Developer-first payments infrastructure for internet businesses.
2.9% + $0.30
online rate
$0
monthly fee
2-day
payout
Developers
SaaS
Marketplaces
Airwallex Review
Global payments and business accounts with FX at 0.5 to 1 percent over interbank and free local payouts to 120+ countries.
No reviews yetFounded 2015Singapore and San Francisco, United StatesListing updated
- Starting rate
- 2.80% + $0.30 US
- Monthly fee
- $0 US Explore plan
- Payout
- Varies
- Contract
- No contract
- PCI level
- Level 1
- Regions
- US, UK +3
Overview
Airwallex is aimed at businesses that operate across borders rather than businesses that only need a basic card terminal.
If you receive money in different currencies, pay international suppliers, sell internationally, or operate an eCommerce business across multiple markets, the foreign-exchange side of payment processing can become just as important as the card-processing fee.
Airwallex Multi-Currency Accounts
Airwallex allows eligible businesses to manage multiple currencies through its global financial infrastructure.
For an international business, this can reduce some of the friction involved in receiving and moving money between currencies.
Airwallex Pricing and FX Fees
Don't compare Airwallex only against payment processors' transaction rates.
For international businesses, calculate:
payment fees + FX costs + transfer costs + account costs
That gives you a much better picture of the actual cost.
Who Is Airwallex Best For?
Airwallex is particularly relevant to:
- Cross-border eCommerce
- International businesses
- SaaS companies
- Online marketplaces
- Import/export businesses
- Companies paying international suppliers
Airwallex vs Wise
Wise can be attractive for straightforward international money transfers, while Airwallex is positioned more broadly around business payments and financial infrastructure.
The right choice depends on whether you need simple currency movement or a broader business payment platform.
Is Airwallex Available in the US?
Availability and supported products can depend on the business's location and eligibility, so US businesses should check the current Airwallex offering before opening an account.
Best for
Cross-border sellers
Multi-currency treasury
Global payouts
Embedded finance
Regions
US
UK
EU
CA
Global
Industries
Ecommerce
SaaS
Marketplaces
Import and export
Travel
Pros
- Transparent FX at 0.5% to 1% above interbank plus like-for-like settlement, so cross-border sellers avoid forced-conversion losses
- Acceptance, multi-currency accounts, card issuing, expense management and embedded finance APIs in one account, with free local payouts to 120+ countries and 92% of transfers arriving the same day
- No contract, no setup fee, a free US entry tier, and plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento
Cons
- Poor value for purely domestic US sellers at 2.80% + 30 cents, since the product's edge is cross-border
- Onboarding and KYB checks generate more account-freeze and verification complaints than domestic-only rivals, and there is no US phone support
- No high-risk acceptance, in-person POS is still rolling out in most markets, and balances are safeguarded e-money rather than insured deposits
Pricing
Pricing at a glance
US card acceptance costs 2.80% + $0.30 domestic and 4.30% + $0.30 international; UK domestic cards cost 1.30% + 20p. FX conversion is 0.5% above interbank for major currencies and 1% for others, local transfers to 120+ countries are free, and SWIFT transfers cost 15 to 25 dollars.
- Pricing model
- Flat rate, Subscription, Custom quote
- Contract
- No contract
- Free trial
- No
- Monthly minimum
- None
Fee breakdown
| Online card rate | 2.80% + $0.30 US |
|---|---|
| International surcharge | 4.30% + $0.30 in the US, 3.15% + 20p in the UK |
| Monthly fee | $0 US Explore plan |
| Setup fee | None |
| Monthly minimum | None |
| Chargeback fee | Charged per regional fee schedule, not published as a single figure |
| Early termination fee | None, no long-term contract |
Listing updated How we keep listings current
Features
Payment methods
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Amex
- Discover
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- BNPL
- Wallets
Integrations & deployment
- API
- Hosted checkout
- Drop-in UI
- Payment links
- Mobile SDK
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Magento
Capabilities
- Recurring billing
- Multi-currency
- Fraud protection
- 3D Secure
- Tokenization
- Marketplace split
- Reporting dashboard
- Developer-friendly
At a glance
- Currencies
- Accept in 180+ countries with 160+ local payment methods, hold balances in 20+ currencies, settle like-for-like without forced conversion
- Payout
- Varies
- PCI level
- Level 1
- High-risk friendly
- No
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
- How much does Airwallex cost?
- Pricing differs sharply by market of registration. US merchants pay 2.80% + 30 cents on domestic cards and 4.30% + 30 cents on international cards on a free Explore plan. UK merchants pay 1.30% + 20p domestic, 2.40% + 20p for EEA cards and 3.15% + 20p international, with a 19 pound monthly fee waived by deposit or balance thresholds. FX conversion costs 0.5% above interbank for major currencies and 1% for others.
- Is Airwallex a bank?
- No. Airwallex is a licensed financial platform holding roughly 80 licenses and permits worldwide, and customer balances are safeguarded e-money rather than insured bank deposits. It provides business accounts in 20+ currencies, payment acceptance, card issuing, expense management and transfers, but not lending or deposit insurance.
- How do Airwallex payouts and settlement work?
- Acceptance settles into a multi-currency wallet, like-for-like, so funds can stay in the currency the customer paid in rather than being force-converted. Local-rail transfers to 120+ countries are free and 92% of global transfers arrive the same day; SWIFT transfers cost about 15 to 25 dollars. Settlement timing varies by payment method and any reserve terms on the account.
- Who should not use Airwallex?
- Purely domestic US sellers, who can process cheaper elsewhere and would not use the FX features, and high-risk merchants: adult content, unlicensed gambling and unlicensed financial services are prohibited, while crypto, marketplaces and travel face extra checks. Businesses needing mature in-person POS everywhere should also wait, as terminals and Tap to Pay are still rolling out by market.