Pesa review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Our verdict
Pesa suits business users who pay in several currencies and want a virtual card, since 0% currency conversion fee and 6 supported currencies remove the usual markup. The trade-off is a monthly fee of $1 on top, and support runs on help centre, chat and email rather than a phone line.
Key facts
- Best for
- Business users needing a multi-currency virtual card with no currency conversion fee.
- Monthly fee
- $1 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card type
- Virtual (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currencies
- 6 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Pesapeer Inc (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Canada (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Chat, Email (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Multi-currency, Virtual card
- Audience
- Business
- Official website
- pesa.co
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- No currency conversion fee on 0% in a market where the median is 1%
- Virtual card of the virtual kind, useful for online and subscription spending
- Multi-currency accounts covering 6 currencies
- Support available through help centre, chat and email
Cons
- A monthly fee of $1 where most cards charge €0
- Help runs on help centre, chat and email only, with no phone line
- A virtual card of the kind Pesa issues, so spending leans towards online payments rather than in-person use
Who it suits
- Business users paying suppliers and staff in several currencies
- Anyone who wants a virtual card for online subscriptions and ad spend
- Businesses based outside the UK trading with Canadian and US partners
Who should look elsewhere
- UK consumers who want a free current account, where Monzo Flex charges £0
- People who need a physical debit card for cash, since HSBC Classic Credit Card is a different proposition
- High fee earners who pay several currencies a month, since Wise charges £0
The company behind it
Pesa runs as Pesapeer Inc, headquartered in Canada, and is built for business customers with multi-currency and virtual card features. Support comes through help centre, chat and email. Pesa holds registrations with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada as M20300281, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network as NMLS 2796311 / Rn 31000315905794, the Financial Conduct Authority as FRN 931425 and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre as IND100859468-001.
How Pesa compares
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.6
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8- 9.1 vs 8.8
- 9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.3
9.1 vs 8.2
9.1 vs 8.0
9.1 vs 8.0
Where Pesa is available
- Available
- Australia, Benin, Cameroon, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States
- Licence in Canada
- Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) (M20300281), checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United States
- Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) (NMLS 2796311 / Rn 31000315905794), checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United Kingdom
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (FRN 931425), checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in Australia
- Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) (IND100859468-001), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does Pesa cost to run each month?+
The monthly fee is $1, which sits above the €0 median monthly fee across the brands compared here. Treat it as a fixed running cost on each account you open, then weigh it against what you save with 0% currency conversion on cross-border payments.
What does Pesa charge to convert currency?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, which puts Pesa at the top of the 1 place ranking out of 259 brands. Most cards sit at a 1% median, so converting money from Pesa costs noticeably less.
Is Pesa regulated?+
Yes. Pesa lists registrations in Canada with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada as M20300281, in the US with FinCEN as NMLS 2796311 / Rn 31000315905794, in the UK with the Financial Conduct Authority as FRN 931425 and in Australia with AUSTRAC as IND100859468-001.
How many currencies can I hold with Pesa?+
You can add 6 currencies to a Pesa account, and multi-currency is one of the core features alongside the virtual card. That makes it a fit for businesses that pay in a handful of markets rather than a long tail of currencies.
Does Pesa issue a physical card?+
Pesa is a virtual card, so it is designed for online spending rather than a card in your wallet. For in-person purchases and cash withdrawals, an account that issues a debit card from another provider is the better fit.
How can I get help from Pesa?+
Support runs on help centre, chat and email. A help centre covers common questions, with chat and email for anything it does not answer. A phone line is not among those channels, so a blocked payment may take longer to sort than at a bank with phone support.
Who is Pesa built for?+
Pesa is aimed at business users rather than personal accounts, with multi-currency and virtual card features as the core draw. Freelancers paying overseas suppliers, and small firms handling subscriptions and ad spend online, are the typical fit.
Where is Pesa based?+
Pesa is operated by Pesapeer Inc and headquartered in Canada. It holds registrations across several markets, including the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, which suits businesses trading in more than one region.
Sources
- pesa.co checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Features, Headquarters, Legal entity, Licences
“Business”
- pesa.co/frequently-asked-questions checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Currency conversion fee, Support channels
“A Pesa Virtual Card is a digital USD card that enables you to make international online payments securely from Nigeria.”
- pesa.co/frequently-asked-questions/pricing-and-cost checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Monthly fee
“There will be no maintenance fee for the first 3 months. After 3 months, the Pesa Virtual Card has a maintenance fee of $1.”
- pesa.co/frequently-asked-questions/which-currencies-can-i... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Currencies
“You can currently add and use wallets in: USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AED, NGN”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Related by the facts
Pesa
Business users needing a multi-currency virtual card with no currency conversion fee.