At Wise, we strive towards a world where sending money across borders is as easy as a local transaction. Yet, the reality for many consumers and businesses is far from ideal. In 2020, the G20 developed a plan to address the slow speed, high cost, lack of transparency and access of these international transactions: the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-Border Payments, which sets ambitious goals to be achieved by 2027.

Every year, Wise issues a G20 Report to shed light on where we stand in improving cross-border payments and highlights both progress and challenges in all G20 countries. Progress has been inconsistent across nations, highlighting the need for renewed efforts.

In the second iteration of Wise’s G20 Report—where we track progress on two key metrics, direct access to payment schemes for non-banks and price transparency—we’ve seen incremental improvements, and evidence of some countries sliding backwards.

Ranking of g20 nations

EU joins top ranking members, with others soon to follow

Direct Access

Our latest report shows how G20 members have moved—in broadening access to payment systems for non-bank payment service providers. With countries like Brazil, China, Indonesia, and the UK having already achieved full direct access in our first report, since then the European Union has updated its rules to allow non-banks to access its payment systems, and Japan is expected to onboard its first non-bank soon. Despite this, other nations such as Argentina and Saudi Arabia continue to face structural challenges, limiting meaningful progress. As we move forward, accelerating policy implementation is crucial to encouraging innovation and inclusivity across global financial systems. Explore the full report to see the dynamic shifts in payment system access worldwide, and discover how these changes can drive further growth.
Image showing example of where bank hide their fees

Mixed progress across the G20

Price Transparency

The last 12 months have seen mixed progress on price transparency in cross-border payments. The UK now leads the way with its robust guidance mandating full disclosure of FX markups, setting a global example—the EU is taking a regulation based approach, expected to come into force next year. In contrast, the US saw a rescission of critical guidelines, while countries like Australia still lack robust, enforceable rules, allowing hidden fees to persist. Immediate action is required to overcome these transparency gaps. The current landscape calls for stronger regulations and enforcement to ensure consumers are fully informed of transaction costs. Dive into the report to learn more about the steps needed to cultivate transparency across the payments industry globally.
Image showing example of where bank hide their fees

Individual Country Reports