Can You Use Airwallex in the UAE? - UK Guide
Can you use Airwallex in the UAE? Find out here in our essential guide for UK businesses, covering everything you need to know.
Expanding your UK business, and thinking of trading internationally? You’re going to need to find solutions for managing company finances in multiple currencies.
One potential option is Airwallex, the fintech company which offers digital global business accounts to companies based in the UK and in many other countries worldwide.
If you’re thinking of opening an Airwallex account, you’ll want to know which countries you can use your account in.
In this guide, we’ll be focusing on whether you can use Airwallex in the US. This includes whether the platform supports US dollars (USD) and if you can open a local account there - essential if your business is expanding to North America.
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 the US and worldwide.
💡 Learn more about Wise Business
Yes, you can use Airwallex in the US as a UK-registered company.
With your Airwallex account, you can send money between the UK and the US. You can even open an Airwallex Global Account in US dollars (USD) 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 - which includes the US.
Other Airwallex features include:
Read our full Airwallex business account review here.
The US dollar (USD) is classed as a major currency by Airwallex, so it’s fully supported for all types of transactions.
This means you can hold, send and receive money in US dollars, and spend directly in USD (without a currency conversion) on the Airwallex card.
Now we come to the important question - how much does it cost to use Airwallex in the US as a UK business?
Below are the main fees you need to know about:¹
Type | Airwallex fees |
---|---|
Account fees (for UK accounts) | £0 to £999 a month, depending on plan |
Send money to the US from the UK | £10 to £20 |
Receive money from the US in the UK | Free into your USD Global Account |
FX currency conversion | 0.5% to 1% |
Domestic (local) transfers | Free |
Accepting card payments | 1.30% to 3.15% (depending on card type) + £0.20 |
Create company cards | Free |
Create employee cards | £5 per cardholder per month (first 5 cardholders free) |
Considering opening a branch of your business in the US or expanding to the wider North America region? You’ll need to know whether you can open local accounts in each of the countries you’re targeting.
The good news is that yes, you can open an account with Airwallex in the US. So once you have a registered address in the States, you can simply head to the Airwallex US dedicated website to open an account online.
Pricing works a little differently than in the UK. Instead of having monthly plans, Airwallex users in the USA only pay per transaction for the services they use.
You can get started with just your business email address. But as part of the verification process, you’ll need to have the following information and documents to hand:²
You may also need to complete certain questionnaires, based on the nature and activities of your company.
You can see a full list of documents you might need here.
Of course, Airwallex isn’t the only digital business account out there. There are actually quite a few alternatives, including the Wise Business account.
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:
There’s even a new feature which lets you earn returns while growing your business - Wise Interest.
Get started with Wise Business 🚀
To help you choose the right business account for your needs, here’s a quick comparison of Wise Business and Airwallex for UK companies looking to trade in the US:
Features | Wise Business | Airwallex |
---|---|---|
Send money to the country | Yes | Yes |
Receive in the local currency | Yes | Yes |
Spend money in the country | Yes | Yes |
Conversion rate fees | - Mid-market exchange rate - Fees from 0.33% | 0.5% to 1% markup on mid-market exchange rate¹ |
Send money fees | From 0.33% | £10 to £20 for SWIFT¹ |
Receive money fees | Free in USD to your USD account details | Free¹ |
Find out more about what Wise Business could do for your business.
Get started with Wise Business 🚀
And that’s everything you need to know about using Airwallex in the US as a UK business.
You can do pretty much everything in the US dollars with Airwallex, including sending, receiving, spending and holding the currency in your account. Plus, you can open an account there if you establish operations in the US at any point.
So if Airwallex is the right choice for your company, you should be all set to start using it when you start trading with the US.
Just remember to compare all available options, as there are some great alternatives out there - including Wise Business.
Sources used:
Sources last checked on date: 21-Mar-2025
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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