STC Bank International Transfer Fee 2026: Every Country, Local Fees and How to Send (Formerly STC Pay)

Last updated: 26 October 2026

The STC Bank international transfer fee is SAR 15 to India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Egypt, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and a few other countries, SAR 20 to the Gulf, Jordan, Iraq, China and several more, and SAR 25 to the rest of the world. Transfers to Pakistan are free from SAR 375 and cost SAR 15 below that. Every fee is before 15% VAT, so SAR 15 becomes SAR 17.25 at checkout. STC Bank is the new name of stc pay: same app, same login, now a licensed digital bank.

Many expats in Saudi Arabia still call it stc pay, and most of the guides you find online still describe the old wallet. Since January 2025 the app works as a full bank, with its own IBAN, mada and Visa cards and a published fee table. This guide puts that fee table in one place, shows what it costs in practice for the countries most of our readers send to, and explains the local transfer fees, the receive options and what to do when a transfer is blocked.

STC Bank International Transfer Fee at a Glance

International transfers in the STC Bank app go through Western Union. The fee depends only on the country you send to, not on the amount (Pakistan is the one exception). Figures below are from STC Bank’s international transfer page, read on 26 October 2026.

The fee is only half of what a transfer costs. Western Union also earns on the exchange rate, and STC Bank does not publish that margin. Before you confirm, look at the amount your family will receive in rupees, pesos or taka and compare it with the live rate on our SAR to INR, SAR to PHP or SAR to PKR pages. If the gap is large, the “cheap” fee is not cheap.

Is STC Pay the Same as STC Bank?

Yes. stc pay was Saudi Arabia’s first licensed fintech wallet. The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) approved its move to a digital bank in 2024, ran a limited beta, and on 28 January 2025 gave STC Bank its no-objection to start full banking operations. The app on your phone was renamed and updated; you did not need a new account.

Two things did change for old stc pay users:

• New IBAN. stc pay wallets used IBANs held at Arab National Bank (ANB) or Riyad Bank. STC Bank’s official FAQ says those old numbers are cancelled and replaced by a new STC Bank account number and IBAN. If your salary or a family member’s standing transfer still points to the old IBAN, change it.
• Bank-style fee table. Fees now follow STC Bank’s published product and service fee list, the same way every other Saudi bank publishes its charges.

STC Bank International Transfer Fee by Country: What It Costs in Practice

Pakistan

Pakistan gets the lowest STC Bank international transfer fee on the list: no STC Bank fee on transfers of SAR 375 or more, and SAR 15 plus VAT below that. If you usually send small amounts every week, it is cheaper to send one transfer of SAR 375 or more. On the Pakistani side, home remittances of USD 200 or more through official channels stay free at the receiving end, as our money transfer comparison explains. Check the rate on our SAR to PKR today page before you send.

India

India costs SAR 15 before VAT, whatever the amount. For a family that receives SAR 2,000 a month, that is under 1% in fees, but the exchange rate matters more: a small difference in the INR rate on SAR 2,000 can be worth more than the fee. Compare with our SAR to INR today page.

Philippines (bank, cash pickup or wallet)

The Philippines is in the SAR 15 group. STC Bank’s international transfer page lists three ways to receive: deposit to a bank account, cash pickup, or a wallet. Many Filipino workers want to send to GCash. The official page does not name GCash, so open the transfer screen in the app, choose the Philippines and check whether the wallet option shows GCash for your recipient before you promise your family a delivery method. The peso rate is on our SAR to PHP today page.

Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Egypt and Indonesia

All of these cost SAR 15 before VAT. For Bangladesh, compare the taka rate on our SAR to BDT page, since the rate gap between providers is often bigger than the fee.

Gulf countries, Jordan, Turkey and the rest

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Turkey, China, Ethiopia and Kenya cost SAR 20. Any country not named in STC Bank’s table falls under “all other countries” at SAR 25.

