When paying abroad or withdrawing cash, some card readers or ATMs may ask which currency to charge. This happens because of a service called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). Here’s how to make the best choice and avoid fees.
Why you’re asked to choose a currency
Some ATMs and shops offer to convert your payment into your home currency. It might sound convenient, but they set their own exchange rate, usually less favourable than ZEN.COM's exchange rate.
ZEN.COM automatically blocks DCC transactions to help you avoid extra costs.
Which currency to choose
Always pick the local currency of the country you’re in (for example, PLN in Poland, EUR in Germany, SEK in Sweden, etc.).
This ensures you get ZEN.COM's exchange rate, not the merchant’s or ATM's rate.
If an ATM or terminal offers to convert the amount, decline the conversion. You’ll usually see the cost or rate on screen before confirming the payment. If the information was not displayed and the fee was charged, please contact our Support Team to resolve the matter.
How does DCC Control work
DCC Control automatically blocks unfavourable currency conversions, saving you from hidden rates. It works across all your ZEN Cards for transactions with DCC made in ATMs and physical stores. It does not block online transactions with possible DCC. When paying:
- in Poland, only payments in PLN will be accepted,
- in Germany, only payments in EUR will be accepted,
- in Sweden, only payments in SEK will be accepted, etc.
If you accidentally choose another currency, your payment will be declined, but you can try again right away.
See also: How to exchange currency in ZEN.COM app