WorldFrist Home > Blog > Business Banking Insights > World Card vs Wise Business card: Fees and features comparison

World Card vs Wise Business card: Fees and features comparison

Last update: September 9, 2025

Contents

Searching for the best global multi-currency card in New Zealand? We compare the World Card with Wise Business card

Key takeaways

The World Card is free and supports 150+ currencies, with zero foreign exchange fees when paying with an existing balance in one of 15 currencies linked to your account
The Wise Business card offers transactions in 40+ currencies
Both cards offer 3D Secure (3DS) authentication for added security

Managing funds in multiple currencies can be a challenge when you have a global business with operations worldwide. You might have suppliers in China requesting payments in yuan, marketing agencies in New Zealand invoicing in New Zealand dollars, and SaaS tools charging in US dollars.

A global corporate card that supports multiple currencies can be the solution for this, letting you pay in different currencies while managing your team’s business spending in one place.

But which is the best multi-currency card for your business?

In this article, we take a look at how the World Card compares to the Wise Business card to help you make the right decision

What is the World Card?

The World Card is a multi-currency debit card that lets you pay in 150+ currencies wherever Mastercard is accepted. World Account holders can apply for a World Card for free online to streamline their business spending.

The World Card is linked to your World Account, a multi-currency account that lets you open local currency accounts in 15+ currencies.

When you use the World Card to make payments in the 15 available currencies, there are zero foreign exchange fees (as long as you have sufficient balances in your account).

It’s possible to get multiple World Cards for your team at no extra cost to simplify accounting and tracking. You can also set custom spending limits for every card you get.

What is the Wise Business card?

Wise offers debit cards for businesses that enable you to make payments in 40+ currencies. You get a debit card that’s linked to the Wise account [1]. There are no charges for getting the card [2].

You can also apply for multiple debit cards for your team [2]. But you can only use three virtual cards at a time. To get more cards, you’ll have to delete and replace one of the existing cards [4].

→ Take a look at our detailed Wise Business account review to learn more about the multi-currency account and its features.

World Card vs Wise Business card: The fee breakdown

Fees	WorldFirst	Wise [2]
Card issuance fee	Zero fees for all cards	Free for up to three virtual cards, but you will need to register for Wise’s multi-currency account to get the card, which has a one-time fee of NZD 40
Annual fee	Zero	Zero
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)	If you have available funds in the same currency: Zero If you don’t have sufficient funds in the same currency: Currency conversion fee starting at 0.23%
Account opening fee for local currency accounts linked to the card	Zero (20 currencies)	NZD 40 (23 currencies)

*Fees as checked in August 2025

World Card vs Wise Business card: Feature comparison

Global card usage

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

The Wise Business card also operates on the Mastercard network. It supports card transactions in 40+ currencies across 160 countries [1]

Spending with your card

With the World Card, you can make payments in 150+ currencies. Plus, when you pay from your existing balance in the same currency – for example, using USD from your USD account – there are zero foreign exchange fees.

If a currency conversion is needed, the payment will be made from your default currency account. Depending on the currency, you’ll be charged a foreign exchange fee at either the WorldFirst or Mastercard rate.

Here’s how spending on your World Card works:

Paying with existing balance: Zero foreign exchange fee
Paying without existing balance in one of 40+ supported currencies: WorldFirst FX fee
Paying in a WorldFirst unsupported currency: Mastercard FX rate + up to 1.5% additional margin

Wise’s debit card works similarly. If you already have funds in the same currency, there are no charges for the transaction. Without funds in the purchase currency, a currency conversion fee starting from 0.23% will be charged [2].

Getting multiple cards for your team

With WorldFirst, you can get up to 20 debit cards for your team for seamless expense management. You can even set custom spending limits for each one, making it easy to track and manage all of your outgoing payments in one place.

There are no charges for getting multiple World Cards.

Wise allows customers to use only three virtual cards at a time [4]. To get a new card, you’ll have to delete and replace an existing card. You can also set up spending limits for each card and track spending [2].

Security

Both the World Card and Wise card use 3D Secure (an additional layer of protection at checkout for online transactions to prevent card fraud [4]. You’ll be sent a 6-digit verification code, usually via SMS or email.

Cashback offers

With the World Card, you’ll receive cashback on all eligible international spend.*

*T&Cs apply.

Wise does not offer any cashback offers.

WorldFirst or Wise: Which is better for global businesses?

WorldFirst and Wise provide similar services to Kiwi businesses. The difference lies in the fees and the supported currencies. You can check our detailed WorldFirst vs Wise business comparison to understand how the World Account differs from the Wise business account. Take your time to compare business accounts before you make a decision.

The right global business account and international card for you will depend on your exact business needs. To find out how we can help, feel free to get in touch – we’d love to discuss how we can support your business.

Sources:

https://wise.com/nz/business/card
https://wise.com/nz/pricing/business
https://wise.com/help/articles/2935771/where-will-my-wise-card-work
https://wise.com/help/articles/1AqrRndtxosydM2GLR3U6T/getting-started-with-your-wise-digital-card

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

The simpler way to pay and get paid

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

Get started

Multi-currency accounts, competitive FX, and global transfers — Everything you need to pay and get paid internationally

Who We Are >

Named a Top Global Fintech Company by CNBC & Statista, we’ve supported 1.5M+ businesses since 2004.

World Card vs Wise Business card: Fees and features comparison

What is the World Card?

What is the Wise Business card?

World Card vs Wise Business card: The fee breakdown

World Card vs Wise Business card: Feature comparison

Global card usage

Spending with your card

Getting multiple cards for your team

Security

Cashback offers

WorldFirst or Wise: Which is better for global businesses?

Continue reading

How to dropship from 1688

How to receive international payments: 3 top methods

How to pay international employees: A payroll guide for AU and NZ businesses

How to find new suppliers for your Amazon business?

Foreign transaction fee: Meaning and when it applies to you

Mastering the inventory equation as an Amazon seller

The simpler way to pay and get paid

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