STC Bank Local Transfer Fees and Other Charges

Inside Saudi Arabia, STC Bank follows the same small fees as other banks for instant transfers. From the official fee list (before VAT):

Note the two international routes, because the STC Bank international transfer fee depends on which one you pick: the Western Union transfer (SAR 15 to 25) and a direct transfer to a bank abroad (SAR 50). For normal family remittances the Western Union route is cheaper. If you travel, the card charges are similar to what we found in our guide to mada card withdrawals abroad.

How to Send an International Transfer With STC Bank

1. Open the latest version of the STC Bank app (it replaced stc pay; the publisher is Saudi Digital Payments Company).
2. Open the international transfer section and add a beneficiary: country, receive method (bank account, cash pickup or wallet) and the recipient’s details exactly as on their ID or bank record.
3. Enter the amount in riyals or in the receiving currency, and read the exchange rate and the amount the recipient gets.
4. Check the fee line: the STC Bank international transfer fee shown should match the country table above, plus VAT.
5. Confirm and keep the reference number. You can track the transfer in the app.

Based on real expat experience in KSA, most failed transfers come from small mismatches: a recipient name spelled differently from the passport, a missing middle name, or an old bank account number. Copy the details from the recipient’s bank app, not from memory.

“International Transfer Is Not Allowed” on STC Bank: What to Check

This message is searched more than the fee itself. STC Bank does not publish a list of causes, so work through the checks that apply to every Saudi bank:

• Expired iqama. SAMA rules restrict an expat’s accounts once the iqama expires, and transfers are often blocked from the expiry date. Check your date with our iqama expiry check, renew, then refresh your ID in the app. Our guide on a frozen Saudi bank account explains the stages.
• Mobile number not in your name. Banks match your mobile number to your iqama. If your SIM is registered to someone else or to a border number, fix it first (how to link a mobile number with your iqama).
• Old app version. Install the latest version; older stc pay builds lose features after the move to the bank.
• Still blocked? Raise a ticket in the app or on stcbank.com.sa, or call STC Bank support (below). Ask which document or limit is holding the transfer.

Opening an STC Bank Account as an Expat

STC Bank has no branches. You open and run the account in the app. From the bank’s own FAQ:

• You must be 18 or older.
• There is no minimum balance, and opening a current account is free.
• You can receive your salary: give your employer the account number and IBAN.
• You can pay a domestic worker’s salary through Musaned and it arrives the same day (see domestic worker salary transfer rules).
• You can send money to contacts by phone number, account number or IBAN.

Before you start, make sure your iqama is valid and your mobile number is registered to it. If you are choosing a main salary bank, compare STC Bank with the branch banks in our best bank in Saudi Arabia for expats guide.

STC Bank vs Other Ways to Send Money Home

On published fees, the STC Bank international transfer fee is one of the lowest for the SAR 15 countries and the clear winner for Pakistan above SAR 375. It is not always the best rate. barq, Al Rajhi Tahweel, Enjaz and others publish their own fees and offers, and the exchange rate changes daily. Our comparison of the best money transfer services in Saudi Arabia puts them side by side by country. Expats in Saudi Arabia sent home a record amount last year (GCC remittances 2025), so providers compete hard; it pays to check two apps before a big transfer.

STC Bank Customer Care Number and Help Channels

• Inside Saudi Arabia: 8001180008 (toll-free)
• From outside Saudi Arabia: +966 920011444
• X (Twitter): @AskSTCBank
• Email: info@stcbank.com.sa
• Complaints and requests: ticket form on stcbank.com.sa

If the bank does not solve a complaint, you can escalate to SAMA through its consumer complaints service. Need to top up an stc mobile line instead? That is a different service: see our stc balance check guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: STC Bank international transfer page (Western Union fee table), product and service fees page and support FAQ, stcbank.com.sa; Saudi Central Bank announcement of 28 January 2025. Fees exclude 15% VAT. Read in October 2026.