Best Way to Send Money to China from Japan (JPY to CNY)

📈 JPY to CNY Exchange Rate: The biggest factor when you send Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan

The exchange rate on your Japan to China money transfer is the single biggest factor determining your overall JPY cost — and how many Chinese Yuan your recipient actually receives.

To analyze exchange rates, we use the exchange rate markup (also called FX margin) — the difference between the mid-market exchange rate^ⓘThe mid-market exchange rate (also called the interbank rate) is the real JPY to CNY exchange rate before providers add their margin or fees. and the rate your provider actually offers you.

Here is what 5 years of historical data shows for FX markup on Japanese Yen to China transfers:

• Average markup: 1.72%
• Median markup: 1.34%
• Lowest markup: -0.18%^ⓘA negative markup generally represents a promotional exchange rate whereby a provider offers an exchange rate that is even higher than the mid-market rate, often on smaller amounts.
• Highest markup: 9.92%

That is a spread of 10.10 percentage points between the lowest and highest observed FX markups.

To put this into perspective — on a JPY 17000 transfer, that spread is CNY 1,717.00 in differences purely from the exchange rate. On a JPY 42000 transfer, that gap grows to CNY 4,242.00.

🛠️ How to use this insight: When comparing providers for Japan to China remittances, pay close attention to the exchange rate you receive. A small difference in the FX markup can quickly outweigh other factors like fees, and the gap generally grows as transfer amounts increase.

The JPY to CNY exchange rate is the single most critical factor in the cost of your transfer. When comparing providers, always check the rate first — it matters more than you might expect.

🏦 Are banks more expensive than money transfer services for Japan to China money transfers?

When we compared Japan banks with money transfer providers based on 5 years of remittance data, we noticed some patterns.

We observed that traditional banks charged 8.44 percentage points more on average than money transfer providers for Japan to China remittances.

This means banks are roughly 2.05x more expensive for sending JPY to China.

Here are the key stats behind this comparison:

🛠️ How to use this insight: Whilst banks in Japan may offer convenience and familiarity, money transfer providers often deliver lower overall cost due to their better exchange rates and lower fees. Even if you want use your bank in Japan, we recommend comparing with money transfer companies to find your best options.

📊 Does sending more money reduce the cost to remit money from Japan to China?

To see if transfer cost varies based on the amount sent, we compared the average cost of sending JPY 17000 vs JPY 42000 from Japan to China.

We found that sending a higher amount (JPY 42000) is typically cheaper — average cost drops from 9.82% to 5.08%, a reduction of 4.74 percentage points.

The cost of your transfer usually continues to drop as transfer amount increases. That said, always check the latest exchange rates and fees for your intended transfer amount.

🛠️ How to use this insight: Since it is generally cheaper to send higher Japanese Yen amounts to China, consider consolidating smaller, more frequent transfers into fewer, larger ones. Doing so may reduce the total cost you pay.

🏛 How competitive is the market for sending money to China from Japan?

Based on data from the last 5 years, Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan money transfers are provided on an average by 11 remittance companies. With this number of providers, we consider the level of market competition to be competitive.

A remittance market with more active providers is typically more competitive. This means you can get a better pricing and more payment and delivery options for your Japan to China remittances.

This is why comparing providers is especially important when you transfer money from Japan to China.

⏱️ How fast can you transfer Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan?

If your recipient in China needs funds urgently, transfer speed becomes just as important as cost when sending money.

Here is what we see for Japan to China transfers:

• Average transfer time: About 37 hours (~1.5 days).
• Fastest transfer time: About less than 1 hour.
• Slowest transfer time: About 144 hours (~6.0 days).
• Average speed at JPY 17000: About 37 hours (~1.5 days).
• Average speed at JPY 42000: About 37 hours (~1.5 days).

In many cases, the fastest providers are not always the cheapest, so balancing speed and cost is important when you transfer JPY to China.

🛠️ How to use this insight: If you need to send money from Japan to China in a hurry, compare providers not just on exchange rate, but also on expected speed. Speed also varies based on the delivery method (bank vs cash vs wallet) you choose for China.

Transfer speed for Japan to China money transfers can vary widely across providers. For time-sensitive transfers, compare speed alongside cost and choose faster payment and delivery methods.

Frequently Asked Questions: Sending money to China from Japan

These FAQs use data from RemitFinder's historical analysis of Japan to China money transfers over several years.

• What factors affect the total cost of sending money from Japan to China?

  The total cost of your Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan money transfer depends on how you fund the transaction (payment method), how the recipient receives it (delivery method), the exchange rate you get, and any transfer fee charged by the provider.

  To avoid overpaying for your transfer, compare money transfer providers.

• How much does the exchange rate affect transferring money to China from Japan?

  Historical Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan exchange rate markup ranges from -0.18% to 9.92%, a spread of 10.10 percentage points. Even small differences in the exchange rate markup can impact your final payout significantly.

• Can you get a better-than-market rate when you send Japanese Yen to China?

  Sometimes, money transfer providers may offer promotional exchange rates that are better than the mid-market exchange rate, resulting in a negative JPY to CNY remittance rate markup.

  Such offers are generally limited by transfer amount, eligibility, or duration. Compare providers to see if you can take advantage of any ongoing special offers.

• Exchange Rate vs Transfer Fee: What matters more when you send money to China from Japan?

  Exchange rate markup ranges from -0.18% to 9.92% (a spread of 10.10 percentage points).

  Transfer fees range from JPY 0.00 to JPY 7500.00, which equals roughly 44.12% on a JPY 17000.00 transfer.

  At both JPY 17000.00 and JPY 42000.00, the transfer fee shows larger variation than the other component.

