How Does Valuta EX Compare Exchange Rates Across Retail Markets?

Valuta EX compares retail exchange rates by showing a table of typical markups applied by different conversion channels, all measured against the mid-market rate. On the USD/EUR page, for example, the mid-market rate is listed as 1 USD = 0.87791 EUR, and the comparison table then shows what you would actually receive at markups of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%. This lets you see the cost of each channel in both percentage and currency terms before you decide where to convert.

The mid-market rate is the baseline

Valuta EX describes its published rates as mid-market rates derived from live market data and refreshed hourly. The mid-market rate is the midpoint between buy and sell prices in the wholesale currency market — it is not a rate any retail customer can actually get, but it is a fair reference point.

Every retail channel adds something on top of that baseline: a spread, a commission, or both. The comparison table makes that markup explicit instead of hiding it in a single quoted rate.

What the comparison table shows

For USD to EUR, the table lists six rows:

Two things are worth noting about how to read this:

• The 0% row is the interbank rate. It represents the theoretical best case — the mid-market rate with no markup. It is a benchmark, not an offer.
• The labeled rows are typical allowances, not guarantees. Valuta EX calls them "typical allowance of various retail currency exchange markets." Your actual ATM, card, or kiosk rate depends on your bank, your card network, and the specific operator.

The table also scales the comparison to larger amounts, so you can see the absolute cost. At the 2% ATM rate, 100 USD converts to 86 EUR instead of 87.79 EUR at the interbank rate — a difference of about 1.79 EUR on a single transaction.

How to use the comparison to pick a channel

The table is most useful as a rough ranking of cost, from cheapest to most expensive:

1. Interbank / mid-market (0%) — reference only; not accessible to retail customers.
2. Low-markup channels (1%) — often associated with multi-currency accounts or specialized transfer services.
3. ATM rate (2%) — typically includes the ATM operator's spread plus possible fixed fees not shown in the percentage.
4. Credit card rate (3%) — usually bundles a network conversion fee with the issuer's foreign transaction fee.
5. Higher markups (4%) — less common retail scenarios.
6. Kiosk rate (5%) — airport and tourist-area counters, where convenience carries the highest visible cost.

A practical way to use this: if you are deciding between withdrawing cash at an ATM abroad and paying by card, the table suggests the ATM markup (2%) is lower than the card markup (3%) in this example. But check whether your bank adds a fixed ATM fee — a flat fee can flip the ranking for small withdrawals.

What the table does not tell you

The comparison is a model, not a live quote from your bank. Keep these limits in mind:

• Fixed fees are excluded. A 2% ATM rate plus a $5 fixed fee is worse than 3% on a small withdrawal but better on a large one.
• Rates change hourly. The mid-market rate shown was updated 8 minutes before the page snapshot, and the whole table shifts with it.
• "Typical" is an average. Your specific card or bank may sit above or below the labeled row.

For a concrete decision, use the table to identify which channel is likely cheapest, then check your own provider's actual fee schedule against that assumption.

Checking a different currency pair

The same comparison structure applies to other pairs on Valuta EX. To see it for a pair you care about, open the converter, select your two currencies, and look for the comparison table below the main rate. The site covers over 160 world currencies, and each pair page follows the same mid-market-plus-markup format, so the method of reading the table stays the same even when the numbers change.