Originally Posted by
ThanxsisC
I went through the first four and last four pages of this thread and didn't see a mention for HSBC Premier credit cards. As long as you qualify for HSBC Premier membership (which is $100k minimum in HSBC either through retirement, savings, CDs, etc), your credit card waives foreign transaction fees and you can access your accounts with no foreign fees as well. I found this particularly useful in Asia as there are multiple HSBC branches. They're having a promotion now too for new Premier members that open accounts with them until November 19th (at least in the US).
HSBC has a couple of other major benefits.
First, all money transfers within HSBC anywhere are fee-free for Premier.
Second, if you're Premier anywhere your account rep can open accounts for you anywhere else in the HSBC system and get you Premier benefits as apply in the other country.
I have had to do a little juggling to ensure that I get good yields, but I have managed. In most countries HSBC brokerage also counts. Their custodial fees are never the cheapest but the overall service keeps me active with them in three countries, happily so. FX free cars everywhere and fee-free ATM withdrawal everywhere, plus no fee FX on purchases.
If I stayed in one country the onetime wonderful Schwab card would have been my choice, but it does little for more complex needs than just foreign purchases.