Airwallex in India: Features, Fees and Availability for UK Businesses

For a UK-based businesses transacting to and from India, an INR-ready multicurrency account is crucial. But does Airwallex provide this?

This guide answers this question in detail. We've explained Airwallex availability in India when it comes to INR payments, cards and receiving INR, as well as what fees and onboarding requirements to check.

We've also explained why Wise Business is an alternative to Airwallex India worth considering.

Discover Wise Business 🔎

Note: Wise Business offers a free Essential plan for basic spending and transferring. If you need to receive money, set up direct debits, or generate invoices, you'll pay a one-time £50 setup fee to unlock the Advanced features.

Provider features, fees, eligibility checks, protections and timelines mentioned in this article may vary by customer, business type, application outcome, payment method and country. Check the provider's website and terms and conditions for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Airwallex India at a glance

Can UK businesses use Airwallex in India?

UK businesses can use Airwallex for some India-related business activity, but the available features depend on their account, payment route and currency. The important distinction is between making or managing an international payment involving India, and holding or collecting Indian rupees locally.

According to Airwallex's Global Account guidance, INR isn't included in the domestic Global Account list or the SWIFT Global Account list.¹ A UK business therefore shouldn't give an Indian customer or marketplace INR Global Account instructions without first confirming the supported route in its account.

Is Indian rupee supported by Airwallex?

Airwallex may support particular India-related transfers or card transactions, but its Global Account guidance doesn't list INR as a collection currency.¹ This means you shouldn't assume that you can receive INR into a UK Global Account, create INR collection details or hold INR in the same way as a listed Global Account currency.

If an Indian customer, marketplace or supplier needs to use INR, check the specific payment route, any conversion, intermediary deductions and the currency the recipient will receive before you rely on it.

If your immediate need is instead to pay an Indian supplier or contractor from GBP, Wise Business provides a different route to consider. Eligible UK businesses can send money to India in INR, with the fee shown before you confirm. The conversion uses the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees. This does not mean Wise Business provides INR local account details or an INR balance, so check the feature you need before changing a payment flow.

Can you receive money from India with Airwallex?

You may be able to receive money from an Indian customer, platform or partner when it is sent through a currency and payment method supported by your account. However, INR isn't listed in Airwallex's Global Account guidance as a domestic or SWIFT collection currency.¹

For example, a payer may be able to pay your UK business in a supported currency through the relevant Airwallex Global Account. If they want to pay in INR, confirm the route, conversion and any fees before you issue payment instructions.

Wise Business may still be useful alongside a customer-payment arrangement when you need to use the money for India-related costs after receipt. Eligible businesses can hold supported currencies and send INR payments to India, but you shouldn't treat this as a substitute for INR receiving details: check the relevant receiving and sending feature separately.

Can you use an Airwallex card in India?

According to Airwallex's direct billing currency guidance, INR isn't a direct billing currency for Airwallex cards.²

That doesn't by itself determine whether every card purchase in India will work. It does mean INR spending isn't the same as debiting an INR wallet balance directly. Check the applicable card rules, available wallet balances and conversion method before using the card for travel or local expenses.

If your business needs to pay India-based operating costs rather than receive INR, Wise Business gives eligible businesses another way to send a GBP-to-INR payment. Check the live quote for the total fee and delivery estimate before using it for a supplier invoice, contractor payment or travel cost.

Airwallex fees for UK businesses using India-related payments

The costs depend on the plan, payment method, currency and route. According to Airwallex's UK fee schedule, its Explore plan is listed at £19 a month or £0 subject to stated conditions, and Grow is listed at £49 a month.⁴

Before sending money to India, receiving a payment or using a card there, check:

• the fee and exchange rate for the exact payment route
• whether the payment is local or uses SWIFT
• any intermediary or recipient-bank deductions
• card conversion rules and direct-billing availability
• account-plan fees and any applicable payment-acceptance charges.

