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Wise is a cross-border payments company that lets individuals and businesses hold, convert and send money in more than 40 currencies, and sells the same infrastructure to banks through Wise Platform. It operates through locally licensed subsidiaries, including an FCA-authorised e-money institution in the UK, a National Bank of Belgium payment institution for the EU, and state-licensed money transmission in the US.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legal name (parent) | Wise Group plc |
| Main operating entities | Wise Payments Limited (UK), Wise Europe SA (Belgium), Wise US Inc. (US) |
| Founded | 2011, launched as TransferWise by two Estonian founders based in London |
| Headquarters | Not published in the sources we checked |
| Type of business | Electronic money and payment institution group; money transmitter |
| Main products | Wise Account, Wise Business, Wise card, Wise Platform, Assets (Interest and Stocks) |
| Ownership | Public. Nasdaq: WSE; London Stock Exchange: WISE |
| CEO | Kristo Käärmann, co-founder |
| Website | wise.com |
Key figures for FY2026
Wise Group plc published these on 25 June 2026 for the year to 31 March 2026.
| Metric (FY2026) | Figure | Change vs FY2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Active customers | 18.9 million | Up 21% |
| Cross-border volume | $243.5bn | Up 31% |
| Net revenue | $2,502.8m | Up 19% |
| Income before tax | $660.4m (26% margin) | Not restated here |
| Customer holdings (cash and Assets) | $39.0bn | Up 40% |
| Cross-border take rate | 0.52% | Down from 0.58% |
Products and services
Wise Account
The personal account holds and converts money in more than 40 currencies (FY2026 results) and provides local account details for receiving in 22 currencies. Fees for sending and converting are shown as a percentage that varies by currency.
Wise card
A card linked to the account. Wise's UK card page says purchases are made at the mid-market exchange rate, with a conversion fee charged on top. Card networks such as Visa and Mastercard carry the transactions; see how card payments work.
Wise Business
The business account uses the same currencies and receiving details in 22 currencies, plus optional Interest and Stocks. The UK version charges a one-off setup fee and lists no monthly fee.
Wise Platform
Wise sells its payment network to banks and other firms, which embed Wise transfers in their own apps. FY2026 partners named in the results include Raiffeisen Bank, UniCredit, MBSB Bank and Capitec (added in April 2026).
Assets: Interest and Stocks
Customers in some markets can hold balances in interest-bearing or stock-linked funds, each with an annual fee. Wise extended Assets to Brazil during FY2026. Investment value can fall as well as rise.
Fees and pricing
Wise publishes its fees. Figures below were taken from Wise's UK and US pricing pages on 3 November 2026; most percentages vary by currency, so the "from" rates are the lowest available.
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Sending and converting (personal) | Not stated as a single rate on the UK card page | From 0.23% |
| Sending and converting (business) | From 0.24% | From 0.23% |
| Business setup fee | £50 one-off | $31 one-off |
| Personal card order | £7 | Not checked |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £250 per month, then 2.69% of the excess | $250 per month (business), then $1.95 plus 1.95% |
| Holding money | Free | Free |
| Receiving USD by SWIFT | 6.11 USD | 6.11 USD |
| Receiving GBP / EUR by SWIFT | 2.16 GBP / 2.39 EUR | 2.16 GBP / 2.39 EUR |
| Topping up external e-wallets | 2% | 2% (business) |
| Interest / Stocks (business, UK) | From 0.26% / from 0.59% a year | Not checked |
Wise also offers volume discounts on large conversions; the UK business page sets the threshold at £20,000 of spend but does not state the discount size. Its FY2026 cross-border take rate, the average fee as a share of volume, was 0.52%.
Markets, currencies and payment methods
| Item | Detail (date) |
|---|---|
| Currencies | More than 40 (FY2026 results, 25 June 2026) |
| Local receiving details | 22 currencies (pricing pages, 3 November 2026) |
| Free domestic receiving | AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, PHP, SGD, USD |
| Regulated entities | More than 20 jurisdictions (regulation page, 3 November 2026) |
| Direct scheme connections added in FY2026 | Brazil and Japan |
In FY2026 Wise reported two new direct connections to domestic payment systems, in Brazil and Japan, alongside its new licences. For other cross-border providers see the cross-border payments hub, plus our profiles of Payoneer and Airwallex.
Regulation in brief
Wise publishes a country-by-country list of its regulated entities. The rows below come from that page; reference numbers are shown only where Wise publishes them.
| Entity | Regulator | Authorisation | Reference | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Payments Limited | FCA (UK) | Authorised electronic money institution | 900507 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Assets Limited | FCA (UK) | Investment activities | 839689 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Europe SA | National Bank of Belgium | Payment institution, passported across the EEA | Company no. 0713629988 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Assets Europe AS | Estonian Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority | Investment firm | Licence 4.1-1/174 | Company disclosure |
| Wise US Inc. | FinCEN and state regulators | Registered money transmitter, state licences | Not published | Company disclosure |
| Wise Australia Pty Ltd | ASIC, APRA, AUSTRAC | AFSL; ADI limited to purchased payment facilities | AFSL 513764 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. | MAS (Singapore) | Major payment institution; capital markets services licence | Not published | Company disclosure |
| Wise Payments Canada Inc. | FINTRAC, Bank of Canada, Revenu Québec | Money services business; payment service provider | MSB M15193392 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Payments Japan K.K. | Kanto Local Financial Bureau, FSA | Funds transfer service provider (Type 1 and Type 2) | 00040 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Fintech Network L.L.C | Central Bank of the UAE | Stored value facility; retail payment services | SVF 05.01.01.015.2025.02 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Payments Hong Kong Limited | Customs and Excise Department | Money service operator | 25-03-03263 | Company disclosure |
| Wise Pagos Mexico, S.A. de C.V | UBVA, supervised by CNBV | Money transmitter | 22578 (11 March 2026) | Company disclosure |
The same page lists further entities in Brazil, Chile, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and Spain (a branch of Wise Europe SA). In US states where Wise US Inc. is not licensed, Wise says transfers are handled by its partner, Community Federal Savings Bank. In its FY2026 results Wise reported new licence approvals in South Africa, the UAE and Thailand. To confirm a UK entry, search the FCA register by number; our guide on how to check a financial licence covers other regulators.
Who it tends to suit
Wise is commonly used by people paid or paying in more than one currency, such as expatriates, freelancers with overseas clients and online sellers. Its published per-transaction pricing may suit users who want to see the fee before sending. Banks and fintechs that want cross-border transfers inside their own apps use Wise Platform. For a side-by-side view with a neobank, see Wise vs Revolut and the Revolut profile; for other options see Wise alternatives.
What to check before signing up
- Which Wise entity serves your country, and whether it is an e-money or payment institution rather than a bank.
- The exact fee for your currency route on the Wise calculator, since "from" rates apply to the cheapest corridors.
- SWIFT receiving fees if your payers cannot use local account details.
- Monthly ATM allowance and the charge above it.
- For Assets, the annual fee and the investment risk.
- Recent regulatory orders, listed above, and any updates on the regulators' websites.
Sources
Primary sources we checked for this page. Trademarks belong to their owners. Links open the original.
- Wise: How is Wise regulated in each country (accessed 3 November 2026)
- Wise Group plc: Wise Group plc reports Full Year 2026 Financial Results (25 June 2026) (accessed 3 November 2026)
- Wise: Our story (accessed 3 November 2026)
- Wise: Wise card fees (UK) (accessed 3 November 2026)
- Wise: Wise Business pricing and coverage (UK) (accessed 3 November 2026)
- Wise: Wise pricing (US) (accessed 3 November 2026)
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