MACHBANKMACHBANK

Chile E-wallet Foreigners restricted Not a bank · not insured ★ 4.3
OperatorBanco BCI (its digital-account brand)
Minimum top-upNo mandatory minimum deposit
Main feesNo monthly fee; transfers within MACHBANK and to other banks are free; international remittances are charged per channel
Local bank neededNot applicable — it is itself a BCI digital account
How to sign upOpen in the app (Chilean ID + RUT verification) → apply for a Visa debit card
Sign-up timeAbout 10-30 minutes to open, with the virtual card usable immediately
Data baseline 2026-10. Editor-verified, but rules change — confirm with the official site before applying. Data transparency →

About this wallet

One of Chile's most mainstream digital accounts (about 4 million users), combining a Visa debit card, Bip!QR transit payments and free transfers — a wallet-class app for daily spending in Chile.

!Not a bank-adjacent wallet. MACHBANK is a current-account digital brand backed by Banco BCI and supervised by Chile's Financial Market Commission (CMF); accounts sit inside BCI's banking system, and balances are bank money rather than non-bank e-money. It is listed here for its everyday-payment super-app role.

Can foreigners or tourists open it?

Partially. The official app store states "over 18 with a valid ID, whether Chilean or foreigner"; in practice foreigners need a Chilean ID card (Cedula) and tax number (RUT, issued automatically with the ID), which generally means residency is already in place; passport-only or tourist applications are not accepted.

Advantages

  • Officially open to foreigners (with a Chilean ID card)
  • About 4 million users — national scale in Chile
  • No monthly fee and an instant virtual card
  • Full Bip!QR transit and bill payment coverage

Limitations

  • Requires a Chilean ID and RUT — not for tourists
  • Spanish-language interface
  • Conservative transfer limits on new accounts

What you need

  • A Chilean ID card (Cedula de Identidad)
  • RUT (issued automatically with the ID)
  • A Chilean phone number

No mandatory minimum deposit|No monthly fee; transfers within MACHBANK and to other banks are free; international remittances are charged per channel

How to sign up

  1. Download MACHBANK
  2. Verify with your ID and RUT
  3. Open the digital account
  4. Apply for the Visa debit card (virtual card is instant)
  5. Top up, transfer or scan Bip!QR

Limits & protection

Transfers to newly added recipients are typically capped at CLP 200,000 in the first 24 hours; the app's daily transfer limit is generally CLP 2,000,000 (per the bank's latest disclosure).

FAQ

Can a foreigner or tourist open MACHBANK?

Partially. The official app store states "over 18 with a valid ID, whether Chilean or foreigner"; in practice foreigners need a Chilean ID card (Cedula) and tax number (RUT, issued automatically with the ID), which generally means residency is already in place; passport-only or tourist applications are not accepted.

Do I need a local bank account or a local phone number for MACHBANK?

Local bank account: Not applicable — it is itself a BCI digital account. Items typically needed: A Chilean ID card (Cedula de Identidad); RUT (issued automatically with the ID); A Chilean phone number.

What documents are required to open MACHBANK?

Typically: A Chilean ID card (Cedula de Identidad); RUT (issued automatically with the ID); A Chilean phone number.

How do I sign up for and top up MACHBANK?

How to sign up: Open in the app (Chilean ID + RUT verification) → apply for a Visa debit card (About 10-30 minutes to open, with the virtual card usable immediately). Steps: 1) Download MACHBANK 2) Verify with your ID and RUT 3) Open the digital account 4) Apply for the Visa debit card (virtual card is instant) 5) Top up, transfer or scan Bip!QR Fees: No monthly fee; transfers within MACHBANK and to other banks are free; international remittances are charged per channel

Are there limits on MACHBANK? Is the balance deposit-insured?

Transfers to newly added recipients are typically capped at CLP 200,000 in the first 24 hours; the app's daily transfer limit is generally CLP 2,000,000 (per the bank's latest disclosure).

Ready? Open it officially

E-wallet rules change often — always follow the latest instructions in the official app.

Open on official site ↗ We charge no fees and cannot guarantee approval — always apply through official channels.