Is there a way to get USD in BA?

[elgordito]

Funny that people who accuse me here to try to "game the system", are all posting on the Western Union thread, where they teach everybody how to... game the system!

I mean, everybody who sends money to himself in Argentina via WU, is currently "shamelessly gaming the system". As one gets almost the dollar-blue exchange rate, instead of the normal inter-banking rate of 65 pesos for the dollar. Isn't that "gaming the system"?

But I guess, it's OK to "game" the AFIP and central bank of Argentina, but it's bad to game some lazy wealthy airbnb host? I personally respect the Argentine institutions, but dislike the Airbnb company.

If anything it is the AFIP and the BCRA who are 'gaming' the money of all 40 million argentinian citizens.

 

[on the brink]

Embassy employees are the worst and most cunning thieves, though, mind you.

Also, there are quite a few Argentine people who would not dream of renting to Argentinians, believe me.

Wrong on both counts.

For the past sixteen years I've been renting to diplomats without any trouble at all. Their embassies answer for them. My favorite tenants are the Russians - friendly and warm people.

And most Argentines do rent to other Argentines - two year leases, with a guarantor.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

If anything it is the AFIP and the BCRA who are 'gaming' the money of all 40 million argentinian citizens.

I just received an international wire transfer in my bank account in usd. And USD I got, not pesos at official rate.
But you have to fill on line an affidavit attaching the invoice that matches it in USD.
You cannot send yourself this way.

 

[Jeremias]

About the blue rate or contado con liqui rate, sure it is not illegal, but it is gaming the system, absolutely. Legally gaming the system, but still gaming, which I cannot condone, as a dignified expat.

 

[antipodean]

About the blue rate or contado con liqui rate, sure it is not illegal, but it is gaming the system, absolutely. Legally gaming the system, but still gaming, which I cannot condone, as a dignified expat.

Not quite. Argentina wants dollars to come in, it does not want dollars to go out. That is primarily why CCL and MEP exist and are regulated by the government. Western Union is regulated and overseen by the government / BCRA with dollars paid into the banking system, not sitting outside of it in cash. If they were doing something not in the interests of the treasury they would be shut down in a second like we have seen recently with changes to what has access to CCL. For this reason if you want to send money out of Argentina with WU to turn those pesos back into dollars, you get half as much.

Many Argentines with USD in accounts here wanting pesos en blanco simply use MEP to turn it into pesos, getting much more than if they got the pesos out from the bank in cash. Again, totally overseen and made possible by the government and BCRA.

Blue rate however is "blue" for a reason. As Argentines often say to me, "Blue is not legal but it's ethical; Black is not legal or ethical."

 

[Bajo_cero2]

About the blue rate or contado con liqui rate, sure it is not illegal, but it is gaming the system, absolutely. Legally gaming the system, but still gaming, which I cannot condone, as a dignified expat.

The blue in fact is illegal.

 

[Jeremias]

Not quite. Argentina wants dollars to come in, it does not want dollars to go out. That is primarily why CCL and MEP exist and are regulated by the government. Western Union is regulated and overseen by the government / BCRA with dollars paid into the banking system, not sitting outside of it in cash. If they were doing something not in the interests of the treasury they would be shut down in a second like we have seen recently with changes to what has access to CCL. For this reason if you want to send money out of Argentina with WU to turn those pesos back into dollars, you get half as much.

Many Argentines with USD in accounts here wanting pesos en blanco simply use MEP to turn it into pesos, getting much more than if they got the pesos out from the bank in cash. Again, totally overseen and made possible by the government and BCRA.

Blue rate however is "blue" for a reason. As Argentines often say to me, "Blue is not legal but it's ethical; Black is not legal or ethical."

Are you saying that the State actually is "gaming" itself, in order to bring dollars in? Or is the State allowing, encouraging even, you to "game" them , so that you bring dollars in?

You're right of course; The Western Union rate is allowed to exist so that dollars come in, and are exchanged for freshly printed pesos. Much respect to you for understanding it.

Still, it changes nothing regarding my point. Yes the State secretly wants you to game them at WU, but still, fact remains that you get 120 pesos for your dollar while an honest Argentine does not. Each time you use WU, you game, you're into viveza territory, which I am told is bad and un-retentive.

 

[antipodean]

I don't think it is a case of "gaming" anyone - take taxes for example, not really any different. In most countries there are taxes but there are also tax exceptions and deductions that a taxpayer needs to first claim in order to benefit from. These claims need to be legitimate to be legal.

It has nothing to do with viveza any more than a Swede claiming a tax deduction. There is no malintent involved unless they chose to fake the deduction they claimed, in which case it crosses into viveza territory.

FYI Honest Argentines use the MEP, which gets them something similar to WU rates.

 

[Jeremias]

I don't think it is a case of "gaming" anyone - take taxes for example, not really any different. In most countries there are taxes but there are also tax exceptions and deductions that a taxpayer needs to first claim in order to benefit from. These claims need to be legitimate to be legal.

It has nothing to do with viveza any more than a Swede claiming a tax deduction. There is no malintent involved unless they chose to fake the deduction they claimed, in which case it crosses into viveza territory.

FYI Honest Argentines use the MEP, which gets them something similar to WU rates.

How did they "honestly" get enough money to ever invest in the Bolsa? What's their (honest, lol, as if) secret?

The honest Argentines I know, do not live in Puerto Madero and have no shares in multinational companies. Honest, and rich, in Argentina? Except Del Potro and Ciro, I know none. How would you honestly get rich and invest in shares in Argentina, do tell, please, I have twenty Argentine friends who would love to know the trick.

 

[antipodean]

For most Argentines, it’s from a salary payment. For others interest from a plazo fijo or income from renting out their dead grandmas old and hard to sell apartment that they inherited.

Since there is no way to save in pesos they would go to the bank or logon to their banking app on payday and buy a few dollars, whatever they could afford $50 or $500 - like they still do today even with the $200 limit. And I’m talking about regular middle class Argentines where it is customary to give your kids / grandkids a crisp $20 bill as a birthday present.

Although it sounds intimidating, the bond is just the vehicle and bolsa is just the venue in a MEP exchange. There are no real minimums involved; buy bond for X amount, park bond for some days, bond goes up or down, sell bond, cash out, print receipt.

Most Argentines still prefer to keep their life savings of dollars under the mattress and sell it in a cueva when they need pesos as they don’t trust BCRA in regards to keeping money safe in USD accounts after 2001. But if you are a totally ethical person or need to buy something that requires “clean” funds then it is better to do MEP as you can document where it came from on its legal journey from peso to dollar to pesos.