDAQ listed parent company, Euronet Worldwide Inc., has a multi billion-dollar market capitalization, and an investment grade credit rating. With offices in the UK, Canada, Europe, APAC and North America they have a truly global coverage.

Are you curious to know more about XE?
Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page

 

 

 

Debunking Common Myths & Misconceptions About Online Money Transfer

13-08-2020 | treasuryXL | XE |

Online money transfer can be confusing. Luckily, we’re here to clear things up for you.

If you’ve never sent money online before, it can seem pretty confusing. You enter in your information from your home, on your computer or on your mobile phone, and your money somehow travels from your bank account to your friend’s on the other side of the world.

There’s quite a lot of information online about money transfer, but unfortunately, not all of it is accurate. Been doing your research, but not sure what to believe? Let us help you out. We’re going to share some of the most common misconceptions about online money transfer, and then let you know what’s really the case.

Myth #1: You should check the exchange rates and send money at a particular time of day.

We’ve discussed this concept before, but we think it bears repeating: the time of day you check the rates has absolutely no bearing on the rate that you’ll get. The global currency markets never sleep, and it’s likely that at any given time, something is happening that could affect the value of your chosen currencies.

There’s no objective “best time” to send a money transfer. That’s going to depend entirely on the values of your chosen currencies, and since those can change at any moment, it’s not going to be easy to determine when the rates will be in your favor. You can study the markets, but you can’t predict the future!

If you are interested in knowing the best time for your transfer, you can set up Rate Alerts for your currency pairs that will alert you when your target rate has been reached.

Myth #2: You’ll always get the same rate, so you don’t need to shop around.

On the other hand, some people think that checking the rates is little more than a formality. After all, global currency values are the same around the world, so wouldn’t the exchange rate always be the same?

You would think so, but that’s not quite the case. While the mid-market rate is the exact midpoint between a currency’s buy and sell rate (also commonly referred to as the “true rate” of exchange), not every provider offers you the mid-market rate. Many services (including banks and wire transfer providers) add margins onto their rates that will benefit them. And it’s not always made clear when you look at their rates. So before making a transfer, check our Currency Converter to see what the real rate of exchange is. You could be surprised!

Myth #3: Online money transfers aren’t as secure as bank and wire transfers.

We get it. You trust the bank to hold your money, so naturally you’re going to turn to your reliable local bank and think that they’re the most trustworthy organization to handle your money transfer.

Banks are absolutely trustworthy, but they aren’t always the best choice for handling money transfers. In addition to the unfavorable exchange rates that we already mentioned, service fees and limited working hours could lead to you paying more money for a slower money transfer.

Additionally, online money transfer providers are no less secure than the banks. At Xe, we have enterprise-grade security measures in place and adhere to regulatory standards in every country that we facilitate transfers for.

Myth #4: Money transfers are complicated and take a long time to execute and complete.

This can be broken down into two separate thoughts:

  1. The money transfer process is confusing, and it’ll take you ages to figure out how to send money.

  2. Once you’ve sent your money, it’ll take days or even weeks for your money to reach its destination.

Both false!

Signing up for an account is completely free and takes just a couple of minutes. Once you’re registered, you’re ready to start transferring, which can be initiated in just a couple of minutes online or on the phone. Want to make the process even easier? Take a look at this list of everything you’ll need to make a transfer, before you start the process.

Additionally, online money transfers travel pretty quickly. Because you’re not working within bank service hours, you can initiate a transfer any time of day, any day of the year, and your money will reach its destination quickly. At Xe, our transfers take within 1-4 business days, often arriving within 24 hours, sometimes even within minutes.

Myth #5: Money transfer is expensive.

You will need to provide the funds for your transfer. But when it comes to additional costs, online money transfer is no more expensive than a wire transfer or bank transfer—it’s often less expensive. Between the straightforward rates and lack of excessive fees, what you see is what you get when you make an online transfer.

 

Get in touch with XE.com

About XE.com

XE can help safeguard your profit margins and improve cashflow through quantifying the FX risk you face and implementing unique strategies to mitigate it. XE Business Solutions provides a comprehensive range of currency services and products to help businesses access competitive rates with greater control.

Deciding when to make an international payment and at what rate can be critical. XE Business Solutions work with businesses to protect bottom-line from exchange rate fluctuations, while the currency experts and risk management specialists act as eyes and ears in the market to protect your profits from the world’s volatile currency markets.

Your company money is safe with XE, their NASDAQ listed parent company, Euronet Worldwide Inc., has a multi billion-dollar market capitalization, and an investment grade credit rating. With offices in the UK, Canada, Europe, APAC and North America they have a truly global coverage.

Are you curious to know more about XE?
Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page

 

 

 

Are There Risks to Conducting International Business in USD? Part 2: Importer and Exporter Scenarios

06-08-2020 | treasuryXL | XE |

In the second part of our blog series on transacting international business in USD, we take a closer look on how it can impact importers and exporters.

American companies continue to turn to international trade as a preferred method for growing sales or controlling costs. According to 2019 World Trade Organization data, international trade comprised 25% of the United States’ GDP, split between $3.1 trillion worth of imports and $2.6 trillion in exports.

Despite one-quarter of the U.S.’s GDP coming from international business, many American companies continue to transact all their international business in USD.

Why is this?

One primary reason is that certain industries have USD-functional supply chains – such as aspects of energy, agriculture and aerospace – have USD functional supply chains. Transacting in a foreign currency could be introducing FX risk.

However numerous other global industries are not USD-functional, and many American companies still choose to transact in USD.

Industry surveys reveal that two of the most common reasons cited are either:

  • A lack of FX risk awareness at the company

  • A management decision to transact in USD as this is easiest for their business.

