The effect of charge transfer between solar wind alpha-particles and hydrogen atoms of interstellar origin is revisited. Singly-charged helium ions born in the charge transfer carry important information on processes in the solar wind and the heliosphere. The velocity distribution of such He+ ions is substantially different from that of He+ pick-up ions due to ionization of the interstellar helium atoms. Estimates of the expected abundances of the charge-exchange born He+ in the solar wind are presented, and the possibility of measuring this plasma component on deep space missions is discussed. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1992