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World Card vs Airwallex Card: Fees and features comparison

Last update: September 4, 2025

Contents

Searching for the best multi-currency card for your business in New Zealand? We compare the World Card with the Airwallex card

Key takeaways

Spend in 150+ currencies via the Mastercard network with the World Card. Airwallex uses the Visa network and also supports payments in multiple currencies
You can get up to 20 free World Cards for business and employee spending; Airwallex’s starter plan includes 10 company cards and two employee cards at no cost
The World Card offers cashback on international spending*; Airwallex has no cashback offers (*T&C apply)
Both cards ensure secure payments with 3D Secure authentication for added transaction protection

Managing business expenses across multiple currencies can be costly and time-consuming, with exchange rate fluctuations and foreign exchange fees eating into profits.

A multi-currency corporate card can help. By allowing you to pay suppliers, cover travel expenses and manage subscriptions in various currencies without excessive fees, the right card can cut costs and simplify global spending.

But not all multi-currency cards work the same way. Some offer better fee structures, wider currency support or additional perks like cashback.

In this article, we dive into the features, benefits and fees of the World Card and Airwallex card in New Zealand to help you choose the best fit for your global business.

What is WorldFirst?

The World Card is an international debit card powered by Mastercard, designed for spending in 150 currencies worldwide. It’s linked to your World Account, a multi-currency account with which you can send, receive, hold and convert funds in over 20 currencies.

If you already have a World Account, you can apply for the card for free. If not, simply sign up to get access. You can issue up to 20 cards for your team.

There are zero foreign exchange fees in the 15 major currencies, including NZD, USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, SGH, and CNH (as long as you have sufficient balances).

What is the Airwallex card?

Airwallex offers Visa debit cards for your company and employees. You can use the cards online or in-store.

In addition to the 10 currencies supported by Airwallex’s multi-currency account, which include NZD, USD, AUD, CAD, SGD, HKD, JPY, EUR, GBP and CHF [2], Airwallex cards also allow you to pay for expenses in all the Visa-supported currencies.

The number of cards you can get for your company and employees will depend on your monthly subscription plan¹. Airwallex’s starter plan includes 10 company cards and two employee cards at no cost^3.

World Card vs Airwallex Borderless Card: The fees breakdown

Fees	WorldFirst	Airwallex³
Card issuance fee	Zero	Zero
Annual fee	Zero	Free for the number of cards included in your pricing plan Additional cards are charged at NZD 15 per user per month
Fee for card transactions	For supported currencies If you have available funds in the same currency: Zero If you don’t have sufficient funds in the same currency: Funds are debited from your default currency and converted to the payment currency at the WorldFirst foreign exchange rate For unsupported currencies Mastercard exchange rate + WorldFirst margin of up to 1.5% (For Mastercard’s exchange rates, refer to their currency conversion calculator)	0.5% for NZD, USD, HKD, CNY, AUD, EUR, GBP, CAD, SGD, CHF, JPY, 1% for all other currencies No charges if you have an existing balance in the purchase currency5 In case of insufficient funds, the base/ home currency funds are used to make the transaction and a currency conversion fee is charged5 Foreign transfer fees and currency conversion fees apply
Monthly account fees for the multi-currency account linked to the card	Zero (20+ currencies)	Multiple pricing tiers are available: – Free (with 10 company and 2 employee cards) – NZD 99 per month – NZD 499 per month

World Card vs Airwallex Borderless Card: Feature comparison

Global card usage

The World Card is powered by Mastercard and can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted.

Airwallex operates on the Visa network.¹

Spending with your card

With the World Card, you can make purchases in over 150 currencies. Additionally, when you pay directly from your existing balance in the same currency – for instance, using USD from your USD currency account – there are no foreign exchange charges.

If you don’t have enough funds in the same currency, your payment will be deducted from your default currency account. When this happens, a currency conversion fee applies – either at WorldFirst’s rate and/or the Mastercard rate.

Here’s a breakdown of currency conversion fees with the World Card:

Paying with an existing balance: No foreign exchange fee
Paying without an existing balance in one WorldFirst supported currencies: WorldFirst foreign exchange fee applies
Paying in a currency not supported by WorldFirst: Mastercard FX rate + up to 1.5% additional margin

Here’s a breakdown of currency conversion fees with the Airwallex Borderless Card:

Transactions in the 10 supported currencies: No fees if you have sufficient funds in the transaction currency. If you don’t hold enough balance in the payment currency, Airwallex will use funds from your base/ home currency and a currency conversion fee applies⁵
Transactions in other currencies: Foreign transfer fees and currency conversion fees apply⁵

Getting cards for your team

You can apply for up to 20 World Cards for your team at no extra cost. Each card comes with the ability to set custom spending limits and track all the outgoing payments for easy account reconciliation.

Airwallex provides two different types of multi-currency cards: company cards and employee cards.⁶

Company cards: These are virtual cards issued in the company’s name that can be used by teams, departments, or the entire company. Card details are accessible to all card admins

Employee cards: Available as virtual or physical cards or digital wallets (Google Pay and Apple Pay), these are issued to individual employees for business expenses such as travel or meals. Admins can manage limits, freeze or cancel cards, but can’t view the employee card details.

The number of free cards depends on your Airwallex pricing plan. Additional employee cards cost NZD 15 per user per month. With the no cost starter plan, you can apply for 10 company cards and two employee cards for free.³

Security

Both the World Card and Airwallex card use 3D Secure (3DS) authentication to keep your online payments safe.⁷ When making a transaction, you’ll receive a 6-digit verification code via SMS or email for extra security.

Cashback offers

You’ll also get cashback on all your international spend with WorldFirst*.

Airwallex doesn’t provide cashback offers for customers in Australia or New Zealand.

*T&C apply

WorldFirst or Airwallex: Which is better for global businesses?

Both WorldFirst and Airwallex offer multi-currency accounts with business expense cards for Kiwi businesses but their fees and currency support differ. Choosing the right provider comes down to what matters most to your business – whether it’s lower fees, more currency accounts or specific card benefits. Understanding these differences can help you make the best decision for managing your global business payments efficiently.

→ Take a look at the Airwallex card review to help decide on the best multi-currency card for your business.

Sources:

https://www.airwallex.com/nz/business-account/cards
https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/900001755826-What-currencies-are-supported-by-the-Airwallex-Borderless-Card
https://www.airwallex.com/nz/pricing
https://www.airwallex.com/platform-api-and-embedded-finance/issuing
https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/900003301566-What-is-the-automatic-conversions-for-cards
https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4970990380943-How-do-I-choose-between-a-Company-Card-or-Employee-Card
https://www.airwallex.com/docs/payments__native-api__3d-secure-authentication

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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World Card vs Airwallex Card: Fees and features comparison

What is WorldFirst?

What is the Airwallex card?

World Card vs Airwallex Borderless Card: The fees breakdown

World Card vs Airwallex Borderless Card: Feature comparison

Global card usage

Spending with your card

Getting cards for your team

Security

Cashback offers

WorldFirst or Airwallex: Which is better for global businesses?

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The simpler way to pay and get paid

Save money, time, and have peace of mind when expanding your global business.