How to send money to Tuvalu in 2026: Australian dollars in 1-3 business days to the only bank on Funafuti and to family on the islands
In 2026 Tuvalu pays in Australian dollars, and all transfers are received by one state bank on Funafuti. We explain how to send money to family on any of the nine islands, what the union with Australia with 280 places a year changes, why the country has a trust fund from 1987 and which papers are needed for each sum.
Money is sent to Tuvalu in Australian dollars to an account at the National Bank of Tuvalu, the country's only commercial bank, owned by the state. Its head office is in Vaiaku on Funafuti atoll, with agencies on all eight outer islands. From Australia a transfer arrives without exchange; US dollars and euros are converted by the bank.
| From where and to where | What works on 9 October 2026 | Time |
|---|---|---|
| from Australia to Funafuti | in Australian dollars, without exchange | 1-3 business days |
| from New Zealand | New Zealand dollars are exchanged into Australian dollars | 2-4 business days |
| from the US and Europe | exchange into Australian dollars at the bank's rate | 3-5 business days |
| to family on an outer island | to the recipient's account, the bank's agency on their island pays out the money | 2-5 business days |
Checked on 9 October 2026; 1 Australian dollar at the European Central Bank rate of 7 October 2026 was worth 0.6951 US dollars, so 1,000 Australian dollars come to about $700.
The National Bank of Tuvalu: head office on Funafuti and agencies on 8 islands
The bank was founded in 1980 and has been wholly owned by the state since 1995. Tuvalu has no central bank of its own, so Australian banknotes are in circulation, and since 1976 also Tuvalu's own coins, which are equal to Australian ones.
In April 2025 the bank got its first five ATMs and 30 payment terminals. Card payments are only just beginning, so a transfer to an account is the most reliable way to send money. A manager will tell you which details are needed for crediting on an outer island.
Funafuti is the capital and the country's only town; more about it is on the Funafuti page.
We will help you send money to Tuvalu
Mistakes cost more than fees: US dollars exchanged into Australian dollars at a poor rate, a transfer without the recipient's island, rent paid without a written contract and a large sum without papers on its source. We will help you avoid them: we will choose the route and currency of the transfer, gather the source-of-funds documents for the bank on Funafuti and carry out the transfer through licensed partners through to crediting.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: much depends on the sum, the currency and the purpose of the transfer.
The Falepili Union with Australia: 280 places a year
Tuvalu and Australia signed the Falepili Union treaty on 9 November 2023, and it came into force on 28 August 2024. Under it, up to 280 citizens of Tuvalu a year, together with their families, receive permanent residence in Australia by ballot, and no job offer is needed for this.
For the first registration, from 16 June to 18 July 2025, 8,750 applications were submitted including family members, with a fee of 25 Australian dollars. New Zealand holds a ballot for another 75 places a year. So more and more money reaches Tuvalu from relatives in Australia and New Zealand.
The Tuvalu Trust Fund since 1987: what the budget rests on
In 1987 Tuvalu, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom created the Tuvalu Trust Fund under an international agreement. The country covers part of its budget from the fund's income, so the state pays salaries and benefits steadily, and the Australian dollar remains the only currency of settlement.
If you are paying for a project, construction or a house rental in Tuvalu, there are usually more options than it seems: a manager will choose a route.
The fund's main account preserves the real value of the investments, and income above it passes to the Consolidated Investment Fund, from which the government takes money for the budget.
A transfer to Funafuti: documents by amount
Up to $10,000. The National Bank will accept a transfer with a purpose: family support, studies, medical care.
$10,000-100,000. You need six months of statements and a document on the source of the money: an income certificate, a sale contract or a gift agreement.
From $100,000. A deal contract and a file on the source of wealth are prepared; details are in proof of source of funds and sending large sums abroad, and moving capital on the capital relocation page. A manager in the chat will work out the cost of sending such a sum.
From Funafuti to Australia, New Zealand and Kiribati
To Australia money goes in the same currency: to family, for studies and for housing. For New Zealand Australian dollars are exchanged into New Zealand dollars. In Kiribati and Nauru payments are made without exchange.
Sending money to neighbouring countries
- How to send money to Kiribati
- How to send money to Nauru
- How to send money to Vanuatu
- How to send money to Australia
- How to send money to New Zealand
- How to send money to Samoa
All countries and moving capital step by step are in the capital relocation section.
FAQ
How many banks are there in Tuvalu?
Does Tuvalu have its own currency?
How many places a year does the Falepili Union with Australia provide?
How many ATMs are there in Tuvalu?
Who created the Tuvalu Trust Fund?
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.
Check transfer termsHow we handle a transfer: 4 stages → · Country rules checked