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What’s the best online bank with a virtual debit card? Your options
Last update: 14 Aug 2025
Finding the best online bank with a virtual debit card isn’t just about convenience. It’s about having the right tools to run your business across borders.
Maybe you’re selling internationally on Amazon, sourcing stock from abroad or invoicing clients around the world. Whatever your setup, you need an online account that’s built for how you actually trade, pay and get paid internationally.
Most options fall short in a couple of key ways:
- You can’t issue virtual cards quickly. Many online banks still make you wait days for approval, making it hard to equip new team members, segment spending or launch fast
- You have limited control over spend and visibility. Without customisable per-card limits or the ability to issue cards for different suppliers, campaigns or employees, it’s easy to lose track of costs and harder to stay secure
- You can’t pay in multiple currencies. If you’re an international business, this is a critical feature. But most virtual card providers only allow you to hold a limited number of currencies – if any at all
In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what makes an online account best for businesses that need virtual debit cards, and show you how the World Account from WorldFirst is the best choice for global businesses. We cover:
- What to look for when choosing an online bank with virtual debit cards
- Why choose WorldFirst’s virtual debit card for global businesses
- 3 alternative online banks with virtual cards for business
Looking for a multi-currency account that lets you issue virtual cards in minutes and pay suppliers fast – all in one place? Sign up to a World Account for free today.
What to look for when choosing an online bank with virtual debit cards
At first glance, a modern app or quick signup might seem most attractive. But if you’re dealing with global payments, it’s likely that your priority will actually be the everyday product features that make all the difference in paying suppliers on time and managing cash flow.
So, before you start looking for product options, it’s worth asking: What do you actually need from an online business account?
Arguably, it’s not enough for a virtual debit card to work for the odd online subscription. It should support how you really pay and get paid, from managing supplier payments to receiving international sales and controlling team expenses.
Here’s what to look for:
- Fast, reliable transfers to pay suppliers on time. Delays in international transfers can strain supplier relationships and disrupt your supply chain. The right online business account will offer fast settlement times, local payment rails and visibility into transfer status – no matter where you’re doing business – so you can move quickly and maintain trust with key partners.
- Smart card controls to issue, manage and track virtual cards for different budgets or team members. Virtual cards give you greater control over company spending so that you can generate multiple cards instantly, set spending limits, freeze or cancel cards in a click and monitor usage in real-time. Generally, they’re a far safer, more flexible alternative to sharing one corporate card.
- Integrated operations to streamline payouts, expenses and account reconciliation in one place. Managing international finances across multiple tools is time-consuming and error-prone. A good online business account brings everything together – allowing you to schedule supplier payouts, issue employee cards, track expenses and match payments with invoices, all from a single dashboard. It also helps you close your books faster, reduce manual admin and keep a clear view of your cash flow.
- An easy and fast sign up process. Can you open an account in minutes or are you stuck uploading documents and waiting days for approval? The best providers get you started quickly with streamlined onboarding that doesn’t compromise on security.
- A user experience that’s fully online. It’s not enough to just be able to check your balance online. Look for a platform where you can send and receive international payments, generate virtual cards, manage currencies and handle suppliers – all without needing to call a branch or fill out paperwork.
- The ability to hold, convert and spend multiple currencies without hidden FX markups. If you’re working with suppliers, customers or platforms in different countries, switching currencies shouldn’t eat into your margins. The best accounts let you hold balances in key currencies (like USD, EUR, GBP), convert funds at competitive rates and spend directly.
- Local receiving accounts so you can get paid in key markets without needing a local entity. If you sell in markets like the US, EU or UK, having a local receiving account means you can get paid in the local currency – say, USD or EUR – without needing to register a business there. This reduces friction, speeds up payments and helps avoid costly international transfer fees. The best online banks let you open these accounts remotely so you can grow globally without the associated red tape.
