🇪🇨 This is the brand hub for Banco Pichincha. For the bigger picture on Ecuador using the US dollar, the flat-fee math and Galapagos cash, see the Ecuador Money Guide. For exact ATM districts, see the Quito ATM Guide. For card acceptance and transport, see the Quito Money Guide. Flying in? Quito (UIO) guide.
💳 Pack Small USD Bills
Ecuador uses the US dollar, so bring clean small bills for taxis, markets and the Galapagos. CEI ships pristine new-series notes if you want them.
Order USD Bills → CEI Currency ExchangeWhat Banco Pichincha is, in one paragraph
Banco Pichincha is Ecuador's largest bank, founded in 1906, and it operates the widest branch and ATM network in the country, from Quito's La Mariscal and La Carolina to Guayaquil, Cuenca and the smaller towns. Because Ecuador has used the US dollar as its official currency since 2000, a Banco Pichincha ATM does no currency exchange: a US card withdraws dollar-for-dollar with no FX markup. The only cost is the machine's flat operator fee for foreign cards. Pichincha's defining feature is reach; for the lowest fee and highest cap, Banco del Pacifico is the specialist.
What Banco Pichincha charges foreign cards
| Fee component | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate / FX markup | None (Ecuador uses the US dollar) | N/A, dollar-for-dollar |
| Pichincha operator fee (foreign card) | ~$2-3 flat (refunded by Schwab) | Banco Pichincha |
| Per-transaction cap | ~$300-500 (Banco del Pacifico is higher) | Banco Pichincha |
| Your home bank's FX fee | None (both sides use USD) | N/A |
| Bank of America non-network fee | Applies (no Alliance partner in Ecuador) | BoA, use a Schwab card instead |
| DCC / dollar-dispense markup | +5-10% | Always decline; there is no reason to accept it in a USD country. |
Because Ecuador uses the US dollar, a Banco Pichincha ATM has no FX markup; the only cost is the flat $2-3 operator fee, which a Schwab card refunds. For the lowest fee and highest cap, use Banco del Pacifico. Ecuador has no Bank of America Alliance partner.
How to make Banco Pichincha free: a larger pull, or a Schwab card
Because Ecuador uses the US dollar, there is no exchange rate to lose on at a Banco Pichincha ATM: a US card withdraws dollar-for-dollar. The only cost is the flat $2 to $3 operator fee. Beat it by making one larger withdrawal (the fee is flat, so it costs less per dollar) or by carrying a Charles Schwab card that refunds ATM operator fees worldwide. If you want the very lowest fee and the highest cap, use a Banco del Pacifico machine instead.
Even in a dollarized country, decline any offer to charge in US dollars at a marked-up rate and use the local processing. And remember the Ecuador rule: withdraw enough small-bill cash on the mainland before flying to the Galapagos, where ATMs are scarce and expensive and the islands run on small notes.
Where to find Banco Pichincha in Ecuador
La Mariscal & La Carolina
Banco Pichincha's densest Quito coverage is in La Mariscal, along Avenida Amazonas and around Parque La Carolina, plus branches citywide. See the Quito ATM Guide.
Guayaquil & beyond
As Ecuador's largest bank, Pichincha reaches Guayaquil, Cuenca and the smaller towns, so a machine is rarely far.
Airport arrivals
Banco Pichincha ATMs in the Quito airport arrivals area; note UIO is about 43 km from the city. See the UIO guide.
No exchange step
Every Pichincha ATM dispenses US dollars at par; the only cost is the flat operator fee, refundable with a Schwab card.
Try Banco del Pacifico
Pichincha wins on reach; for the lowest foreign-card fee and the highest cap, Banco del Pacifico is the specialist. See its guide.
Use Schwab, not BoA
Ecuador has no Bank of America Alliance partner, so a BoA card pays the fee; a Schwab card refunds it instead.
Best card pairing with Banco Pichincha
Schwab to refund the fee, del Pacifico for the lowest
Because Ecuador uses the US dollar, there is no FX markup at a Banco Pichincha ATM: a Wise or any no-FX card spends at par. The only cost is the flat $2 to $3 operator fee, which a Charles Schwab card refunds worldwide. Pichincha has the widest network; for the very lowest fee and highest cap, use Banco del Pacifico. Make one larger withdrawal before the Galapagos, pack small bills, and decline DCC.
Get the Wise Card →Pichincha for reach, del Pacifico for the cheapest pull
Banco Pichincha has the widest network in Ecuador, so it is usually the closest machine, at a flat $2 to $3 fee. If you are making a large withdrawal (say, before the Galapagos), a Banco del Pacifico machine usually has a lower fee and a higher cap. A Schwab card refunds the fee at either.
Withdraw for the Galapagos on the mainland
The Galapagos runs on small US-dollar cash and has few, expensive ATMs. Use Banco Pichincha's wide network to withdraw your island budget in small bills before flying out, and decline DCC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Banco Pichincha charge foreign cards a fee?
Yes, a flat $2-3 fee (no FX, since Ecuador uses USD). One larger pull spreads it, or a Schwab card refunds it. Banco del Pacifico is cheaper. Decline DCC.
Is there an exchange rate at a Banco Pichincha ATM?
No FX at all: Ecuador uses the US dollar, so Pichincha ATMs dispense dollars at par. The only cost is the flat operator fee.
What is Banco Pichincha?
Ecuador's largest bank (founded 1906) with the widest ATM network. Dispenses US dollars at par with a flat $2-3 fee. Banco del Pacifico is cheaper for a big pull.
Is Banco Pichincha a Bank of America Alliance partner?
No BoA Alliance partner in Ecuador. A Schwab card refunds the fee; or use Banco del Pacifico for the lowest fee and highest cap.
Will my US card work at Banco Pichincha ATMs?
Yes, with a Visa, Mastercard, Plus or Cirrus logo; dispenses US dollars. Use branch and mall machines, decline DCC, withdraw for the Galapagos on the mainland.
Schwab, or del Pacifico for the lowest fee
No FX at Banco Pichincha (Ecuador uses USD); flat $2-3 fee, refunded by Schwab. del Pacifico is cheaper for a big pull. Pack small bills for the Galapagos. Decline DCC.
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