Quick answer
A Vietnamese bank's rate table has three columns: cash buying and transfer buying are what the bank pays for your foreign currency, and selling is what you pay to buy it. To turn 100 USD into dong, multiply by the buying rate; to buy 100 USD, multiply by the selling rate. This converter uses Vietcombank's public rates, refreshed at most every 15 minutes.
How do buying and selling rates differ?
See Vietcombank's latest rates for 20 currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, CNY, KRW, SGD, THB and more) and convert three ways: sell foreign currency for VND, buy foreign currency with VND, or convert between two foreign currencies. Choose cash or transfer to use the right column, and check the buy–sell spread and when the bank last updated its rates.
How to convert
- 1
Choose what you want to do: “Sell currency” for dong, “Buy currency” with dong, or “Cross rate” between two foreign currencies.
- 2
Pick the currency (type a code like USD or JPY to find it) and enter the amount.
- 3
When selling for VND, choose “Cash” for banknotes at the counter or “Transfer” for money arriving in your account (usually a better rate).
- 4
Read the amount you receive, the rate used and the update time; “Copy” saves the result.
- 5
Scroll to the rate table to compare every currency; the search box filters by code or name.
What the rate columns mean
| Column | Who buys, who sells | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Cash buying | The bank buys your foreign banknotes | You bring dollars, yen or other notes to a counter for dong |
| Transfer buying | The bank buys foreign currency in your account | You receive remittances, export payments or a foreign-currency salary |
| Selling | The bank sells foreign currency to you | You buy currency for study, medical care, business trips or paying abroad |
Vietcombank does not buy some currencies in cash (for example DKK, INR, KWD, MYR, NOK, RUB, SAR and SEK); that column shows “—”.
Conversion formulas
| Task | Formula |
|---|---|
| Sell foreign currency for VND | Amount × buying rate (cash or transfer) |
| Buy foreign currency with VND | VND amount ÷ selling rate |
| Convert currency A to B | Amount of A × A's transfer buying rate ÷ B's selling rate |
| Buy–sell spread | (Selling − transfer buying) ÷ transfer buying |
Examples (rates assumed for easy maths)
Changing 500 USD in cash
At an assumed cash buying rate of VND 26,000: 500 × 26,000 = VND 13,000,000. By transfer at 26,030 you would get VND 13,015,000.
Buying yen for a trip
With VND 20,000,000 and an assumed selling rate of 180 per JPY: 20,000,000 ÷ 180 ≈ 111,111 JPY. Banks usually sell only whole notes they have in stock.
EUR to USD through VND
1,000 EUR × 30,000 (EUR transfer buying) = VND 30,000,000, divided by 26,300 (USD selling) ≈ 1,140.68 USD.
Common mistakes
- Using the selling rate to change currency into dong.
- When you sell currency to the bank you get the buying rate; the selling rate only applies when you buy.
- Treating an online rate as guaranteed at the counter.
- Banks change rates several times a day and may quote differently by branch or for large amounts. Check with the bank before a big transaction.
- Comparing bank rates with street money changers.
- Trading currency at unlicensed places can be fined in Vietnam. Use a bank or a licensed exchange agent.
- Forgetting fees on transfers abroad.
- International transfers add sending and intermediary bank fees on top of the rate; the converter covers the conversion only.
Where the rates come from
Rates come from the public rate table of the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank), which the bank labels as for reference. Our server caches the table for up to 15 minutes so it doesn't keep calling the bank; the update time shown is the bank's own, in Vietnam time.
If the source stops answering for a while, the converter shows the last saved table with a warning so you know the figures may be out of date.
Why is the transfer rate better than the cash rate?
Foreign banknotes cost money to count, store and ship abroad, and carry a counterfeit risk, so banks pay less for cash. Small denominations or worn and torn notes may get an even lower rate or be refused.
Glossary
- Exchange rate
- The price of one unit of foreign currency in Vietnamese dong.
- Buying rate
- What the bank pays when it buys foreign currency from you.
- Selling rate
- What you pay when you buy foreign currency from the bank; always higher than the buying rate.
- Spread
- The gap between selling and buying rates, which the bank keeps when you convert back and forth.
- Cross rate
- The rate between two foreign currencies, derived from each one's rate against the dong.
- Central rate
- The daily USD rate published by the State Bank of Vietnam, which sets the band for commercial banks.
Frequently asked questions
How often are rates updated?
The converter refreshes the table at most every 15 minutes; Vietcombank adjusts its rates several times a day. The bank's update time is shown under the result.
Why don't rates change at the weekend?
Banks usually keep the last table from the previous business day, so rates rarely move at weekends and on public holidays.
Do you show other banks' rates?
Only Vietcombank for now, one of the most widely quoted banks. Other banks are usually within a few dozen dong for USD.
Can I get the transfer rate for cash?
No. Bringing banknotes to the counter is a cash transaction at the cash buying rate. The transfer rate is for currency already in an account.
What do I need to buy foreign currency in Vietnam?
Individuals need a lawful purpose such as study, medical treatment, business travel or tourism, plus supporting documents under State Bank rules; ask the bank for the exact paperwork.
Do you store the amounts I enter?
No. The conversion runs in your browser; the server only returns the shared rate table and never receives your amounts.
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