Don't rely on a general fee table when the route is central to a supplier contract or customer payment. Use the live quote and terms that apply to your business.

Can you open an Airwallex account in India?

This is separate from using a UK Airwallex account for India-related payments. According to Airwallex's South Asia document guidance, it has document requirements for businesses registered in India, including companies, limited liability partnerships, proprietorships, partnerships and MSMEs.³

For an India-registered company or LLP, the guidance lists a Certificate of Incorporation and a second verification document, such as Articles of Association, a GST Registration Certificate, a business PAN card, a bank statement from the previous three months, or audited financial statements or internal audit reports. It also says a signed ownership structure chart or partnership disclosure and declaration form is required.³

The documents are an onboarding requirement, not a guarantee of approval. If your UK business is establishing an Indian entity, check which legal entity is applying and which products are available to it before changing payment flows.

Need to pay Indian suppliers while managing international business money?

Whether Airwallex is suitable depends on the route and features your business needs. If your immediate task is paying a supplier, contractor or service provider in India, you may also want a way to hold supported currencies and manage the money around the payment.

Wise Business can help eligible UK businesses send money to supported destinations, receive money using local account details where available and hold 40+ currencies. You can see the fee before sending or converting money, and conversions use the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees. Availability depends on the route, currency and account feature, so check the live quote before you pay.

Wise Business offers a free Essential plan for basic spending and transferring. If you need to receive money, set up direct debits, or generate invoices, you'll pay a one-time £50 setup fee to unlock the Advanced features.

With Wise Business, you can:

• 🌍 Send money to 70+ countries and pay overseas invoices at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no hidden exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
• 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
• 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
• 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
• 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
• ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
• 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
• 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation. See full cashback terms and conditions
• 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
• 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
• 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
• 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
• 📈 Earn variable returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Growth not guaranteed. Your balance will go down in the event of a government default or interest rates going negative.)
• 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily (Card payment acceptance for new Wise Business customers is currently unavailable. Payment methods subject to eligibility and availability.)
• ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)

Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for your domestic and global needs.

Be Smart, Get Wise.

Register for Wise Business ✍️

Wise Interest disclaimer: Growth not guaranteed. Your balance will go down in the event of a government default or interest rates going negative. Taxes may apply. 3.32% variable rate on GBP is based on 7 day performance as of 05 Aug 2026. For full 5-year past performance and fund information, visit https://wise.com/interest. Investments are offered by Wise Assets UK Ltd. (FRN 839689)

FAQs

Does Airwallex support INR Global Accounts?

No. Airwallex's Global Account guidance doesn't list INR as a domestic or SWIFT Global Account collection currency.¹

Can I receive INR into Airwallex as a UK business?

Don't assume so. INR isn't listed as a Global Account collection currency in Airwallex's current guidance. Check your account and the intended payment route before giving anyone INR payment instructions.¹

Can I use an Airwallex card in India?

INR isn't listed as an Airwallex direct billing currency. Check the card's current rules, wallet setup and conversion method before relying on it for INR spending.²

Can an India-registered company open an Airwallex account?

Airwallex's South Asia documentation lists the documents it may require for India-registered organisations. Account approval and available features remain subject to Airwallex's onboarding process.³

Can a UK business send money to India with Airwallex?

Route availability isn't established by the Global Account collection-currency list alone. Check the current send route, recipient currency, fee, exchange rate and delivery estimate in your Airwallex account before committing to a payment.

Is Wise Business available for UK businesses paying India-related costs?

Wise Business can help eligible UK businesses send money to supported destinations, hold supported currencies and receive money using local account details where available. Route and feature availability vary, so check the live quote and coverage for your payment before sending.

Sources:

1. Which currencies can I get a Global Account in and what payments can I receive? | Airwallex Help Centre
2. Which direct billing currencies are supported for Airwallex Cards? | Airwallex Help Centre
3. Documents required for companies in South East Asia | Airwallex Help Centre
4. UK Fee Schedule | Airwallex