I used my US card in British Virgin Islands & the ATM just asked me Charge in USD or Charge in GBP - 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?
At the Scotiabank ATM near Nanny Cay Marina, I got the “USD or GBP” screen. Looked fishy. I hit USD, got the cash, and my Bank of America statement showed no surprise markup. Later chatted with a sailor at the marina who had hit GBP and got dinged almost £12 extra for the same withdrawal. In the BVI, keep it simple: press USD.
This is the same DCC trap you’ll see worldwide. Even though the BVI officially uses USD, some ATMs try to trick UK and European cardholders by offering GBP. Choosing GBP locks you into their terrible rate. Choosing USD means you get billed at the Visa/Mastercard exchange rate. If you’re staying near Cane Garden Bay or Road Town, stick to ATMs from Banco Popular or Republic Bank and always pick USD.
I used my card at FirstBank’s ATM in Tortola near the ferry terminal. Picked GBP the first time thinking it matched my account. Big mistake - my $200 withdrawal cost nearly $215. Next day, at a Banco Popular ATM in Virgin Gorda, I chose USD instead and my Capital One handled the conversion way better. Lesson learned: always go with the BVI’s native currency, which is USD.
In the BVI, ATMs like Banco Popular in Road Town will ask USD or GBP. Always select USD since that’s the local currency. If you pick GBP, the ATM does a dynamic conversion and adds a markup. I tested this with my Chase Sapphire - USD withdrawal billed cleanly, GBP withdrawal was 7% worse. So, go local: USD in BVI.