NatWest Euro Account UK: Fees, Features and Alternatives (2026)
If you bank with NatWest and need to hold euros, you have probably looked for the NatWest euro account. NatWest does offer a euro account in the UK as a foreign currency account, but like the other high street banks it has real limitations: no Euro IBAN, no SEPA transfers, an exchange rate markup of around 1.5% to 2%, and no interest on your balance. This guide explains what the NatWest euro account is, what it costs, and why Wise is the better option for most people who deal with euros.
The NatWest euro account is available to existing NatWest personal banking customers. It lets you hold euros alongside your sterling account and send or receive euros by SWIFT. For basic euro holding it does the job, but if you need to receive a European salary, get paid by an EU client, or convert at a fair rate, the NatWest foreign currency account falls short.
Does NatWest have a euro account that can receive SEPA payments? No. The NatWest euro account is SWIFT only, so it has no Euro IBAN and cannot accept the SEPA credit transfers European employers and platforms use. That is the main reason many NatWest customers open a Wise account alongside their existing banking.
Below we cover the NatWest euro account charges, how to open one, and a direct comparison with Wise, which gives you a real Euro IBAN, mid-market exchange rates, and a debit card. For the bigger picture, our guide to euro accounts across all the major UK banks compares NatWest against HSBC, Barclays, and Lloyds.
Wise gives you what the NatWest euro account does not: a real Euro IBAN for SEPA transfers, the mid-market rate, and a debit card to spend euros. It is the account most people open when the NatWest foreign currency account is not enough.
- Euro IBAN: receive SEPA transfers and European salaries, which the NatWest euro account cannot do
- Mid-market rate: convert from 0.43%, versus the 1.5% to 2% markup on the NatWest euro account
- EUR interest: earn on your euro balance, while the NatWest euro account pays nothing
- Debit card: spend euros across Europe at the real rate, no NatWest euro debit card exists
- Open online in minutes: no existing NatWest relationship required
Does NatWest Offer a Euro Account in the UK?
Yes. NatWest offers a euro account in the UK as a foreign currency account, available to personal banking customers who already hold a NatWest current account. The NatWest euro account holds euros, supports SWIFT international transfers, and is managed through NatWest online banking and the mobile app. It is an add-on to your existing sterling banking rather than a standalone product.
What the NatWest Euro Account Includes
The NatWest foreign currency account in euros has no monthly maintenance fee. You can hold euros, send and receive SWIFT wire transfers, and view the balance in your NatWest app. For a NatWest customer who occasionally receives euros by international wire, the NatWest euro account is convenient because it sits inside banking you already use.
What the NatWest Foreign Currency Account Is Missing
The NatWest euro account is missing the features that make a euro account genuinely useful. There is no Euro IBAN, so it cannot receive SEPA transfers. There is no interest on your euro balance, and no NatWest euro savings account that pays a meaningful rate. There is no euro debit card to spend directly. And every time you convert sterling into your NatWest euro account, NatWest applies an exchange rate markup of roughly 1.5% to 2% above the real rate. For the full breakdown of what UK bank euro accounts leave out, see our UK banks euro account guide.
NatWest Euro Account Fees and Charges
The NatWest euro account has no monthly fee, but the real cost is in the exchange rate and the SWIFT charges. The NatWest euro account charges are easy to miss because the biggest one is built into the exchange rate.
The Exchange Rate Markup
When you move sterling into your NatWest euro account, NatWest converts it at a rate that includes a margin of about 1.5% to 2% above the mid-market rate. On a 2,000 GBP conversion, that is roughly 30 to 40 GBP lost before you hold a single euro. Wise converts the same amount at the mid-market rate with a fee from 0.43%, a fraction of the NatWest euro account cost.
SWIFT Transfer Fees
Outgoing international payments from the NatWest euro account are sent by SWIFT and carry a per-transfer fee plus possible correspondent bank charges. Because the NatWest foreign currency account has no Euro IBAN, it cannot use the cheaper, faster SEPA network that a Wise euro account uses. The table below compares the NatWest euro account with Wise.