Unfortunately, these decisions often result in the unintended consequence of transferring FX risk.

Keep in mind all international cross-border transactions, when the two counterparties have different functional currencies, have FX risk, even if priced in USD. One party must bear the FX risk and when an American company requests to transact in USD, that company is transferring the FX risk to the counterparty.

The Real Cost of Transacting in USD

To quantify the “cost” of transacting in USD, we’ve considered two trade scenarios:

  • A U.S. importer transacting in USD with both a Chinese and European supplier

  • A U.S. exporter selling in USD to both Chinese and European customers

Looking at the 2-year EURUSD and USD-CNY charts below, the Chinese Yuan varied 12% against the USD and the EUR varied 10.2% versus the USD. This variance is the “cost” transferred to Chinese and European companies and it impacts both importers and exporters.

Chart illustrating the exchange rate from Euro to US Dollar from 24 July 2018 to 23 July 2020.Chart illustrating the change in exchange rate from Chinese Yuan to US Dollar from 24 July 2018 to 23 July 2020

A Deeper Dive into Importers

U.S. importers cite many reasons for choosing to transact their international business in USD. Each of these reasons has merit and may be appropriate for a company’s unique situation.

  • Industry standard: certain industries have USD-functional supply-chains.

  • Ease of doing so: “we’ve always done it this way”.

  • No other options: a lack of multi-currency accounting systems.

  • Supplier’s choice: the supplier says it wants USD.

  • First-time global trader: pricing in USD to focus on other trade risks.

Regardless of the reason, it does not alter the reality that:

  • Paying for imports in USD to a foreign supplier that is not USD-functional is transferring FX risk to the supplier, and

  • The supplier will need to be compensated for taking on the FX risk, most likely padding their USD price.

To illustrate the FX risk impact, the grid below shows the local currency impact of a USD payment to the Chinese and European suppliers.

Grids showing the local currency impact of a USD payment to Chinese and European suppliers

Did this FX risk impact the pricing the American importers received? 

Many importers report that their suppliers often change their USD prices—some say frequently—and almost always increase them. The most likely reason is FX. The supplier, converting the USD payable to local currency, is no longer receiving enough CNY or EUR to maintain their margins—thus, they ask for more USD. This most often happens when the USD weakens.

What Can a Company Do?

Many companies have adapted to this reality about FX risk even when paying in USD.

Some of the solutions we have seen in the marketplace include:

  • Companies asking for dual-currency invoices

  • Proactive companies paying suppliers in CNY or EUR, even if they are invoiced in USD

  • Companies asking for FX risk-sharing agreements

  • Companies embracing FX risk management and requesting local currency invoicing

A Deeper Dive into Exporters

Exporters also face the inherent FX risk in global trade as their end customers are most likely not USD-functional. Nonetheless, many U.S. companies still price their exports in USD. The most common reasons cited for this include:

  • Industry standard: i.e. USD-functional supply chain

  • No other options: accounting/ERP systems not multi-currency compatible

  • Convenience: ease of doing business to the American company’s staff

Again, regardless of the reason cited, it does not alter the reality that a company pricing its exports in USD is transferring the FX risk to the buyer. The buyer experiences the variability in the FX spot rates and will most likely:

  • Demand price discounts, or

  • Choose to buy from a competitor willing to price in their home currency

The grid below illustrates the FX risk impact transferred to the Chinese or European buyer over the last two years by the American exporter, as a result of pricing in USD.

Grids showing the FX risk impact transferred to the Chinese or European buyer over the last two years by the American exporter, as a result of pricing in USD

Has this FX risk impacted your sales or revenue forecasts?  

Many exporter sales staffs know that pricing in USD is often uncompetitive. Their biggest risk is a strengthening USD as this makes their product or service more expensive. An exporter’s sales management must weigh the costs versus benefits of transacting in USD. The risks are:

  • Uncompetitive pricing: a stronger dollar makes their product or service more expensive.

  • Payment delay risk: customers that don’t hedge may try to wait for the FX rate to improve.

  • Profit margin risk: sales teams may need to cut prices to close the sale.

  • Lost sales revenue: buyers may choose a similar product or service from competitor willing to price in local currency.

What Can a Company Do?

Many companies have recognized these market conditions and taken actions to adapt to their international customers’ needs. Strategies have included:

  • Offer pricing in local currency and take on management of FX risk

  • Offer hedging on behalf of suppliers that cannot

  • Offer risk-sharing pricing agreements

  • Open local sales offices to build stronger relationship

Wherever you are on this journey to transacting in foreign currencies, the Xe Corporate Team can be your partner and help your company manage its FX risk and international business.

Get in touch with an Xe expert and we’ll help you:

  • Analyze dual invoicing

  • Make and informed decision

  • Upskill your team and reap the benefits!

 

Get in touch with XE.com

About XE.com

XE can help safeguard your profit margins and improve cashflow through quantifying the FX risk you face and implementing unique strategies to mitigate it. XE Business Solutions provides a comprehensive range of currency services and products to help businesses access competitive rates with greater control.

Deciding when to make an international payment and at what rate can be critical. XE Business Solutions work with businesses to protect bottom-line from exchange rate fluctuations, while the currency experts and risk management specialists act as eyes and ears in the market to protect your profits from the world’s volatile currency markets.

Your company money is safe with XE, their NASDAQ listed parent company, Euronet Worldwide Inc., has a multi billion-dollar market capitalization, and an investment grade credit rating. With offices in the UK, Canada, Europe, APAC and North America they have a truly global coverage.

Are you curious to know more about XE?
Maurits Houthoff, senior business development manager at XE.com, is always in for a cup of coffee, mail or call to provide you detailed information.

 

 

Visit XE.com

Visit XE partner page