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Your small business can go global – here’s how with WorldFirst

Last update: March 14, 2025

Contents

Small businesses in Australia and New Zealand have big ambitions. WorldFirst simplifies international payments and reduces conversion costs to help you scale globally with ease.

Key takeaways

Pay overseas suppliers securely in 100+ currencies, including direct payments to 1688.com
Receive, hold and convert 20+ currencies while avoiding unnecessary double conversion fees
Save more with low fees and competitive exchange rates as low as 0.6% on major currencies
Receive payments from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways including Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Stripe, and PayPal
Integrate with accounting software and provide multi-user team access for better financial management

Small businesses make up 97% of Australian and NZ businesses. Many of them dream of going global but expanding internationally comes with financial hurdles.

High conversion fees. Slow payments. Juggling multiple currencies. It can be frustrating and cut into your bottom line.

That’s where WorldFirst comes in. We help you grow beyond borders by giving you the tools to manage global transactions with confidence.

Here’s how partnering with WorldFirst can help your business grow rapidly in 2025:

Setting up your World Account

No setup costs, no hidden fees

We believe in empowering small businesses without hidden costs. Firstly, it’s free to open a World Account and there are zero monthly fees. Secondly, you only pay when you send money and we’ll always let you know the costs upfront. We charge a fixed 0.4% transaction fee for cross-border payments, capped at AUD 15, and a competitive currency conversion rate of up to 0.6% for major currencies (or up to 0.8% for 1688.com payments). Finally, there are no fees for receiving payments, so you keep more of what you earn.

Scale at your own pace

Whether you’re making your first international payment or scaling to new markets, your World Account grows with you. There’s no minimum deposit requirement or transaction limits, so you can manage your funds without constraints.

Payments

Pay overseas suppliers like they’re around the corner

No complicated transfers – send fast, secure payments to suppliers, shipping agents and tax authorities worldwide in their preferred currency online. And if you source from 1688, WorldFirst is the only authorised cross-border payment provider. That means you can pay suppliers directly from your account balance in seconds, getting your shipments moving without delays.

Simplify your global transactions

Paying and getting paid across borders shouldn’t slow you down. With one World Account, you can:

Pay suppliers and partners in 100+ currencies: Source products, hire services and build partnerships around the world without worrying about limited payment options
Get paid in 20+ currencies: Collect funds from global marketplaces and customers in their local currencies for faster payouts and lower fees
Hold and manage multiple currencies: Receive, hold and pay in 20+ currencies without converting back to your home currency, helping you reduce fees and control exchange rates
Send payments quickly: Most payments arrive within hours, and if your recipient also uses WorldFirst, it’s instant and free

With WorldFirst, manage international payments with ease – so you can focus on scaling your business, not worry about currency transfers.

Smart business spending with the World Card

The World Card gives you full control over your business expenses, allowing you to pay in multiple currencies, manage team spending and save on fees.

You can spend in 150+ currencies and avoid foreign exchange fees on payments in 15 supported currencies when using your existing World Account balance.

And, as an added bonus, you’ll earn uncapped monthly cashback on international transactions.

Need to manage company spending? Issue up to 20 cards to your team with custom spending limits and track every transaction in real time from your World Account dashboard. Plus, with accounting software integrations, expenses automatically sync to save you time on reconciliation.

Make the world your customer

Selling internationally opens up huge opportunities, but getting paid in multiple currencies can be a challenge. With WorldFirst, you can sell on 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, Square and Stripe and get paid in your customers’ preferred currency.

Why this matters:

Fewer conversion losses: Get paid in local currencies, avoiding unnecessary exchange fees
Faster access to funds: No waiting for slow international bank transfers
Seamless marketplace integrations: Collect payments directly into your World Account and manage everything in one place

Manage funds

Avoid double conversions

Every unnecessary currency conversion eats into your profits. With the World Account,a multi-currency account, you can hold funds in 20+ currencies to make payments and convert or withdraw only when it makes sense for your business.

This helps you protect your profit margins and improve your cash flow.

