WorldFirst vs Airwallex: Features, fees and account comparison
Last updated: 4 Sep 2025
We compare WorldFirst and Airwallex to get a sense of their features, fees, strengths and how they stack up against each other.
Key takeaways
- With a World Account, you can receive and hold funds in over 15+ local currencies, and make payments in more than 90 global currencies
- Airwallex also provides a multi-currency account, along with global payment solutions like payment gateways and links to help you accept money
- Both WorldFirst and Airwallex offer multi-currency debit cards, enabling global teams to streamline global expense management
WorldFirst and Airwallex offer global multi-currency accounts, allowing businesses to make secure transactions in major currencies. But which one can simplify cross-border transactions while protecting your business’s profit margins?
In this comparison article, we take a look at WorldFirst vs Airwallex, their features, fees, exchange rates, and more so you can choose the best business account.
Table of Contents
What is WorldFirst?
A part of Ant International, WorldFirst is an international payment provider that helps businesses expand into more countries and reach more customers by providing local currency accounts.
With WorldFirst, global businesses can set up local currency accounts in 15+ currencies, collect payments, pay overseas suppliers, hold and convert currencies at competitive exchange rates, and manage spending with multi-currency debit cards.
WorldFirst offers other services and tools beyond international money transfers, to make global business easier. You can reduce currency conversion risks through a locked-in rate and sync your payments to Xero or NetSuite for automated accounting.
What is Airwallex?
Airwallex provides an integrated platform for foreign exchange and cross-border payments. As a global payment provider, it lets businesses open multi-currency accounts and accept payments through shareable payment links and other payment methods like credit cards.1
It also integrates with e-commerce platforms through APIs. However, using these APIs requires developer support.
Airwallex users can get Visa-powered business debit cards as well.
→ Take a look at our in-depth Airwallex review to learn more about the payment provider and its features.
WorldFirst vs Airwallex: Fees and exchange rates
| |
WorldFirst | Airwallex account fees2 |
|---|---|---|
| Opening a multi-currency account | Free | Zero – NZD 499 |
| Receiving funds in the local currency accounts | Free | Free |
| Sending payments to users in the same network | Free and instant to other World Accounts | Instant, regular fees applies |
| Sending payments to other accounts | Local payments in AUD or NZD: Free Cross-border payments and local payments in currencies other than AUD or NZD: From 0.4%, capped at AUD 15 |
Free for domestic payments For international payments, 0.5% above interbank rates for major currencies, 1% for all others For SWIFT payments, charges are NZD 10 – NZD 30 |
| Holding funds in multiple currencies | Free | Airwallex doesn’t specify any fee |
| Currency conversion | For major currencies: Up to 0.6% For minor currencies: From 0.67% For payments to 1688 suppliers: Up to 0.8% Forward contracts: Up to 0.2% per month |
0.5% for major currencies and 1% for other currencies |
| Multi-currency card | ✅ Up to 20 virtual cards available at no additional cost |
✅ The number of cards depends on the monthly plan. |
| Forward contracts | ✅ | ❌ |
| Integration with accounting tools | ✅ | ✅ |
| Payments to 1688.com suppliers | Up to 0.8% | ❌ Not supported |
*Fees as checked in August 2025
Calculate how much you can save with WorldFirst
AEDUnited Arab Emirates Dirham
AUDAustralian Dollar
BGNBulgarian Lev
BHDBahraini Dinar
BWPPula
CADCanadian Dollar
CHFSwiss Franc
CNHRenminbi
CNYYuan Renminbi
CZKCzech Koruna
DKKDanish Krone
EGPEgyptian Pound
EUREuro
GBPPound Sterling
HKDHong Kong Dollar
HUFForint
IDRRupiah
ILSNew Israeli Sheqel
INRIndian Rupee
JPYJapanese Yen
KESKenyan Shilling
KRWWon
LKRSri Lanka Rupee
MADMoroccan Dirham
MURMauritius Rupee
MXNMexican Peso
MYRMalaysian Ringgit
NOKNorwegian Krone
NZDNew Zealand Dollar
PHPPhilippine Peso
PKRPakistan Rupee
PLNPolish Złoty
RONRomanian Leu
SARSaudi Riyal
SEKSwedish Krona
SGDSingapore Dollar
THBBaht
USDUnited States Dollar
VNDDong
ZARRandAEDUnited Arab Emirates DirhamAUDAustralian DollarBGNBulgarian LevBHDBahraini DinarBWPPulaCADCanadian DollarCHFSwiss FrancCNHRenminbiCZKCzech KorunaDKKDanish KroneEGPEgyptian PoundEUREuroGBPPound SterlingHKDHong Kong DollarHUFForintIDRRupiahILSNew Israeli SheqelINRIndian RupeeJPYJapanese YenKESKenyan ShillingKRWWonLKRSri Lanka RupeeMADMoroccan DirhamMURMauritius RupeeMXNMexican PesoMYRMalaysian RinggitNOKNorwegian KroneNZDNew Zealand DollarPHPPhilippine PesoPKRPakistan RupeePLNPolish ZłotyRONRomanian LeuSARSaudi RiyalSEKSwedish KronaSGDSingapore DollarTHBBahtVNDDongZARRandExchange rate as of 03:09 UTC
The exchange rate is updated frequently and is for informational purposes only. The actual rate offered to you when making a payment will be confirmed before booking the payment.