  Regardless, our recommendation is that it is important to compare both exchange rates and fees when choosing a provider for Japan to China money transfers.

  As the transfer amount increases, the % impact of fees decreases (because the fee gets spread across a larger JPY amount), whilst exchange rate markup remains a percentage-based cost that can scale with transfer size.

  For smaller transfers, fees can matter more, whilst for larger transfers, exchange rate often becomes the bigger driver. Either way, comparing both helps you get the most CNY for your JPY.

• How much can costs vary between providers when sending money from Japan to China?

  Historical transfer cost ranges from 0.34% to 46.08% for JPY transfers to China. That is a spread of 45.74 percentage points, indicating significant differences between various money transfer providers.

  A major contributor to this variation is exchange rate markup. FX markup alone ranges from -0.18% to 9.92% (a spread of 10.10 percentage points). Thus, even small differences in FX margin can have a big impact on the final CNY payout.

• Why do Money Transfer Providers charge different rates for Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan money transfers?

  If you send the same Japanese Yen amount to China via different providers, the cost of each transfer will be different because of variations in FX markup, fees, and payment and delivery methods.

  Even small differences among all the above factors can change the final CNY payout in China in a big way.

• How stable are the costs to remit money to China from Japan?

  When we analyzed the historical total cost for JPY to CNY transfers, we observed a range from 0.34% to 46.08% (45.74 percentage points difference), along with a variability (standard deviation) of 6.57%.

  A major driver of cost in this market is exchange rate markup. FX markup ranges from -0.18% to 9.92% (10.10 percentage points difference), with a standard deviation of 1.49%. Fees and payment/delivery method choices can contribute to further volatility.

  This is exactly why we recommend comparing money transfer providers to get the most of your Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan transfers.

• Which Payment Method is the cheapest to send money from Japan to China?

  Cash is the cheapest payment method in Japan based on its average cost at 8.96% (compared to Debit Card at 12.11%, a difference of 3.15 percentage points).

  Based on this, we recommend paying for your JPY transfer with Cash, and avoiding Debit Card if possible.

• Is Debit Card cheaper than Credit Card when you transfer money to China from Japan?

  Credit Card is cheaper on average when sending money to China from Japan since it costs 12.11% (compared to 12.11% for Credit Card payments, a difference of 0.00 percentage points).

  As a result, we recommend that you avoid paying for your transfer to China with a Credit Card.

• Which Delivery Method is cheapest when you remit money to China from Japan?

  Cash Pickup is the cheapest delivery method in China as it costs 6.63% (compared to Bank Deposit at 11.67%, a spread of 5.04 percentage points).

  If your recipient in China can accept Cash Pickup, we recommend choosing it as your preferred delivery option for Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan transfers.

• Is Bank Deposit cheaper than Cash Pickup when you send money to China from Japan?

  Cash Pickup is cheaper for Japanese Yen transfers to China given its 11.67% average cost (versus 6.63% for Cash Pickup, a difference of 5.04 percentage points).

  To save more, consider choosing the cheapest delivery option for China.

• What is the cheapest way to send money from Japan to China?

  We evaluated 6 payment and delivery method combinations for Japan to China remittances.

  Based on historical data, Cash → Cash Pickup is the cheapest combination with 6.26% cost.

  At the other end of the spectrum, Cash → Bank Deposit is the most expensive combination at 14.19% cost. That is a difference of 7.93 percentage points between the cheapest and most expensive combinations.

  Money transfer providers price payment and delivery methods for Japan to China remittances differently. As you compare options, look for the cheapest combination to maximize the value of your JPY to CNY transfers.

• Does sending more money reduce the cost to transfer money to China from Japan?

  Larger Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan transfers are cheaper on average.

  The cost of a JPY 17000 transfer averages 9.82% as compared to 5.08% for a JPY 42000 transfer, a difference of 4.74 percentage points.

• How long does it take to send JPY to CNY money transfers?

  Based on our analysis, the average transfer time for Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan transfers is 37 hours (~1.5 days), with the fastest transfers completing in less than one hour and the slowest in 144 hours (~6.0 days).

• Can you instantly transfer money from Japan to China?

  Yes, historical data shows that some transfers to China from Japan can complete in less than one hour.

  Note that the actual speed of your JPY to CNY transfer will depend on the chosen provider, payment method, delivery method, and eligibility checks.

• Are banks more expensive than money transfer companies for Japan to China remittances?

  Banks in Japan are more expensive than money transfer providers.

  The average cost of banks is 16.46% compared to 8.03% for money transfer providers in Japan, a difference of 8.44 percentage points.

• Why do banks charge more to remit money from Japan to China?

  Bank transfers in Japan cost 16.46% compared to 8.03% for money transfer companies.

  The difference is often due to the fact that banks in Japan provide lower exchange rates and charge higher wire transfer fees.

• How competitive is the market for sending money from Japan to China?

  Based on historical data, the competition level in Japan to China is considered competitive with 11 active providers.

  Money transfer providers represent about 81.8% of identified providers in Japan.

• Can you overpay if you do not compare providers before transferring money to China from Japan?

  Historically, total JPY to CNY transfer cost has varied by 45.74 percentage points. On a JPY 17000 transfer, that can translate to JPY 7775.80 in savings.

  Japanese Yen to Chinese Yuan exchange rate markup also varies across providers. The average markup spread has been about 10.10 percentage points. On a JPY 17000 transfer, that could be JPY 1717.00 saved from FX alone.

  Fees can also make a big difference in this market, with a difference of about JPY 7500.00 across providers.

  That is why comparing providers can materially change how much of the JPY you send your recipient receives in China.