How to send money to Bolivia in 2026: dollars to your own account in 1-3 business days and bolivianos at a floating rate
The easiest way to send money to Bolivia is in dollars to your own account at a Bolivian bank: a bank transfer takes 1-3 business days, and you change it into bolivianos on the day you need at a floating rate close to the official one. You need the account number, an 8- or 11-character bank code and the name.
In short
- The boliviano has floated since 26 June 2026; for many years before it was 6.96 per dollar.
- Official rate on 7 October 2026: 11.97, on 8 October: 11.85.
- A bank sells a dollar for no more than the official rate plus 10 centavos.
- The financial transactions tax was abolished by Law 1717 from 11 April 2026.
In detail
In 2026 the simplest way to send money to Bolivia is a bank transfer in dollars to your own account at a Bolivian bank: the sum takes 1-3 business days, and you exchange it into bolivianos on the day you choose at a rate close to the official one. Since 26 June 2026 that rate has floated: on 7 October it was 11.97 bolivianos per dollar. The financial transactions tax on Bolivian accounts was abolished in April 2026.
| Method | On 8 October 2026 | Currency | Time | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer from abroad to your own account | works | dollars or bolivianos | 1-3 business days | account number, an 8- or 11-character bank code, name |
| Exchanging dollars at a Bolivian bank | at a floating rate since 26 June 2026 | bolivianos | on the day you apply | a bank account and passport |
| Money transfer system | works | dollars, bolivianos | from minutes to a day | the recipient's name and ID |
| Paying a home seller | works | dollars or bolivianos per the contract | 1-3 business days | contract, documents on the origin of the money |
Official Central Bank of Bolivia rate on 7 October 2026: 11.97 bolivianos per dollar. Table checked on 8 October 2026, dollar amounts rounded up.
The new boliviano rate since June 2026: how it is set
Until the end of June 2026 the rate stood for many years at 6.96 bolivianos per dollar. On 26 June 2026 the Ministry of Economy and the Central Bank of Bolivia moved the country to a floating rate, and the official rate is now calculated daily: it is the average rate at which banks bought dollars from clients during the day before 17:00.
The Central Bank publishes the rate every business day at 20:00, and it applies on the next business day; at weekends and on holidays the rate of the last business day applies. A bank may sell a dollar to a client for no more than the official rate plus 10 centavos. Rates for October 2026:
| Date | Official rate, bolivianos per dollar | Maximum bank selling rate |
|---|---|---|
| 7 October 2026 | 11.97 | 12.07 |
| 8 October 2026 | 11.85 | 11.95 |
| 9 October 2026 | 11.85 | 11.95 |
The rate moves by 1% in a single day: on 7 October a dollar cost 11.97 bolivianos, and on 8 October 11.85. On $50,000 that is 6,000 bolivianos, or $510. That is why money is kept in dollars and exchanged into bolivianos in portions as you spend.
Does your bank not send payments to Bolivia directly? There are usually more options than it seems: tell a manager about your situation, and they will choose a legal transfer route for your amount and sending country.
No financial transactions tax: what changed in April 2026
Law 1717 of 10 April 2026 abolished Bolivia's financial transactions tax, which since 2006 had been withheld on money moving through accounts. The law took effect on the day of publication, 11 April 2026, with no transition period: crediting a transfer, withdrawing and moving dollars between accounts are no longer subject to this tax.
Together with the floating rate this makes a dollar account in Bolivia a convenient place for money for a home or living costs: dollars sit there with no transactions tax, and are exchanged into bolivianos at the market rate on the day you need.
Life in the country's constitutional capital is described in the Sucre guide.
We will help you send money to Bolivia
Mistakes cost more than fees: the whole sum exchanged into bolivianos on one day at a poor rate, dollars bought above the official rate plus 10 centavos, a transfer sent through a chain of correspondent banks with extra fees, a bank with no statements on the money's path. We will help you avoid them: we choose a legal transfer route from your country, prepare source-of-funds documents for the Bolivian bank and carry out the transfer through licensed partners until the money is credited.
Details and cost are with a manager in the chat: the calculation depends on the amount, the sending country and the purpose of the transfer.
Source-of-funds documents for a bank in Bolivia
A Bolivian bank asks about the money in more detail as the sum grows. Data for 2026:
| Amount | What the bank in Bolivia will check | What to show |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | recipient and purpose | account details, an explanation |
| $10,000-100,000 | source of the money | account statement, income certificate |
| From $100,000 | the whole money chain | sale contract, tax return, account statements |
How to gather these papers is covered in proof of source of funds, sending large sums abroad and moving home sale proceeds abroad.
Sending $100,000 or more to Bolivia for a home or your own business? A manager will prepare source-of-funds documents for the Bolivian bank and carry out the transfer through licensed partners until the money is credited; ways to move capital are on the capital relocation page.
From La Paz and Santa Cruz: where money is sent
From Bolivia money most often goes to relatives and for study:
- Argentina - dollars arrive on the account as the same sum
- Brazil - reais and a 0.38% tax
- Spain - euros from the EU in 10 seconds
- USA - an account for a foreigner with a passport
Sending money to nearby countries
- Paraguay - dollars or guaraníes to an account
- Peru - soles and dollars
- Chile - a unit of account in prices
- Ecuador - the US dollar instead of its own currency
- Colombia - a 4 per 1,000 tax
Moving capital as a whole is covered on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
What is the official dollar rate in Bolivia in October 2026?
Does the rate of 6.96 bolivianos per dollar still apply in Bolivia?
Is there a tax on transactions on a dollar account in Bolivia?
At what rate does a bank in Bolivia sell dollars?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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