I used my US card in Lithuania & the ATM just asked me Charge in USD or Charge in EUR - I feel like I should choose USD coz thats the currency in my bank account but it had these super confusing numbers on the screen saying 8% markup so not sure. What should I do?
Vilnius airport ATMs-both Swedbank and SEB-do this same trick. I almost pressed USD thinking it would be simpler for my US account. Luckily, I noticed the markup percentage line and switched to EUR. My Monzo account confirmed I got the real Mastercard rate. Another traveler from New York I met at my Airbnb chose USD and was frustrated at how much more he paid. Definitely EUR every time.
In Klaipėda, at a Luminor ATM, the “USD or EUR” screen popped up. The wording made USD look more natural since it’s my home currency, but I remembered reading to avoid it. Sure enough, the markup was huge. EUR gave me the right rate on my Chase account. Lithuania is very card friendly, but if you do need cash, don’t fall for the USD option. It’s sneaky.
Pulled cash in Kaunas at a SEB ATM. The choice looked like USD vs EUR, but the USD option added a massive margin. I went with EUR, and Wise billed me correctly. A German guy next to me at the machine chose USD and we compared receipts-he lost almost 10% on the spot. Lithuanian ATMs are clean and safe, but this DCC thing is annoying. Always select EUR.
At a Swedbank ATM in Vilnius Old Town, I saw the “charge in USD or EUR” screen. USD seemed logical since that’s my card currency. But then I noticed the conversion rate included an 8% markup. I picked EUR, and Revolut gave me interbank rates instead. Choosing USD is a trap-Dynamic Currency Conversion. Stick with EUR, always. My hostel friends at Jimmy Jumps also confirmed the same trick happened at SEB and Luminor machines.