Feature | NatWest Euro Account | Wise |
|---|---|---|
Euro IBAN / SEPA | No | Yes |
Monthly fee | None | None |
FX markup on GBP to EUR | 1.5% to 2% | From 0.43% |
EUR interest | No | Yes |
Euro debit card | No | Yes |
Open online without existing account | No | Yes |
Read More: Best Euro Account UK | UK Banks Euro Account Compared
How to Open a NatWest Euro Account
Opening a NatWest euro account means adding a foreign currency account to your existing NatWest banking. Here is what it involves, and the faster route if you would rather skip the bank.
NatWest Euro Account Requirements
To open the NatWest euro account, you generally need to be an existing NatWest personal banking customer. You apply for the foreign currency account through NatWest online banking or by contacting the bank, choose euros, and it links to your profile. New customers cannot open a standalone NatWest euro account without first holding a NatWest current account. There is no NatWest euro savings account paying real interest, so the account is purely for holding and moving euros.
The Faster Alternative: A Wise Euro Account
If you are not a NatWest customer, or you want the features the NatWest euro account lacks, Wise is faster and more capable. You open a Wise account online in under ten minutes with a passport or driving licence, no existing bank account required, and you get a real Euro IBAN immediately. Our guide to using Wise for international transfers shows the full flow.
Where the NatWest euro account is SWIFT only with a 1.5% to 2% markup, Wise gives you a real Euro IBAN, the mid-market rate, and a debit card. Open online in minutes, no NatWest account needed.
- Real Euro IBAN: receive SEPA transfers the NatWest euro account cannot accept
- Convert from 0.43%: versus the NatWest euro account markup of 1.5% to 2%
- EUR interest and a debit card: neither of which the NatWest foreign currency account provides
NatWest Euro Account vs Wise: The Real Comparison
Side by side, the NatWest euro account and Wise are built for different jobs. The NatWest euro account is a place to park euros inside your existing bank. Wise is a working euro account you can be paid into and spend from.
Cost: NatWest Euro Account vs Wise
On a 1,000 GBP conversion, the NatWest euro account costs roughly 15 to 20 GBP in exchange rate markup. Wise costs around 4 to 10 GBP at the mid-market rate. Over a year of monthly conversions, choosing Wise over the NatWest euro account saves you roughly 120 to 190 GBP. For larger amounts, such as buying European property, the gap widens further, as our guide to transferring large sums internationally explains.
Features: IBAN, Interest, and Card
The NatWest euro account has no Euro IBAN, no interest, and no debit card. Wise has all three. If a European employer or client needs to pay you, the NatWest euro account cannot receive a SEPA transfer, while Wise can. That is the deciding factor for anyone with euro income. Use the tool below to see what a euro transfer would actually cost you.
On a monthly 1,000 GBP to EUR conversion, the NatWest euro account costs 15 to 20 GBP in markup with no SEPA, no interest, and no card. Wise costs 4 to 10 GBP at the mid-market rate, with a Euro IBAN, interest, and a debit card. Over a year, that is 120 to 190 GBP saved.
Open a Wise account online in minutes and get a Euro IBAN the same day, something no NatWest euro account offers.
Compare a Euro Transfer Right Now
Before you rely on the NatWest euro account, compare what the same euro transfer would cost. The tool below shows Wise against the banks on a real amount.
Read More: How Long Does a Wire Transfer Take? | How to Compare International Money Transfers
NatWest Euro Account UK: Frequently Asked Questions
Does NatWest offer a euro account in the UK?
Yes. NatWest offers a euro account in the UK as a foreign currency account for existing NatWest customers. The NatWest euro account holds euros and supports SWIFT international transfers, but it has no Euro IBAN, so it cannot receive SEPA payments. It also charges an exchange rate markup of about 1.5% to 2% on conversions and pays no interest. For a euro account that can receive SEPA transfers, convert at the mid-market rate, and comes with a debit card, Wise is the widely used alternative to the NatWest euro account.
