ATMs in Afghanistan keep asking Accept or Decline Conversion - what does that mean? Shows high charges for this
I was nervous using ATMs in Kabul, and the “Accept Conversion” message made me panic initially. Took a screenshot and checked with my bank - turns out “decline” means you get your own bank’s rate, which was way better. After that, I always hit decline and had zero issues. Wish ATMs explained this better.
I’ve lived in Mazar-i-Sharif since February, and this DCC thing is consistent across major ATMs - Maiwand, Islamic Bank of Afghanistan, Pashtany Bank. Always decline. Even if the screen says “Recommended,” don’t fall for it. Local staff often don’t understand what it means either, so you’re on your own deciphering the ATM prompts.
Yeah, it's a scammy trick. I used an Afghan United Bank ATM in Herat - screen said 17,000 AFN but “converted” it to dollars at some joke of a rate. I declined conversion the next time and my Wise app showed I saved almost $6. Just remember: decline anything that looks like a “helpful” offer - it’s not.
That prompt is Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). I ran into this using my Revolut card at an Azizi Bank ATM in Kabul. If you "Accept," you're letting the Afghan bank convert the currency, often at a horrible rate. I saw a markup of 8% once. Always hit “Decline Conversion” so your home bank handles the exchange - far cheaper. Even the private money changers outside the airport were offering better USD-to-Afghani rates than the DCC option.
As a solo traveler in Afghanistan, my mantra is "safety and smarts first." I remember standing at the ATM outside Kabul's bustling Deh Afghanan market. The "accept or decline conversion" message popped up. At first, I was unsure, but then remembered reading about it on a forum. Declining any conversion asks means my foreign bank, Chase, gives me a far better exchange rate than the ATM would. It's one less thing to worry about when you're managing logistics independently in a new place.
On a tight budget traveling through Herat, I was hit with crazy charges after accepting ATM conversion without thinking. It felt like an unnecessary cost every time I needed cash. Hostels like Aryana didn't always take card payments, meaning cash was unavoidable. I learned the hard way that declining the conversion and letting my own bank handle it was best to avoid those hidden fees. Now, I always remember to press "decline" to spare myself the surcharge.
As a digital nomad often zipping through cities, I never fall for that conversion trap at ATMs. It happened just last week in Mazar-i-Sharif. When I used my Revolut card at a local ATM, it asked if I wanted them to handle the conversion. I clicked "decline" because I'd rather trust my home bank's rate than the host bank's inflated one. It's a good rule of thumb anywhere in the world, especially when local transactions add up to a significant hit on your budget.
As an expat living in Kabul, I quickly learned about the conversion trick at ATMs. When the machine asks if you want to accept their conversion rate, it's essentially saying, "Hey, let's convert your currency at our rate, which is usually much worse." If it says "yes" to incur extra charges, always hit "no." Your bank back home, like HSBC in my case, offers a way better rate. I experienced it first-hand when withdrawing from an Azizi Bank ATM. A little awareness can save you from those nasty charges!