Can You Use Airwallex in Hong Kong? - UK Guide

If your UK business is planning to trade or expand globally, you’re going to need a cost-effective way to manage company finances in multiple currencies.

One option is Airwallex, a fintech firm offering digital global business accounts to companies based in the UK and in many countries worldwide.

In this guide, we’ll be looking at whether UK companies can use Airwallex in Hong Kong. This will be essential if you have plans to trade or source supplies from the country, or perhaps even set up operations there in the future.

Below, we’ll look at whether Airwallex supports Hong Kong dollars (HKD), along with fees and info on opening a local Airwallex account in Hong Kong.

Remember though that Airwallex isn’t the only option for global businesses. Wise Business is a fantastic alternative, offering a full-feature account, cards, invoicing, bulk payments and secure transfer services to Hong Kong and worldwide.

💡 Learn more about Wise Business

Can you use Airwallex in Hong Kong?

Yes, UK-based businesses can use Airwallex in Hong Kong.

With your Airwallex account, you can send money between the UK and Hong Kong.

You can even open a Global Account in Hong Kong dollars (HKD) and use it to receive payments in the currency from your clients and customers worldwide.

There’s also the Airwallex multi-currency card, which works anywhere that Visa is accepted, including Hong Kong. It also allows you to spend directly in HKD without a currency conversion.

Other Airwallex features include:

• Automated domestic and international bill pay service
• Foreign exchange services
• Borderless corporate cards
• Expenses management
• Payment links and plugins
• Receive payments through marketplace sites
• Accounting and other software integrations.

Read our full Airwallex business account review here.

Is the Hong Kong dollar supported by Airwallex?

The Hong Kong dollar (HKD) is one of Airwallex’s core currencies, so it’s supported by the platform for holding, sending and receiving.

You can also spend directly in the currency using your Airwallex card, without the need for currency conversion.

Airwallex fees and cost in Hong Kong

Now we come to the important question - how much does it cost to use Airwallex in Hong Kong as a UK business?

Below are the main fees you need to know about:¹

Can you open an account with Airwallex in Hong Kong?

Thinking of expanding your business operations to Hong Kong, or the wider east Asia region? If you’re going to set up shop there, you’ll need to know if you can open local Airwallex accounts in each of the countries you’re targeting.

The good news is that you can open an account with Airwallex in Hong Kong. Once you have a registered local address for your business, you can simply head to the Airwallex Hong Kong website (which handily, is in English) to open an account online.

Airwallex pricing for HK businesses works a little differently than in the UK. Instead of having monthly plans, business users in Hong Kong only pay per transaction for the services they use.

You can get started with just your business email address. However, you may be asked for the following documents as part of the verification process:²

• Certificate of Incorporation
• ID documents for owners or key people connected to the business.

You can see a full list of documents you might need here.

Wise Business: an alternative to Airwallex in Hong Kong

Comparing all options before opening an account for your company? This is a good idea, as Airwallex isn’t the only global digital business account out there.

There are actually quite a few alternatives, including Wise Business.

The Wise Business account is ideal for companies that trade internationally, source supplies from overseas, or employ people from other countries.

This powerful account lets you manage everything in one place, with no monthly subscription fees. Features include:

• Local account details for major currencies, including Hong Kong dollars
• International payments to Hong Kong and worldwide for low fees and the mid-market exchange rate
• Employee expense cards which work in 150+ countries, including Hong Kong
• API integration with business and accounting tools
• Bulk payments and automation tools - batch pay up to 1,000 people at once
• Bespoke permission levels to control team access.

There’s even a new feature which lets you earn returns while growing your business - Wise Interest (capital at risk).

Get started with Wise Business 🚀

Wise Business vs. Airwallex in Hong Kong comparison

To help you choose the right business account for your needs, let’s do a quick comparison.

Here’s Wise Business vs. Airwallex, focusing specifically on UK companies looking to trade in Hong Kong:

Find out more about what Wise Business could do for your company.

Get started with Wise Business 🚀

And that’s about it - everything you need to know about using Airwallex in Hong Kong as a UK business.

You can do pretty much everything in Hong Kong dollars with Airwallex, including sending, receiving, spending and holding HKD. Plus, you can open a local account there if you establish operations in Hong Kong at any point.

But before you open an account, just remember to compare all available options - including Wise Business. It’s important to find the right fit for your business, especially as it expands overseas.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 21-Mar-2025