Overseas Bank Accounts With Good Forex Rates?

[Somewhereinba]

Can someone please recommend me a bank that I can set up an account with? I get paid in USD and have a bank account in Aus and every time I get my salary they take a small % off the whole amount (difference between their forex rate vs official) + 10$ fee. I am not living in Australia anymore however I kept my finances there purely for safety reasons (no chance I'm opening an account in Argentina). I am a UK citizen as well - I will be in scotland next month for a week however I spend most my time travelling. I will primarily require the account to receive/transfer money and occasionally withdraw at ATMs or use it as a visa/mastercard debit card. I'm not one to bet on forex either so I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing swapping all the USD's to AUD's while the rate is 1:1, who knows in the future which will be stronger? Any advice is more than welcome please. I have a friend who has recommended Hong Kong.

 

[mdb73]

HSBC HK, but you need to go there....cheap, efficient, forget about a visa/mastercard...

Lloyd's TSB or Standard Bank, Isle of Man, they have the lowest minimum level that you need to keep on your account. Bear in mind, no offshore account will be dirt cheap.

USD/AUD...well, AUD has been strong for a while, and with an economy geared toward mining...the AUD could stay strong for a long while....but the current rate is still a pretty high one...so wouldn't bet on a 5/10 years window.