Canadian Dollar (CAD)
US Dollar (USD)
Euro (EUR)
British Pound (GBP)
Australian Dollar (AUD)
Japanese Yen (JPY)
Mexican Peso (MXN)
US Dollar (USD)
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Euro (EUR)
British Pound (GBP)
Australian Dollar (AUD)
Japanese Yen (JPY)
Mexican Peso (MXN)
Market Mid-Rate (Approx):–
Applied Client Rate:–
Spread / Fee Estimation:–
Total Converted Amount:–
Note: This calculation uses estimated spreads typical for Vancity and other credit unions (approx 2.5%). Actual rates at the branch or online banking may vary.
function calculateVancityExchange() {
// 1. Get DOM elements matching exact IDs
var amountInput = document.getElementById("vcAmount");
var fromSelect = document.getElementById("vcFromCurrency");
var toSelect = document.getElementById("vcToCurrency");
var customRateInput = document.getElementById("vcCustomRate");
var resultBox = document.getElementById("vcResult");
var displayMidRate = document.getElementById("vcMidRate");
var displayClientRate = document.getElementById("vcClientRate");
var displaySpread = document.getElementById("vcSpread");
var displayFinalAmount = document.getElementById("vcFinalAmount");
// 2. Parse Inputs
var amount = parseFloat(amountInput.value);
var fromCur = fromSelect.value;
var toCur = toSelect.value;
var manualRate = parseFloat(customRateInput.value);
// 3. Validation
if (isNaN(amount) || amount Foreign (Bank Sells Foreign)
// Scenario 2: Foreign -> CAD (Bank Buys Foreign)
// Scenario 3: Foreign -> Foreign (Cross Rate via CAD)
// Step A: Convert 'From' to CAD Value
var valueInCAD = 0;
if (fromCur === "CAD") {
valueInCAD = amount;
} else {
// Selling Foreign to Bank. Bank Buys at (Mid * (1 – Spread))
var rateToCad = baseRates[fromCur];
// If manual rate is NOT set, apply spread decrement
var effectiveRateIn = manualRate > 0 ? manualRate : rateToCad * (1 – spreadPercentage);
valueInCAD = amount * effectiveRateIn;
}
// Step B: Convert CAD Value to 'To'
if (toCur === "CAD") {
finalAmount = valueInCAD;
// Calculate implicit rate for display (Foreign -> CAD)
appliedRate = finalAmount / amount;
midRateDisplay = baseRates[fromCur]; // Display the base rate of the foreign currency
} else {
// Buying Foreign from Bank. Bank Sells at (Mid * (1 + Spread))
var rateFromCad = baseRates[toCur];
// If manual rate is set, we assume user entered the specific cross rate or bank rate
// For simplicity, if manual rate is set, we handled it in step A if To=CAD.
// If From=CAD, we handle it here.
var effectiveRateOut = 0;
if (manualRate > 0) {
// If manual rate provided, user usually provides "1.38" for USD.
// Meaning 1 Unit Foreign = X CAD.
// So CAD / Rate = Foreign.
effectiveRateOut = manualRate;
} else {
effectiveRateOut = rateFromCad * (1 + spreadPercentage);
}
finalAmount = valueInCAD / effectiveRateOut;
// For display
appliedRate = effectiveRateOut;
midRateDisplay = rateFromCad;
}
}
// 6. Handle Cross Currency Display Specifics (Non-CAD pairs)
if (fromCur !== "CAD" && toCur !== "CAD") {
// Cross rate calculation logic for display
// We calculated via CAD intermediate, but let's show the effective cross rate
appliedRate = finalAmount / amount;
midRateDisplay = baseRates[fromCur] / baseRates[toCur]; // Rough cross mid
if(manualRate > 0) {
// If manual rate was entered, we assume it was the direct conversion rate
finalAmount = amount * manualRate;
appliedRate = manualRate;
}
}
// 7. Render Results
resultBox.style.display = "block";
// Formatting Rate Display
// Usually shown as 1 Unit Foreign = X Source (or X Target)
// We will show: 1 [From] = X [To]
var rateText = "1 " + fromCur + " = " + appliedRate.toFixed(4) + " " + toCur;
var midText = "1 " + fromCur + " = " + (finalAmount / amount).toFixed(4) + " " + toCur + " (Effective)";
if (manualRate > 0) {
displayMidRate.innerHTML = "Manual Override";
displaySpread.innerHTML = "N/A";
} else {
displayMidRate.innerHTML = "Based on market mid-points";
// Calculate hidden cost
var midValue = 0;
if (fromCur === "CAD") midValue = amount / baseRates[toCur];
else if (toCur === "CAD") midValue = amount * baseRates[fromCur];
else midValue = amount * (baseRates[fromCur] / baseRates[toCur]);
var spreadCost = Math.abs(midValue – finalAmount);
displaySpread.innerHTML = "~" + formatMoney(spreadCost, toCur) + " value difference vs Mid-Market";
}
displayClientRate.innerHTML = rateText;
displayFinalAmount.innerHTML = formatMoney(finalAmount, toCur);
}
Understanding Vancity Exchange Rates
When planning a trip across the border or managing international finances, understanding how your credit union calculates exchange rates is crucial. This Vancity Exchange Rate Calculator helps members estimate the cost of converting funds between Canadian Dollars (CAD), US Dollars (USD), Euros, and other major currencies.
How the Calculation Works
Like most financial institutions, Vancity applies a "spread" to the wholesale exchange rate. This spread covers the cost of operations and processing. The rate you receive depends on the direction of your transaction:
Selling Foreign Currency (Buying CAD): If you have USD cash or a foreign cheque to deposit, the bank "buys" it from you. The rate is typically slightly lower than the mid-market rate.
Buying Foreign Currency (Selling CAD): If you need cash for travel or need to send a wire transfer, the bank "sells" the currency to you. The rate is typically slightly higher than the mid-market rate.
Cash vs. Non-Cash Rates
It is important to note that exchange rates often differ based on the form of money:
Cash Rate: Applies when you are physically exchanging paper bills at a branch. This often has a wider spread due to shipping and handling costs of physical currency.
Non-Cash / Wire Rate: Applies to electronic transfers, drafts, or converting balances between accounts (e.g., from a CAD Chequing to a USD Savings account). These rates are generally more favorable than cash rates.
Tips for Vancity Members
To get the most out of your currency exchange, consider checking current posted rates on the Vancity website before visiting a branch. For large transactions, rates may sometimes be negotiable or tiered. Additionally, using a Vancity Visa card for foreign purchases applies a specific exchange rate determined by the network (Visa) plus a foreign transaction fee, which differs from the branch cash rates estimated above.