Related: How to open a USD business account as a non-US resident - Transparent FX pricing so you know what you’re really being charged to convert currencies. Many banks add hidden markups to their exchange rates, meaning you end up paying more than the ‘real’ mid-market rate. A good online business account shows you the live exchange rate and any fees upfront, so you can make informed decisions, forecast accurately and protect your margins when paying suppliers or withdrawing funds.
Read more: What’s the best business bank account for e-commerce companies? 7 options
Why choose WorldFirst’s virtual debit card for businesses
Managing sales across multiple countries and currencies? Running a global business means dealing with multiple currencies, partners and platforms. To stay competitive, you need financial tools that simplify, not complicate, your financial management.
That’s where WorldFirst comes in. Our World Account is a global business account built for international sellers, service providers and SMEs. It enables you to collect funds in 20+ currencies, pay overseas suppliers quickly in 100+ currencies across 210+ countries and territories and manage FX with transparent rates.
With features like multi-currency virtual cards and local receiving accounts, it also gives you the flexibility to trade globally with the ease of a single, streamlined platform.
Read on to discover why you should open a World Account for free today.
Set up your account for free and manage your finances fully online
We built WorldFirst to make it simpler and more secure to manage your business finances globally.
With a World Account, you can get set up and manage your global finances completely online. You don’t need to visit a branch or pick up the phone to open an account with us.
Instead, all you need to do is head to our online application portal and:
- Click Sign up and select your region
- Click Create account
- Share a few key personal and business details
- Submit some supporting documents
We’ll then review your application and you’ll be up and running. For most customers, this takes as little as 24 hours.
Once your account is confirmed, you can manage all of your international business payments from a single online dashboard. You can make and receive payments, track your business spending, manage employee permissions and integrate your account with tools such as Xero to make your accounting easier.
Make payments to 200+ countries all in one place
From your online World Account, you can send international payments often with same-day delivery. This means stronger supplier relationships, faster restocks and smoother international operations – no more chasing delayed payments or dealing with clunky banking forms.
These quick international transactions are possible thanks to WorldFirst’s multi-currency accounts. With a single World Account, you can hold funds in 20+ currencies and receive local account details for each. This way, you can pay internationally using local payment rails, which helps you save on the cost of international transfers.
With WorldFirst, you can:
- Make same-day international transfers. 80% of payments arrive within 24 hours
- Pay in 100+ currencies to 200+ countries. WorldFirst supports payments to almost anywhere, including emerging markets
- Access real-time exchange rates. Convert your funds with competitive live rates
- Lock in rates. Plan ahead with forward contracts for up to 24 months, ensuring budgeting certainty
- Receive money without fees. Hold and receive funds in 20+ currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, JPY and more, without additional fees
- Make free payments to other WorldFirst users. Instantly send money to any other World Account holder, in the same currency, with zero fees
- Make mass payouts. Send up to 200 payments at once, ideal for marketplaces, platforms and high-volume businesses
Find out more: How to choose a multi-currency business account (+ 6 options)
Pay online around the world with instant-access virtual cards
With WorldFirst, you can pay online around the world with instant-access virtual cards that work in multiple currencies.
You can create virtual business debit cards instantly and pay anywhere Mastercard is accepted – for SaaS tools and digital ads to international shipping and travel. You can also set up team cards with spending controls, track expenses in real time and earn cashback on every eligible transaction.
With no paperwork, you can create cards instantly and start using them online as soon as they’re issued, easily assigning cards to specific team members, budgets or departments and setting custom spending limits or category controls to manage risk and reduce admin.
All transactions appear in a single, real-time dashboard so you can track spending as it happens, spot any issues quickly and keep full visibility across your team’s expenses. Then, if a card is compromised or no longer needed, you can freeze or cancel it immediately.
And as an additional bonus, you can earn up to 1.2% cashback on eligible business spend, covering common categories like:
- Online advertising (Google, Meta, TikTok)
- SaaS subscriptions and marketplaces
- Shipping and fulfilment costs
- Seller fees and logistics platforms
WorldFirst’s virtual cards are a flexible, scalable way to manage your global business expenses without relying on outdated tools or sharing a single company card.
