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Airwallex and Wise Business side by side in the Cross-border Payments and Remittance Index, Global Trade Banking Index and Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index 2026: scores, evidence, published facts and awards.
In the Cross-border Payments and Remittance Index, Airwallex scores higher overall: 4.7 out of 5 (93 out of 100) against 4.2 (85), ranking 2 and 3 of 11. Airwallex also scores higher in every segment. In the Global Trade Banking Index, Wise Business scores higher overall: 3.8 out of 5 (75 out of 100) against 3.5 (70), ranking 1 and 3 of 26. Wise Business also scores higher in every segment. In the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index, Airwallex scores higher overall: 4.3 out of 5 (87 out of 100) against 4.0 (79), ranking 1 and 2 of 10. Airwallex also scores higher in every segment.
Overall and segment scores out of 100, and the score out of 5.
| Score | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Score out of 5 | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| Score out of 100 | 93 | 85 |
| Overall rank | 2 of 11 | 3 of 11 |
| For SMEs and exporters (out of 100) | 92, rank 2 | 84, rank 3 |
| For payment and e-money firms (out of 100) | 94, rank 2 | 88, rank 3 |
| For marketplaces and platforms (out of 100) | 92, rank 2 | 84, rank 3 |
| Type | Global business account and payments platform | Multi-currency business account |
| Score | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Score out of 5 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| Score out of 100 | 70 | 75 |
| Overall rank | 3 of 26 | 1 of 26 |
| For importers (out of 100) | 70, rank 3 | 74, rank 1 |
| For exporters (out of 100) | 74, rank 3 | 83, rank 1 |
| For wholesalers and distributors (out of 100) | 66, rank 2 | 69, rank 1 |
| Type | E-money institution (FCA) and licensed group | E-money institution (FCA) |
| Score | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Score out of 5 | 4.3 | 4.0 |
| Score out of 100 | 87 | 79 |
| Overall rank | 1 of 10 | 2 of 10 |
| For payment and e-money firms (out of 100) | 83, rank 1 | 75, rank 4 |
| For marketplaces and platforms (out of 100) | 86, rank 1 | 78, rank 2 |
| For businesses collecting from abroad (out of 100) | 92, rank 1 | 84, rank 2 |
| Type | Global accounts and embedded accounts | Multi-currency business account |
Each score with the evidence behind it.
| Criterion | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Payment reach | 4/5 200+ countries and 60+ currencies published. | 3/5 40+ currencies published; no country count for business payments. |
| Published pricing | 4/5 Exact FX margins, plan prices and free domestic transfers published; Swift fee published as a £10 to £20 range. | 3/5 Set-up and receiving fees published exactly; sending and conversion fees published only as "from 0.24%". |
| Payment speed | 5/5 Share of funds arriving the same day published. | 5/5 Share of payments arriving within 20 seconds and within 24 hours published. |
| Collection accounts | 5/5 Local bank details in 20+ currencies published. | 5/5 Account details in 22 currencies published. |
| Integration | 5/5 API, batch transfers, accounting connections and a self-serve trial published. | 5/5 API with sandbox, batch payments, accounting connections and self-serve sign-up. |
| Regulatory standing | 5/5 Licences in more than ten regions published with regulator and licence numbers. | 5/5 Licences by country published with regulator and licence numbers. |
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in the Cross-border Payments and Remittance Index. 0 means not offered or not published. How it is scored
| Criterion | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Getting paid | 5/5 Local receiving details in more than 20 currencies across the US, UK, EU, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, the UAE and others, with no collection fee. | 5/5 Receiving details in 22 currencies; domestic receipts in USD, EUR, GBP and six other currencies are free. |
| Paying suppliers | 5/5 The widest free local payout network assessed: 120+ countries at no fee, SWIFT £10 to £20. | 4/5 Transfers in more than 40 currencies with the fee shown before sending, from 0.24%; SWIFT fees are quoted per currency rather than as one published figure. |
| FX cost | 3/5 A clear published margin, 0.5% on majors and 1% on the rest, higher than Wise, Statrys and WorldFirst. | 5/5 The lowest published major-currency margin among the providers that state one: from 0.24% above mid-market. |
