How to Send Pesos in Argentina as a Foreigner (No Local Bank or DNI)

Living in Buenos Aires, you send pesos constantly. Rent to a landlord. Your half of dinner. The cleaner, the dog walker, the freelancer who built your website, the friend who covered your taxi. Argentines do this in seconds — they ask for your alias, you type it in, and the pesos land instantly, any day, any hour, for free.

Then you try to do it as a foreigner without a DNI, and the whole system closes its doors. This guide explains how peso transfers actually work in Argentina, why foreigners get locked out, and how to send pesos to any alias, CVU, or CBU without a local bank account or national ID.

How peso transfers work in Argentina

Argentina runs on instant bank transfers through a system called Transferencias 3.0. Every account — whether at a bank or a wallet like Mercado Pago — has a destination address you can send money to. There are three you will hear about constantly:

• CBU — a 22-digit number tied to a traditional bank account.
• CVU — the same idea for a virtual wallet (Mercado Pago, Ualá, and similar).
• Alias — a short, human-readable nickname (like juan.cafe.bsas) that points to a CBU or CVU so nobody has to read out 22 digits.

Transfers between any of these are instant, free, and work 24/7. It is genuinely one of the best payment systems in the world — when you can access it.

Why foreigners get locked out

To send a peso transfer, you first need an account that has its own CVU or CBU to send from. And to open one — a Mercado Pago account, a local bank account, a Ualá wallet — you need a DNI, Argentina's national ID. Most foreigners who have just arrived, or who are here on a temporary basis, don't have one and can't easily get one.

So you end up stuck: the person you owe pesos to can receive them in seconds, but you have no Argentine account to send them from.

What people try (and why it falls short)

• Borrowing a local friend's account — you give them dollars, they send the pesos. It works once or twice, but it is awkward, it depends on someone else's goodwill, and the rate they use is rarely in your favor.
• Paying in cash — fine for some landlords, useless for splitting a bill or paying someone remotely, and it forces you to source pesos somewhere first.
• Western Union / international wires — slow, capped, and converted at the non-resident rate, so you lose roughly 10% before the pesos even exist.

How CacaoCash lets you send pesos directly

CacaoCash is a USD wallet built for foreigners living in Argentina. You hold dollars, euros, or crypto, and you send pesos straight to any Argentine account — no DNI, no local bank, no Argentine phone number.

1. Load your CacaoCash balance with USD, EUR, or crypto from abroad.
2. Ask the person for their alias, CVU, or CBU (or scan their payment QR).
3. Enter the peso amount. Your balance converts at the crypto dollar rate — not the non-resident card rate — so the same dollars send more pesos.
4. Confirm. The pesos arrive in their account instantly, exactly like a local transfer.

The person receiving doesn't need CacaoCash or anything special — to them it looks like any other peso transfer landing in their account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send pesos in Argentina without a DNI or local bank account?

Yes. With CacaoCash you send pesos to any alias, CVU, or CBU directly from your USD balance, with no DNI, no local bank account, and no Argentine phone number.

Does the person receiving need CacaoCash?

No. They receive a normal peso transfer into their existing Mercado Pago, bank, or wallet account. They don't need to sign up for anything.

What rate do I get?

Your dollars convert to pesos at the crypto dollar rate, roughly 10% better than the non-resident rate a foreign card or wire would use. You see the exact peso cost before you confirm.