Comparison · 2026 edition
Airwallex vs ClearBank: virtual accounts compared 2026.
Airwallex and ClearBank side by side in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index 2026: scores, evidence, published facts and awards.
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Airwallex and ClearBank side by side in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index 2026: scores, evidence, published facts and awards.
In the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index, Airwallex scores higher overall: 4.3 out of 5 (87 out of 100) against 3.3 (66), ranking 1 and 4 of 10. Airwallex also scores higher in every segment.
Overall and segment scores out of 100, and the score out of 5.
| Score | Airwallex | ClearBank |
|---|---|---|
| Score out of 5 | 4.3 | 3.3 |
| Score out of 100 | 87 | 66 |
| Overall rank | 1 of 10 | 4 of 10 |
| For payment and e-money firms (out of 100) | 83, rank 1 | 76, rank 3 |
| For marketplaces and platforms (out of 100) | 86, rank 1 | 67, rank 4 |
| For businesses collecting from abroad (out of 100) | 92, rank 1 | 55, rank 4 |
| Type | Global accounts and embedded accounts | UK clearing bank with virtual IBANs |
Each score with the evidence behind it.
| Criterion | Airwallex | ClearBank |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | 5/5 23 receiving currencies across 16 regions published. | 3/5 12 currencies on one IBAN published, UK only. |
| Account ownership | 3/5 Dedicated account numbers published; naming not stated. | 5/5 Virtual IBANs, virtual safeguarding accounts and physical accounts with own sort codes published. |
| Published pricing | 5/5 Opening, monthly and receiving fees published. | 0/5 Not published on the pages read. |
| Local rails and speed | 5/5 Instant local receipt in the EU, UK, US, Hong Kong and Singapore. | 3/5 Direct UK payment systems published; EU instant receipt not described. |
| Regulatory standing | 4/5 Licences with numbers published; safeguarding terms not on the pages read. | 5/5 Own UK banking licence with FRN, FSCS terms and a safeguarding letter. |
| Integration | 4/5 API, self-serve opening and a stated launch time; sandbox not confirmed on the pages read. | 4/5 API, sandbox and a stated integration time; self-serve sign-up not offered. |
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index. 0 means not offered or not published. How it is scored
What each provider publishes on its own pages, read on 26 October 2026.
| Fact | Airwallex | ClearBank |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | Receiving coverage table: 16 regions and 23 currencies; platform accounts "with local bank details in 70+ countries". | Multi-currency IBAN in GBP plus 11 currencies (USD, EUR, CAD, CHF, DKK, NOK, SEK, PLN, CZK, HUF, RON); multi-currency accounts listed as UK only. |
| Account ownership | Accounts come "with dedicated account numbers and local bank codes"; whether they are named or pooled is not stated. | "Allocate up to 6 million virtual IBANs from a single parent account"; up to 6 million virtual customer segregated or client money accounts; agency banking "Physical accounts, each with their own sort code". |
| Pricing | "Global Account Creation Fee: $0"; receiving "0% for other currencies", "$15 for US Fedwire collections", "0.60% for KRW, VND, BRL and MYR collections"; no monthly fee on the Explore plan. | Not published on the pages read; "no minimum volume requirements". |
| Local rails | SEPA Instant and SEPA; ACH, Fedwire, FedNow and RTP (eligible customers); Faster Payments, Bacs and CHAPS; Hong Kong FPS; Singapore FAST; Interac e-Transfer; SPEI and others. | Direct connection to Faster Payments, Bacs (including Direct Debit) and CHAPS; EUR held at the European Central Bank. |
| Regulatory standing | Airwallex (UK) Ltd FCA e-money institution 900876; AWX Lithuania, UAB e-money institution 88; Airwallex (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. MAS PS20200541; Airwallex US, LLC NMLS #1928093 with Lead Bank and Evolve Bank & Trust. | ClearBank Limited authorised by the PRA, FRN 754568; FSCS "up to £120,000 per depositor"; ClearBank Europe N.V. authorised by the ECB and regulated by De Nederlandsche Bank; FCA-compliant safeguarding letter available. |
| Integration | API; "Open an account in minutes"; pre-built components to "Launch in days". | API; sandbox; "Average API integration takes 30 to 45 days". |
| Date read | 26 October 2026 | 26 October 2026 |
Not published or not stated by Airwallex: account ownership, regulatory standing and integration.
Not published or not stated by ClearBank: pricing and local rails and speed.
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: airwallex.com/docs/…, airwallex.com/us/features/global-accounts/…, airwallex.com/us/terms/fee-schedule, airwallex.com/en-us/…, help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/…; and clear.bank/products/accounts, clear.bank/faqs/accounts-and-agency-banking, clear.bank/products/multi-currency-and-fx, clear.bank/solutions/embedded-banking.
Awards follow from the published scores and cannot be bought.
From each provider's strongest criteria and published terms.
Platforms and businesses needing local receiving details in many currencies at published prices.
UK payment and e-money firms needing safeguarding and virtual accounts at a bank.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.