| Financing | 1/5 Multi-currency company cards and a yield product; no supplier finance or letters of credit. | 0/5 No lending, cards on credit or trade finance. |
| Access and onboarding | 3/5 Eligible countries are published; companies registered in Colombia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Türkiye and the UAE cannot onboard. | 4/5 Business accounts for companies registered in a long published list including Brazil, Colombia, Hong Kong and China (Mexico is not on Wise's list of countries where accounts can hold money); USD details are not available to businesses with addresses in Nigeria, Pakistan, Türkiye, China or the UAE. |
| Protection and standing | 4/5 E-money safeguarding in the UK and EU, FDIC pass-through eligibility in the US, 60+ banking partners named by group. | 4/5 FCA e-money institution; funds safeguarded in cash, government bonds and money market funds; the regulation page lists every licence it holds. |
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in the Global Trade Banking Index. 0 means not offered or not published. How it is scored
| Criterion | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | 5/5 23 receiving currencies across 16 regions published. | 5/5 22 receiving currencies published. |
| Account ownership | 3/5 Dedicated account numbers published; naming not stated. | 3/5 Dedicated account details for the business; virtual accounts not published. |
| Published pricing | 5/5 Opening, monthly and receiving fees published. | 5/5 Set-up and receiving fees published. |
| Local rails and speed | 5/5 Instant local receipt in the EU, UK, US, Hong Kong and Singapore. | 3/5 Domestic receipt in nine currencies; instant rails not named. |
| Regulatory standing | 4/5 Licences with numbers published; safeguarding terms not on the pages read. | 4/5 FCA reference and security audits published; safeguarding terms not on the pages read. |
| Integration | 4/5 API, self-serve opening and a stated launch time; sandbox not confirmed on the pages read. | 3/5 API and self-serve sign-up; sandbox and go-live time not published on the pages read. |
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 21 and 26 October 2026.
| Fact | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Payment reach | Business account page: payouts "in 60+ currencies and 200+ countries". Pricing page: "Local transfers to 120+ countries" and "SWIFT transfers to 200+ countries". | "Pay in 40+ currencies" (ways to pay page). No country count for business payments on the pages read. |
| Pricing | Explore plan: "£0 or £19 /month" (£0 with £10k deposited or held each month); Grow: "£49 /month". FX: "0.5% above interbank rates for major currencies, 1% for all others". Domestic transfers in EUR, GBP and CHF: "Free". Swift: "£10-20/ transfer (SHA and OUR)". | One set-up fee: "All in for 50 GBP"; account details in 22 currencies: 50 GBP. Sending and converting: "Fee varies by currency", "From 0.24%". Receiving: domestic payments free; USD wire and Swift 6.11 USD, GBP Swift 2.16 GBP, EUR Swift 2.39 EUR per payment. Volume discount above 20,000 GBP a month. |
| Payment speed | "93% of funds arriving within the same day" (business account page). | "70% arrive in 20 seconds and 95% in under 24 hours", "Accurate as of Q3, 2025". |
| Collection accounts | "Accounts with local bank details in 20+ currencies"; Global Accounts page: "receive funds from 70+ countries". | "Getting account details to receive in 22 currencies"; domestic receipts free in AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, PHP, SGD and USD. |
| Integration | "Automated FX transactions and transfers via API", international batch transfers, Xero and QuickBooks sync, "Core API access" on Explore, free one-month trial. | Open API with a free sandbox account; batch payments of "up to 1,000 transfers at a time" by CSV upload; accounting software connections; online sign-up. |
| Regulatory standing | Licence page lists, among others: FCA EMI licence number 900876 (UK); Bank of Lithuania EMI licence no. 88; DNB relation number R179622 (Netherlands); MAS Major Payment Institution PS20200541; ASIC AFSL 487221; HK MSO 16-09-01929 and HKMA SVF0009; US money transmitter licences. | Wise Payments Limited: FCA EMI, Firm Reference 900507. Licence page by country includes ASIC AFSL 513764, National Bank of Belgium payment institution, FINTRAC MSB M15193392, HK MSO 25-03-03263 and Kanto Local Financial Bureau registration 00040. |
| Date read | 26 October 2026 | 26 October 2026 |
Not published or not stated by Airwallex: nothing in this profile is marked as not published or not stated.
