The short answer
Wise Business is usually the better fit for a small company or a sole trader that sends and receives in many currencies: it has no monthly fee, gives account details in 22 currencies and publishes its prices. Airwallex suits a company registered in one of its 69 countries that wants cards, expense management, bill pay and accounting integrations on one platform, and moves enough money for a monthly plan to pay off.
The bigger difference is often eligibility. Airwallex decides by where your company is registered, and its list leaves out countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria, the UAE and Türkiye. Wise serves more countries, but doesn't give USD account details for addresses in several of the same ones. Neither accepts stablecoin payments.
Accounts and rails
As of October 2026, from each provider's help center and docs:
| Accounts and rails | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies with account details | 20+ Global Accounts; converts across 64 | 22; hold 40+ |
| USD | ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT; FedNow and RTP for eligible customers | ACH and domestic wires from the US; wires and SWIFT from some other countries |
| EUR | SEPA and SEPA Instant | SEPA; SWIFT in EUR from some countries |
| GBP | Faster Payments, Bacs, CHAPS and SWIFT | Faster Payments, Bacs and CHAPS; SWIFT from some countries |
| AED | Local IPI and RTGS transfers, not for customers based in the UAE | No AED details; AED can be received to GBP account details |
| Name on the account | Works as "local currency accounts in your name" | Your name as it appears on your Wise account |
Both hold your balance in fiat currencies, and both send to banks in most of the world: Airwallex lists payouts to 200+ countries and regions.
Fees
Both publish their prices. On their UK price lists, as of October 2026:
| Published fees, UK | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Explore £19 a month (£0 if you deposit or hold £10,000 a month); Grow £49; Accelerate on request | No monthly fee |
| Setup | None listed | 50 GBP, one-time |
| Receive USD | 15 USD per incoming Fedwire | ACH free for most businesses; 6.11 USD per wire or SWIFT payment |
| Receive other currencies | Free in most; 0.60% in KRW, VND, BRL and MYR | Free domestically in 9 currencies; 2.39 EUR or 2.16 GBP per SWIFT payment |
| Convert | 0.50% markup on major currencies, 1.00% on others | From 0.24%, by currency |
Airwallex's schedule is effective from 17 October 2026. Prices differ by country for both, so check the page for where your company is registered.
Cards, spending and integrations
Airwallex sells spend management alongside its accounts. Employee Visa cards come virtual or physical and company cards are virtual, with limits per transaction or per period, approval workflows, expense management and bill pay. It connects to Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Odoo, and to commerce platforms such as Shopify and Amazon.
Wise issues physical and digital debit cards: the first is free and each team member card costs a one-time 3 GBP in the UK. Admins set daily and monthly limits for each member, members upload receipts, and Wise connects to Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent. ATM withdrawals are free up to 250 GBP a month, then 2.69%.
Who can open an account
| Eligibility | Airwallex | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Businesses registered in 69 listed countries and territories | Sole traders, freelancers and companies; 21 countries not supported |
| Not covered, examples | Pakistan, Nigeria, the UAE, Türkiye, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Kenya, Argentina, Colombia, South Africa | No USD details for addresses in countries including Bangladesh, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Türkiye and the UAE |
| Review time | 1 to 3 business days | Usually up to 10 working days |
| Crypto | Restricted: needs Airwallex's approval | Businesses that exchange or trade crypto aren't supported |
Licenses. Airwallex (UK) Ltd and Airwallex (Netherlands) B.V. are electronic money institutions regulated by the FCA and De Nederlandsche Bank, its Singapore entity is a Major Payment Institution licensed by MAS, and Airwallex US, LLC holds state money transmitter licenses. Wise Payments Limited is an electronic money institution authorized by the FCA, Wise Europe SA is a payment institution authorized by the National Bank of Belgium, and Wise US Inc. is registered with FinCEN.
Which one to choose
Choose Wise Business if:
- you're a sole trader, a freelancer or a small company that doesn't want a monthly fee
- you need account details or balances in many currencies, including ones Airwallex doesn't list
- you convert often and want low, published conversion fees
Choose Airwallex if:
- your company is registered in one of its 69 countries and territories
- you want employee cards, expense management, bill pay and accounting integrations in one place
- you receive most payments in currencies it doesn't charge to receive, or move enough to make Explore free
Look elsewhere if your company is registered outside both lists, or if customers pay you in USDT or USDC. Payoneer alternatives compares six providers by who they serve.
Where Align fits
Align is a business account built on stablecoins. It gives named USD, EUR, GBP and AED accounts in your company's name, and money you receive lands as USDC or USDT. It suits a company whose customers, suppliers or treasury already use stablecoins, and it doesn't offer cards or accounting sync. Its AED accounts are for companies outside the UAE. See Align vs Airwallex and Align vs Wise Business for the side-by-side comparisons.
Align Payments Ltd. is registered with FINTRAC in Canada as a money services business (registration no. N300000203), and regulated services are provided through licensed financial institutions. Align isn't a bank. Pricing is quoted on request.
Sources
- Airwallex, Global Account currencies, Market and infrastructure coverage and Global Accounts (accessed 22 October 2026)
- Airwallex, Eligible countries and territories and UK fee schedule (effective 17 October 2026; accessed 29 October 2026)
- Airwallex, Corporate cards, Software integrations, Verifying your business in the UK and How long will my application take to process? (accessed 22 October 2026)
- Airwallex, How is Airwallex licensed and regulated?, Acceptable use policy and Stablecoin wallet payouts (accessed 22 October 2026)
- Wise, Business pricing and coverage (UK), Can I get USD account details?, Which countries can I use Wise in? and Understanding Wise's position on cryptocurrency (accessed 29 October 2026)
- Wise, What is a Wise account?, What types of payments can I receive into my account?, Business card fees (UK), How can I control my team spending?, Can my business use Wise?, How is Wise regulated in each country? and How can I verify my business? (accessed 22 October 2026)
Common questions
- Is Airwallex or Wise Business cheaper?
- For a small company, usually Wise. On their UK price lists in October 2026, Wise has no monthly fee and a one-time 50 GBP setup fee, while Airwallex's Explore plan costs £19 a month unless you deposit or hold £10,000. On conversion, Wise starts from 0.24% in the UK and Airwallex adds 0.50% on major currencies, so a company that converts a lot can often save with Wise too. Airwallex charges nothing to receive in most currencies, but 15 USD per incoming Fedwire, and Wise charges 6.11 USD per USD wire or SWIFT payment.
- Which has more currencies?
- Wise gives account details in 22 currencies and lets you hold 40+. Airwallex gives Global Accounts in 20+ currencies and converts across 64. Both cover USD, EUR and GBP; for AED, Airwallex lists AED Global Accounts for customers outside the UAE, and Wise lets you receive AED into its GBP account details.
- Can sole traders and freelancers use Airwallex or Wise?
- Wise Business says it works for sole traders and freelancers as well as companies. Airwallex decides by the country your business is registered in, from a list of 69 countries and territories, and asks for company documents such as a certificate of incorporation for a UK limited company.
- Do Airwallex or Wise support stablecoins?
- Not for receiving. Wise doesn't support businesses involved in the exchange or trading of cryptocurrencies. Airwallex's docs describe USDC payouts on Ethereum, in early access through the API, and its acceptable use policy treats crypto activity as restricted, needing approval. A company paid in USDT or USDC needs a provider built for it, such as Align.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and providers' terms change; check the sources linked above and take advice on your own situation.