Here’s what it looks like in real life. An Australian seller collects payments from US customers in USD and pays their suppliers in USD or CNH. Without a multi-currency account, every sale would be automatically converted to AUD, losing money to conversion fees. Later, when it’s time to pay their supplier, they’d have to convert AUD back to USD or to CNH, costing more fees and leaving themselves vulnerable to fluctuating exchange rates.

With WorldFirst’s multi-currency account, you can:

Hold funds collected from global customers in 20+ currencies
Convert between currencies when rates are favourable
Pay suppliers directly from your currency account balances

This streamlines costs, protects profits from rate swings and gives you full control over your cash flow.

Lock in rates to protect your profits

Every dollar counts when you’re growing a small business. Currency fluctuations can eat into your margins, but WorldFirst helps you stay in control. Lock in exchange rates in advance with forward contracts and firm orders to manage currency risk.

Account features

Less admin, more automation

Save time and reduce admin work by integrating your World Account with tools like Xero and NetSuite. By connecting your World Account, transactions sync automatically, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors. Expenses update regularly, giving you a clear view of cash flow at all times. And when it’s time to reconcile, everything is already in place, so you can focus on making sales and not spreadsheets.

Multi-user access for your team

Give your team the access they need without giving up control. With multi-user access, you can assign roles, approve payments and keep finances running smoothly – without bottlenecks or security risks.

Expert support when you need it

Got a payment question or need help with your World Account features? Our Australia-based support team is available via phone, email and live chat.

Real businesses, real growth: The Australian and Kiwi brands scaling with WorldFirst

Connetix Tiles: Global payments as easy as child’s play

Australian educational toy company Connetix Tiles sells magnetic tiles in over 50 countries. With WorldFirst, they receive payments in local currencies and pay overseas suppliers seamlessly, reducing costs and conversion headaches. “WorldFirst enables us to save money and operate globally,” says founder Dave Alexander. By simplifying international transactions, WorldFirst has helped Connetix Tiles expand to 500+ retailers worldwide, allowing them to focus on growing their brand and reaching more families everywhere.

Scoot Boot: Taking the reins on global growth

Scoot Boot, an Australian equine wellness brand, sells therapeutic hoof boots in 110 countries. But managing payments across multiple currencies meant fluctuating exchange rates and conversion fees. By partnering with WorldFirst, they gained access to competitive exchange rates, real-time financial visibility and a dedicated account manager to help navigate cross-border payments. “WorldFirst is easy for us. It was fast, we had a dedicated account manager. We had transparency and we had favourable exchange rates,” says co-founder Annette Katinis. With streamlined international payments, Scoot Boot can focus on growing their business instead.

New Zealand Honey Co: The sweet taste of global success

New Zealand Honey Co brings premium manuka honey to the world via multiple Amazon marketplaces. With WorldFirst, they found a faster, more cost-effective solution to support their global expansion. By opening local currency accounts, they could collect funds in overseas markets without expensive bank conversions, pay international suppliers directly and handle tax obligations in one place.

“After a few conversations with [WorldFirst], it became apparent they were experts in what they did… It’s revolutionised our ability as a business to function and grow internationally.” says co-owner Scott Brundell. Now, with lower payment costs, quick access to new markets, and streamlined financial operations, New Zealand Honey Co is scaling faster – without the financial roadblocks.

Unlock global opportunities with your World Account

The World Account is a multi-currency account that empowers your business to grow beyond borders. Zero setup costs, multiple currency accounts, seamless integrations and competitive fees – WorldFirst helps small businesses to expand globally with confidence.

Start selling, paying and scaling worldwide. Open your World Account today.

Disclaimer: The information contained is general only and largely our views. Before acting on the information you should consider whether it is appropriate for you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Although information has been obtained from and is based upon multiple sources the author believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and it may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions, estimates, mentioned products/services and referenced material constitute the author’s own judgement as of the date of the briefing and are subject to change without notice. WorldFirst shall not be responsible for any losses or damages arising from your reliance of such information.

Based in Sydney, Jim is responsible for the WorldFirst business across Australia and New Zealand. He brings with him over 25 years of experience helping Business Owners, CFO’s and Treasury Managers overcome the challenges with cross border payments and navigating volatile foreign exchange markets.

Jim Vrondas

Author

Country Manager ANZ at WorldFirst

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Your small business can go global – here’s how with WorldFirst