Not published or not stated by Wise Business: nothing in this profile is marked as not published or not stated.
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: airwallex.com/uk/pricing, airwallex.com/uk/business-account, airwallex.com/uk/global-accounts, help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/…; and wise.com/gb/business, wise.com/gb/pricing/business, wise.com/gb/business/ways-to-pay, wise.com/gb/business/api, wise.com/help/articles/2932693/….
| Fact | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Account fee | Explore £0 or £19 a month; Grow £49; Accelerate on request | No monthly fee; one-off £50 for receiving details in 22 currencies |
| FX margin | 0.5% above interbank on major currencies, 1% on others | From 0.24% above the mid-market rate; volume discount above £20,000 a month |
| Receiving | Local details in 20+ currencies; collection free | Free domestic receipts in USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, SGD and others; incoming USD wire 6.11 USD |
| Paying suppliers | Local transfers to 120+ countries free; SWIFT £10 to £20 | Fee from 0.24%, varies by currency; 40+ currencies |
| Stablecoins | USDC on Ethereum by API early access only | Not supported; crypto businesses not accepted |
| Finance | Company cards; no trade finance | None; business debit card only |
| Onboarding | 1 to 3 business days after documents | Online; further review up to 10 working days |
| Protection | Safeguarded e-money in the UK; FDIC pass-through in the US via Evolve Bank & Trust | Safeguarded e-money; no FSCS |
| Date read | 21 October 2026 | 21 October 2026 |
Not published or not stated by Airwallex: nothing in this profile is marked as not published or not stated.
Not published or not stated by Wise Business: nothing in this profile is marked as not published or not stated.
Facts read on 21 October 2026 from: airwallex.com/uk/pricing, help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/…, help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/…, help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/…; and wise.com/gb/pricing/business, wise.com/help/articles/2932693/…, wise.com/help/articles/2813542/…, wise.com/help/articles/2810318/…, wise.com/gb/pricing/receive.
| Fact | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | Receiving coverage table: 16 regions and 23 currencies; platform accounts "with local bank details in 70+ countries". | "Account details for receiving in 22 currencies"; hold over 50 currencies. |
| Account ownership | Accounts come "with dedicated account numbers and local bank codes"; whether they are named or pooled is not stated. | Account details issued to the business; naming and virtual accounts for end customers not described on the pages read. |
| 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. | Set-up "All in for 31 USD"; domestic (non-SWIFT) receipt in AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, PHP, SGD and USD free; USD wire and SWIFT 6.11 USD, GBP SWIFT 2.16 GBP, EUR SWIFT 2.39 EUR per payment. |
| 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. | Not listed in this index |
| 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. | "authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, Firm Reference 900507"; US money transmitter; "SOC 1 type 2, SOC 2 type 2, PCI DSS and ISO 27001 certified". |
| Integration | API; "Open an account in minutes"; pre-built components to "Launch in days". | Wise API; self-serve sign-up with a one-off fee. |
| Local rails and speed | Not listed in this index | Domestic receipt in nine currencies; payouts "more than 50%* arrive within one hour". |
| 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 Wise Business: account ownership, local rails and speed, regulatory standing and integration.
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 wise.com/pricing/business, wise.com/payouts.
Awards follow from the published scores and cannot be bought.
From each provider's strongest criteria and published terms.
Businesses and platforms wanting exact FX margins, wide reach and many licences.
Small businesses wanting fast payments and a full public API.
Free local supplier payments to 120+ countries.
Transparent FX and receiving in 22 currencies.
Platforms and businesses needing local receiving details in many currencies at published prices.
Small and mid-sized businesses collecting from customers abroad.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.