🇵🇪 This is the brand hub for BCP. For the bigger picture on soles, the dual-currency ATM screens, the licensed cambistas, and Peru's one Bank of America Alliance partner, see the Peru Money Guide. For exact ATM areas and the fee-beating playbook, see the Lima ATM Guide. For card acceptance by district and the airport run, see the Lima Money Guide. For the Alliance partner, see the Scotiabank Perú guide. Flying in? Jorge Chávez (LIM) guide.
🧾 Order Soles Before You Fly
Land in Lima with a sol float so your first machine can be a careful one. Insured 2–5 day US delivery, rate below the airport counters.
Order Soles → CEI Currency ExchangeWhat BCP is, in one paragraph
BCP, Banco de Crédito del Perú, is the largest bank in Peru and the flagship of the Credicorp group, founded in 1889 as the Banco Italiano. It runs the widest branch and ATM network in the country, branded "Vía BCP," so its machines are the ones you will see most often, from the Jorge Chávez arrivals hall to the boulevards of Miraflores and across Cusco, Arequipa, and the Sacred Valley. For US travelers the practical points are specific: BCP machines dispense soles at the interbank rate, add a posted S/15 to S/20 foreign-card operator fee shown before you confirm, and tend to be the most reliable for stock and uptime, which matters most in the Cusco region where smaller-network ATMs run dry at peak season.
What BCP charges foreign cards
| Fee component | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| BCP operator fee (foreign card) | ~S/15-20 per withdrawal | BCP, shown on screen (refunded by Schwab) |
| Exchange rate | Mid-market (interbank) | Visa or Mastercard network |
| Per-transaction cap | ~S/700-1,000 (varies by machine) | BCP (withdraw a useful amount) |
| Your home bank's foreign ATM fee | $2-5 | Your home bank, unless waived (Schwab, Wise) |
| Your home bank's FX conversion fee | 1-3% | Your home bank, unless 0% FX card |
| DCC markup (if accepted) | +5-12% | Always decline. Pick Peruvian soles every time the screen offers US dollars. |
BCP posts its operator fee on screen before you confirm, so you always see it. The sol is freely convertible, so you can pre-order a float. BCP is not a BoA Alliance partner; for a fee-free BoA withdrawal use Scotiabank Perú instead.
How to make BCP cheap: soles not dollars, refund the fee
Three moves keep BCP cheap. First, when the screen offers a choice of soles or US dollars, a dual-currency feature common on Peruvian bank ATMs, always take soles for daily spending; taking dollars only makes sense if you specifically need USD for a tour deposit. Second, withdraw a useful amount each time: because the S/15 to S/20 fee is per transaction, fewer larger pulls cut your per-sol cost (mind the lower per-transaction cap on some machines). Third, carry a Charles Schwab card, which refunds ATM operator fees worldwide, the BCP fee included, turning a withdrawal effectively free. Always decline DCC and choose soles.
Bank of America customers have a better option than BCP for cash: with no BoA Alliance partnership, a BoA card pays its 3 percent non-network fee on top of BCP's operator fee, whereas the same card pulls fee-free at a Scotiabank Perú ATM. Use BCP for its reliability and reach, and Scotiabank specifically when you are carrying a BoA card.
Where to find BCP in Peru
Miraflores & San Isidro
BCP ATMs throughout Miraflores and the San Isidro financial district, plus the Larcomar and Jockey Plaza malls. Covered in the Lima ATM Guide.
Nationwide coverage
BCP runs Peru's largest ATM and branch network, so a "Vía BCP" machine is rarely far in Arequipa, Trujillo, Piura, or smaller towns.
Av. El Sol & the Plaza
BCP branches along Avenida El Sol and near the Plaza de Armas; the most reliable network in the Cusco region, where smaller ones run dry in high season.
Jorge Chávez arrivals
BCP cajeros in the new LIM terminal, your first soles on arrival, away from the standalone Globalnet machines. See the LIM airport guide.
Branch & mall machines
Use BCP ATMs inside branches, hotel lobbies, or malls rather than street-facing standalones, especially in central Cusco and Aguas Calientes where skim risk is documented.
Plan ahead for treks
Carry enough sol cash from a Lima or Cusco BCP before heading to Aguas Calientes, the Salkantay, or Lares routes, where ATMs are scarce or empty.
BCP vs Scotiabank Perú: the actual decision
| BCP | Scotiabank Perú | |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign-card operator fee | ~S/15-20 (posted) | ~S/16-20, waived for BoA Alliance cards |
| BoA Global ATM Alliance partner | No | Yes (the only one in Peru) |
| Network size in Peru | Largest | Major, good in cities |
| Reliability in Cusco region | Most reliable | Good in Cusco city |
| Dual-currency (soles or USD) | Yes | Yes |
Decision tree: if you carry a Bank of America debit card, use Scotiabank Perú for fee-free withdrawals through the Alliance. For every other card, BCP is the better default because of its larger, more reliable network, paired with a Schwab card that refunds the operator fee. Either way, take soles not dollars and decline DCC.
Best card pairing with BCP
Wise for cards, Schwab to refund the sol fee
A Wise debit card gives zero FX markup and the real interbank sol rate at hotels and modern restaurants in Lima and Cusco. A Charles Schwab card refunds BCP's S/15 to S/20 operator fee worldwide, the biggest saving available on Peruvian cash. Withdraw a useful amount at a BCP machine in a branch or mall, take soles not dollars, and decline DCC every time.
Get the Wise Card →Charles Schwab Investor Checking
Schwab adds zero foreign-transaction fee and refunds ATM operator fees worldwide, including BCP's S/15 to S/20. Pair it with a useful withdrawal at a BCP mall machine and your Peruvian cash becomes effectively free. Still take soles not dollars and decline DCC.
Bank of America debit (use Scotiabank instead)
BCP is not a BoA Alliance partner, so a BoA card pays its 3 percent non-network fee on top of BCP's operator fee. For a fee-free withdrawal, carry your BoA card to a Scotiabank Perú ATM, the only Alliance member in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does BCP charge foreign cards at ATMs?
A posted ~S/15-20 per withdrawal, at the interbank rate, shown before you confirm. Take soles not dollars, withdraw a useful amount, and a Schwab card refunds the fee. Decline DCC.
Is BCP in the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance?
No. The Alliance partner in Peru is Scotiabank Perú. A BoA card pays 3% on top at BCP; use Scotiabank for a fee-free withdrawal, or a no-FX-fee card at BCP.
What is BCP?
Banco de Crédito del Perú, the country's largest bank and the flagship of Credicorp, with the widest "Vía BCP" ATM network in Peru.
Can I get soles before arriving?
Yes, the sol is freely convertible. CEI ships soles to a US address in 2-5 days. Most travelers pre-order a small float and pull the rest at a BCP machine.
Will my US debit card work at BCP ATMs?
Yes, with a Visa, Mastercard, Plus, or Cirrus logo. Spanish/English option, 4-digit PINs. Use branch/mall machines, decline DCC, take soles.
Should I take soles or US dollars at a BCP ATM?
Soles for daily spending. The dual-currency screen lets you pick USD, but only do that if you need dollars for a tour deposit. Always decline DCC.
The BCP + Wise + Schwab Combo
Wise zero FX markup for hotels and restaurants; Schwab refunds BCP's S/15-20 ATM fee. Take soles not dollars, withdraw a useful amount.
Get the Wise Card →