Does the NatWest euro account have a Euro IBAN for SEPA?
No. The NatWest euro account, also known as the NatWest foreign currency account, does not provide a Euro IBAN and is not connected to the SEPA network. A European employer, client, or platform cannot send a SEPA credit transfer to your NatWest euro account; the payment would fail or have to be sent as a slower, costlier SWIFT wire. Wise is the main widely available option that gives UK residents a real Euro IBAN, so if receiving euros from Europe matters, it beats the NatWest euro account.
What are the NatWest euro account charges?
The NatWest euro account has no monthly fee, but it applies an exchange rate markup of roughly 1.5% to 2% whenever you convert sterling to euros, plus SWIFT transfer fees on outgoing international payments. On a 2,000 GBP conversion, the markup alone is about 30 to 40 GBP. Wise charges a transparent fee from 0.43% at the mid-market rate, which is far cheaper than the NatWest euro account charges for most transfers.
Does the NatWest euro account pay interest?
No. The NatWest euro account does not pay interest on your euro balance, and there is no genuine NatWest euro savings account that does. Your euros sit in the foreign currency account earning nothing. Wise, by contrast, pays variable interest on euro balances, so if you want your euros to earn while you hold them, the NatWest euro account is not the right product.
How do I open a NatWest euro account?
You open a NatWest euro account by adding a euro foreign currency account to your existing NatWest current account through online banking or by contacting NatWest. You must already be a NatWest customer; there is no standalone NatWest euro account for new customers. If you are not with NatWest or want a euro account with a Euro IBAN, interest, and a debit card, you can open a Wise account online in minutes with no existing bank relationship required.
Can I get a euro debit card with the NatWest euro account?
No. The NatWest euro account does not come with a euro debit card, so you cannot spend directly from your euro balance. To spend euros you would need to convert back to sterling, incurring the NatWest markup again. Wise includes a Mastercard debit card that spends euros across Europe and the UK at the real exchange rate, which the NatWest euro account does not offer.
Is the NatWest euro account good for receiving a European salary?
Not really. Because the NatWest euro account has no Euro IBAN, it cannot receive SEPA transfers, which is how most European employers pay salaries. The payment would have to be sent as an international SWIFT wire, slower and more expensive for the sender. A Wise euro account gives you a real Euro IBAN so European salaries and client payments arrive by SEPA directly, which is why it is preferred over the NatWest euro account for euro income.
NatWest euro account or Wise: which is better?
If you only want to park euros occasionally inside your existing NatWest banking, the NatWest euro account is convenient. If you need to receive SEPA transfers, convert at the mid-market rate, earn interest, or spend euros on a card, Wise is clearly better. Wise gives you a Euro IBAN, conversion from 0.43% versus the NatWest euro account markup of 1.5% to 2%, EUR interest, and a debit card, all with online opening in minutes.
The NatWest euro account holds euros inside your existing NatWest banking and moves them by SWIFT. But with no Euro IBAN, no SEPA, no interest, no debit card, and a 1.5% to 2% exchange rate markup, it falls short for anyone who actually works with euros. Wise fills every gap with a real Euro IBAN, mid-market conversion from 0.43%, EUR interest, and a debit card, and you can open it online in minutes without a NatWest account. Compare it against the other banks in our UK banks euro account guide, or read the Lloyds euro account guide for another high street comparison.
Read More: How to Open a Euro Account in the UK | HSBC Euro Account UK | How to Use Wise
Mohammad Humaid
Verified AuthorMo is the founder of MoneyTransferStore. As an expat who has experienced the challenges of sending money across borders himself, he set out to help others like him avoid hidden fees and unfair exchange rates on international transfers. With a background spanning fintech, payments, and Web3, Mo brings years of practical experience to building a platform focused on transparency and trust.
