Updated October 17, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Airwallex vs Wirex Card
Airwallex
Wirex Card
Higher score in this comparison
Airwallex vs Wirex Card: the differences
| Compare | AirwallexReviewVisitVisit | Wirex CardReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0 | $0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5% | 0%Lower |
| Cashback rate | 2% | 0.5% to 8%Higher |
| Currencies | 20 | from 150 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Custody | Not confirmed | Self custody |
Same on both: Card type (Debit), Card network (Visa).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Wirex Card scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 9.0.
- Founded is lower at Wirex Card: 2014 vs 2015.
- Wirex Card is licensed in 1 more country.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Wirex Card: 0% vs 0.5%.
- Cashback rate is higher at Wirex Card: 0.5% to 8% vs 2%.
- Support channels: only Airwallex offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Wirex Card offers Email, Community.
- Features: only Wirex Card offers Crypto, Self custody.
Our verdict on each
Airwallex
Airwallex suits businesses that hold and spend across several currencies, pairing a £0 monthly fee with 20 currencies, virtual cards and support by phone. The trade-off sits in conversion, where fees run 0.5%, a step above the cheapest rate on a comparison of 259 brands.
Wirex Card
Wirex Card suits business users and frequent travellers abroad who want crypto spending on a multi-currency card, with a currency conversion fee of 0% and a monthly fee of $0. Self-custody, from 150 currencies and cashback of 0.5% to 8% add pull, though free ATM withdrawals are $0.
Score breakdown
| Area | Airwallex | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Monthly fee of £0 ranks 1 of 419, while conversion fees of 0.5% sit at 115. | 9.4HigherHolds rank 1 on monthly fee and 1 on currency conversion, with fees of $0 a month and 0%. |
| Offer | 9.4HigherMulti-currency, virtual cards and travel use are listed features, with cashback of 2% on spend. | 9.2 |
| Trust | 8.6 | 8.7Higher |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Airwallex | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Debit cards | 4 of 1336 | 30 of 1336 |
| Business debit cards | 1 of 201 | 8 of 201 |
| Travel cards | 2 of 443 | 19 of 443 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Airwallex | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | Not confirmed | |
| Malta | Not confirmed | |
| Netherlands | De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) R179622 | Not confirmed |
| Singapore | Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) PS20200541 | Not confirmed |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | Financial Conduct Authority FRN 902025 |
Where these facts come from
Airwallex
- airwallex.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- play.google.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- recordowl.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- sgpbusiness.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- transferfees.io: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Wirex Card
- wirexapp.com: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Airwallex | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Multi currency, Virtual card, Travel | Multi currency, Crypto, Virtual card, Self custody, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Legal entity | Airwallex (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Wirex Limited |
| Headquarters | Singapore | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2015 | 2014Lower |
| Support channels | Help centre, Phone, Chat | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Airwallex | Wirex Card | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5%below the median | 0%below the median | 1% |
| Free ATM withdrawals | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Cashback rate | 2%at the median | 0.5% to 8%highest quarter | 2% |
| Currencies | 20above the median | from 150highest quarter | 8 |
Median across 387 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Airwallex
Pros
- A monthly fee of £0 and a rank of 1 on 419 brands for this measure
- Accounts cover 20 currencies, so several balances can sit side by side
- Virtual cards and travel use are listed features, so staff spend and trips stay in the same place
Cons
- Conversion fees run 0.5%, so converting larger amounts costs more than at the cheapest rivals
- Cashback of 2% is small next to that conversion cost on cross-currency spend
- The account is aimed at business, so personal everyday spending sits outside its remit
Wirex Card
Pros
- Currency conversion costs 0% on a debit card, so spending in another currency adds no extra cost.
- The monthly fee is $0 and the account supports from 150 currencies on the visa network.
- Self-custody and a virtual card are both listed features, alongside crypto spending and travel use.
Cons
- Free ATM withdrawals are $0, so cash machine visits cost extra; the card ranks 41 of 115 on that measure.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, so there is no phone line for urgent problems.
- Cashback of 0.5% to 8% moves with the tier reached, so the headline rate is not guaranteed.
Who each suits
Airwallex
Who it suits
- Businesses paying suppliers or contractors in other currencies
- Companies with staff travelling for work
- Startups keeping several currency balances side by side
Who should look elsewhere
- Single-currency spenders, who would get more from Wise
- Travellers wanting fee-free conversion, since fees run 0.5% here against 0.1% at Wise
- Households after a personal everyday card, where Varo Believe Secured Credit Card or Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) fit better
Wirex Card
Who it suits
- Businesses and freelancers paying in several currencies each month.
- Readers who want to spend crypto while keeping custody of their own funds.
- Travellers who want a virtual card for online bookings and a physical debit card for daily spending.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, whose monthly fee is £0, for anyone who wants a multi-currency account that keeps no crypto balance.
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card, with £0 a month, for straightforward current account banking rather than crypto spending.
- Bitpanda, whose monthly fee is €0, for readers who want a crypto card and not the business focus listed for Wirex.
Current offers
Wirex Card
Current offer
Discount code
50% subscription rebates on Wirex One card: 50% back in USD on eligible subscriptions (Uber One, ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, Perplexity Pro, Whoop, Bloomberg, Financial Times)
Pay for eligible subscriptions using the Wirex One card; rebate capped at the standard plan price for each service; tiers unlock more subscriptions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Up to 8% cashback on every purchase: 0.5% to 8% back in USD depending on membership tier
Every eligible purchase earns between 0.5% and 8% back in USD depending on tier; credited to Rewards Balance on transaction clearance
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Wirex Exclusive Rewards Portal: Up to 16% cashback shopping online with 100+ partner retailers
Via the cashback portal at cashback.wirexapp.com
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Airwallex | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| China | Yes | No |
| France | Yes | No |
| Germany | Yes | No |
| Hong Kong | Yes | No |
| Israel | Yes | No |
| Japan | Yes | No |
8 of 17 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Airwallex
What does it cost to hold an Airwallex account?+
The monthly fee is £0, so keeping the account open adds no recurring cost, and Airwallex ranks 1 of 419 brands on this measure. Conversion is the charge that follows, and it is listed separately.
What is the currency conversion fee on Airwallex?+
Conversion fees run 0.5%, which sits above the cheapest conversion available, and Airwallex ranks 115 of 259 brands on this measure. Converting only when the trade rate is worth the fee keeps that cost under control.
Wirex Card
What does it cost to hold a Wirex Card?+
The monthly fee is $0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%, so holding the card and converting money both cost nothing. Cash machine withdrawals are the exception and are billed separately, so allow for a charge each time if you rely on cash in hand.
Will I pay a foreign transaction fee abroad?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, so there is no charge for converting on the card. The account supports from 150 currencies, which lets you hold and spend in the currency of the place you are in instead of paying a conversion cost on every purchase.