Related: What is the best virtual card for ads? Your essential guide
- Open 20+ 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
3 alternative online banks with virtual cards for business
If you’re a freelancer, sole trader or early-stage startup looking for the best online bank with a virtual debit card, you may not need multi-currency business accounts or international payment infrastructure yet.
Here are a few alternatives that work well for managing everyday business expenses, software subscriptions or travel:
1. Starling Bank Business Account
Starling Bank has quickly become one of the UK’s most popular business banking options, particularly among start-ups, sole traders and small businesses. While it doesn’t support multi-currency balances or local receiving accounts abroad, it’s fast to set up, FSCS-protected and ideal for local businesses that don’t trade internationally.
Starling also provides free virtual cards linked to “Spaces”, making it easy to separate budgets for software, travel or ad spend. You can have up to five free virtual cards – all of which are quick to freeze and unfreeze. However, you can’t use them to make money transfers, for example with Western Union or PayPal.
You can find out more about Starling Bank’s virtual card options here.
2. Monzo Business
Monzo is a fully licensed UK digital bank with over six million customers, including businesses from the self-employed to limited companies.
Monzo’s Business Pro account includes up to five virtual cards. Like Starling Bank, you can link virtual cards to specific ‘pots’ and allocate spend across categories like marketing, travel, subscriptions or travel expenses. Each virtual card can be frozen or managed from within the app, and the overall experience is well suited to founders managing small teams or multiple spend categories.
You can find out more about Monzo’s virtual cards here.
3. Revolut Business
Revolut Business is an e-money institution regulated by the FCA, offering business accounts that can hold and convert 130+ currencies with mutli-user access, corporate cards and built-in expense management. Across all plans – from free to custom enterprise-level – you can access physical and virtual cards that you can use for secure online purchases and assign to individuals, vendors or use-cases.
Plus, if an expense is late, you can always auto-freeze employee cards and sync with accounting tools like Xero, QuickBooks and Sage to reduce manual admin.
If your business spends or earns across currencies and automation is a priority, Revolut is a strong choice. Just keep in mind that it’s not a traditional bank and so not FSCS protected.
Visit the Revolut website to learn more.
Looking for an online business account with a virtual debit card? Try WorldFirst
Choosing the best online bank with virtual debit card isn’t just about convenience or branding – it’s about finding a partner that supports how you really pay, get paid and grow.
Open a WorldFirst account today for free and get access to your World Card. Enjoy zero FX fees in 15 major currencies, pay suppliers and platforms worldwide and earn up to 1.2%* cashback on your business expenses – all from one multi-currency account.
Whether you’re managing overseas suppliers, paying for marketing or covering travel, the World Card is designed to give you more control over your business spending with advanced security features and tailored expense management.
FAQs
What is a virtual debit card and how is it different from a physical card?
A virtual debit card is a digital version of your physical card. It has its own card details (card number, CVV and expiry date) that you can access in your online bank app. Unlike a physical card, the details are accessible via your banking app. Virtual cards also offer extra security because you can freeze cards or regenerate them instantly.
Can I withdraw cash with a virtual debit card?
Typically, you can’t make cash withdrawals at ATMs directly with a virtual debit card. That’s where a physical card still comes in handy. However, many online banks let you manage both types of cards within the same current account, giving you flexibility to choose how you pay depending on the situation.
What should I look for in an online bank with virtual debit cards?
When comparing online banks, focus on:
- Ease of setting up virtual debit cards for your current account
- Support for multi-currency balances with competitive exchange rates
- Integration with digital wallets for contactless payments
- Ability to issue physical cards for cash withdrawals
- Expense management tools, like spending limits and team cards
Can I have both a physical and virtual debit card with the same account?
Yes. Many online banks offer both virtual debit cards and physical cards linked to the same current account. This way, you can make cash withdrawals when needed while using virtual cards for safer online shopping and contactless payments on the go. A physical World Card is coming soon.
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