- Open 15+ local currency accounts and get paid like a local
- Pay suppliers, partners and staff worldwide in 100+ currencies
- Collect payments for free from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, PayPal and Shopify
- Save with competitive exchange rates on currency conversions and transfers
- Lock in exchange rates for up to 24 months for cash flow certainty
WorldFirst vs Airwallex: Feature comparison
Multi-currency account
WorldFirst and Airwallex offer multi-currency accounts, allowing businesses to send, receive and hold funds in multiple currencies. Each local currency account comes with unique account details in your company name.
| |
WorldFirst | Airwallex |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly account fee | Free | Zero to NZD 499 2 |
| Local currency account details | 15+ currencies (including GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, JPY, NZD, SGD, HKD, CNH and CAD) WorldFirst also provides offshore accounts for AED, CHF, SEK and PLN. |
20+ 2 |
Details checked in August 2025
Marketplace and payment gateway integration
With a World Account, online sellers can collect payments from 130+ global marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, AliExpress and Stripe.
To receive payments, add your local currency account details to your marketplace seller account or payment gateway account.
If a marketplace requires proof of account ownership when you want to change the bank account details linked to your seller account, it’s easy to download an account verification letter straight from your dashboard.
Airwallex also lets users collect marketplace payments through local currency accounts. Alternatively, businesses can use checkout pages, payment links and payment plugins to accept payments.3
Account-to-account transfers
Payments between World Accounts in the same currency are free and instant, with no transaction fees. For transfers involving currency exchange, a maximum 0.6% currency conversion fee is applicable.
Transferring from one Airwallex account to another is possible .
Integration with accounting tools
You can connect your World Account to Xero or NetSuite to automatically reconcile transactions in 15+ currencies, including EUR, USD and AUD, reducing admin and manual data entry.
Airwallex supports integration with Xero, NetSuite and Quickbooks.
Multi-currency cards
WorldFirst also offers the World Card, a multi-currency debit card powered by Mastercard that supports payments in 150+ currencies. When making payments in 15 major currencies, you’ll pay zero foreign exchange fees, provided you have sufficient balances in your account. As a World Account user, you can apply for up to 20 World Cards for your business at no additional cost.
The Airwallex Borderless Card, powered by Visa, enables online and in-person purchases globally.4 It supports multiple currencies and links to the Airwallex multi-currency account. Businesses can issue company and employee cards for streamlined spending.
Depending on the selected monthly pricing plan, users get a fixed number of free cards. Additional cards cost NZD 15 per user per month.2
→ Curious how their cards compare? Check out our blog on World Card vs Airwallex Borderless Card to see which one suits your needs.
Which is better for global businesses?
While WorldFirst and Airwallex offer similar solutions for businesses in New Zealand, there are also some key differences between the two, including the fees they charge and the supported currencies. The best foreign currency account will depend on your business needs and budget.
Sources
- https://www.airwallex.com/nz
- https://www.airwallex.com/nz/pricing
- https://www.airwallex.com/platform-api-and-embedded-finance/payments
- https://www.airwallex.com/nz/spend-management/cards
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.
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- Almost 1,000,000 businesses have sent USD$300B around the world with WorldFirst and its partner brands since 2004
- Your money is safeguarded with leading financial institutions
