IBAN accounts in different currencies & iCard Messenger Are Finally Here

Wo whoe! Entering into 2019 has been so exciting already for the iCard digital wallet development team!

We’ve been working on some big new releases in the background, while also perfecting the current features and overall app experience.

The first two big things we rolled out in BETA in January are IBAN accounts in different currencies and a native chat messenger!

I know you’ve been asking and waiting for those for a while, that’s why the whole team is so proud and happy to deliver:

iCard messenger

You can now text with family and friends directly in the native chat messenger in iCard digital wallet. You can instantly send them money and eGiftCards after going through the quick video identification process.

This is a very handy feature that brings you even closer to the people that matter to you most.

Few ideas on how to use the chat:

1. Keep in touch with relatives abroad and easily send them free and instant money transfer as you chat.

2. Organize a party at home and use the chat to invite friends and split the cost.

3. Discuss with your friends where to spend your summer vacation this year. Designate someone to be the most responsible person in the group and send him/her money for the hotel booking directly through the chat!

4. Send an e-Gift Card with the tap of a button while you are chatting and surprise your loved ones with this unexpected gesture! Here is a great resource to learn more about why giving money as a gift is actually a great solution, plus a few creative ideas on how to use e-GiftCards with the chat.

5. Remind your colleagues that they haven’t chipped in money for the dinner last night and collect the money directly through the chat.

Don’t forget that you need to be a verified iCard user with a Standard account.

2. Accounts in different currencies

This is a feature we know many of you asked for!

In the new iCard 6.0 update you’d be able to open up to 3 additional accounts in each of the 7 currencies now available to you! And best of all – there is no additional cost for you! All you need is to be on the free Standard plan.

Important!
Your primary account will remain the one that was initially created during registration.

Few other things you need to know:

1. When adding money to your iCard digital wallet you’d be able to choose which account you want to fund.
2. You can easily transfer money between your different accounts with no fees.
3. When you order your iCard Visa debit card you can link it to an account of your choice; the card will always use this account’s balance.
4. You’d be able to choose a different account for each of your virtual cards when ordering them.
5. You can select which account to use when making a SEPA or SWIFT wire transfer or when sending an internal iCard transfer to a friend.
6. Currently, when sending an eGiftCard it will take money from your primary account. Very soon we will add the option to choose an account when sending eGiftCards too, stay tuned!

How to benefit from accounts in different currencies

One thing multiple accounts in different currencies are great for is to let you save time and money when you travel, live abroad for a while or when you shop online.

Smart travels:

Imagine you are from Italy and you travel a lot, or you are about to spend a month or two on a business or study abroad trip in the UK, or maybe just a short vacation to visit family or friends.

Every time you use your Italian debit card to withdraw cash in the UK you’d be charged а higher ATM withdrawal fee + when your money is exchanged to British pounds, it is very likely you’d also lose money on the exchange rate.

Even if you pay with your debit card directly on POS terminals, every amount will be converted to GBP at the time of payment. Each time the exchange rate will be different and in most cases not in your favour.

Going to a bank and trying to open a local account that you’d only use for a couple of months is a complete waste of time and also money.

Instead, you can simply verify your identity with iCard and create a GBP account in your digital wallet – completely free and in a matter of minutes! You could then order a new iCard Visa, and choose to add it to your brand new GBP account and enjoy your life in the UK!

Smart online shopping:

Sometimes the best deals online could be found on local International websites and local online markets. While online shopping has no borders, how many of you think about the hidden cost of exchange rates when ordering something internationally? This is something you wouldn’t probably notice right away or may not pay attention to at all. Sometimes the extra charge could amount for few % of the cost of the purchase, would you notice then?

Let’s say you found a great electronics store in Romania. You already know that using your virtual cards is the smart choice for safe online shopping but what if your virtual card is actually connected to your account in RON? You will shop as a local and will never worry about how much your order will actually cost you.

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Let us know in the comments below if you think the iCard chat and IBAN accounts in different currencies will be useful for you! We want to hear your stories, feedback and recommendations!

Don’t forget to share this article with anyone you think might benefit from the iCard digital wallet!

Haven’t installed iCard yet? Get it today!