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How to choose a multi-currency business account (+ 6 options)
Last update: 20 Jun 2025
If you’re looking for a multi-currency business account, it’s likely you’re facing some of the following problems:
- You need to hold and receive multiple currencies, but you don’t want to open separate bank accounts in each of the countries or regions where you do business
- You’re losing money to FX fees, unfavourable conversion rates, account maintenance fees and other (sometimes hidden) costs associated with handling different currencies
- You need a local bank account to do business in certain countries or on certain marketplaces. But these accounts can take weeks or months to open and be expensive to maintain
- In the meantime, slow international payments and cash flow issues can strain relationships with current suppliers and make it hard to add new ones
If this sounds familiar, a multi-currency account can simplify your finances by letting you hold, receive and send payments in multiple currencies – all through a single platform you set up online. This type of account makes it possible to hold more than just one currency without opening different local accounts in multiple countries.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the top multi-currency accounts on the market and share why WorldFirst is the best choice for your business.
We’ll explore:
- 5 features to look for in a multi-currency business account
- Why WorldFirst is the best choice for a multi-currency account
- Top 6 multi-currency business accounts compared
Want to scale your business to multiple countries and currencies? Sign up to WorldFirst for an international business account with transparent fees.
5 features to look for in a multi-currency business account
A multi-currency business account enables businesses to hold, send, receive and transfer money in different currencies from a single account. However, features, fees and ease-of-use can vary widely.
Not every account will be the right fit for your business, so here are some of the key features to look for in a multi-currency account.
1. More countries and more currencies
Some of the top “multi-currency” accounts offer pretty slim pickings when it actually comes to currencies, with a few only letting you open accounts in four or five currencies. Others may have higher numbers, but only stick to one geographic region, such as Europe.
Look for a multi-currency account that enables you to do business in the countries and currencies that matter to you – for instance, in key regions like China and Southeast Asia.
2. Fast cross-border payments and local account details
To scale globally, you need to be able to pay your partners, vendors and suppliers on time. But international transfers, like SWIFT payments, can sometimes take up to five working days to arrive – or even longer in some cases. A good multi-currency account should set you up with local account details in all the countries where you do business, so you can make payments faster via domestic networks instead.
Local account details are also often a requirement to open an account on many e-commerce marketplaces. If you’re an e-commerce seller, look for a multi-currency account that lets you easily connect to global marketplaces without applying for multiple local accounts.
3. Low fees and transparent pricing
One of the main reasons to open a multi-currency business account is to save money when you work with international currencies. But some multi-currency accounts still charge a commission on nearly every transaction or have high monthly account fees.
Some institutions don’t list or explain their fees clearly when you register, so it’s important to dig deep and understand the potential costs. Look for an account with no holding, receiving or monthly account fees, and one that’s transparent about its pricing.
4. Competitive FX rates
Most multi-currency accounts tie their FX rates to the mid-market rate (MMR), then add a fee or a markup to each transaction. Choose an account that offers the most competitive rates, along with options like forward contracts and firm orders, so you can lock in the best exchange rates for future dates.
5. Easy online management
When you work directly with traditional banks to open your business accounts, you may have to schedule appointments, complete lengthy paperwork and wait weeks or months for application approval before you can start transacting.
Many traditional banks also still rely on outdated systems, meaning you have to call customer service to make a large transfer or update account settings. Instead, look for a multi-currency account that offers a quick, online application and lets you manage all your details from one single, self-service dashboard.
In the rest of this article, we’ll share more about different multi-currency accounts so you can see how their features stack up. We’ll start with WorldFirst.
Why WorldFirst is the best choice for a multi-currency account
For over two decades, at WorldFirst, we’ve been simplifying global e-commerce payments, handling over $300 billion in business payments and empowering over a million businesses to scale internationally.
A multi-currency World Account gives you fast international transfers, competitive FX rates and payments in 200+ currencies – all from one platform.
With WorldFirst, you can:
Collect and hold funds in 20+ currencies
WorldFirst lets you receive and hold funds in over 20 currencies with no receiving or holding fees.
With just one World Account, you can collect funds in currencies including USD, CAD, CNH, HKD, SGD, GBP, EUR, AUD, NZD, JPY, AED, CHF, CZK, SAR, MXN, PLN, SEK, ZAR, THB and MYR. For each of these currencies, you get local receiving account details, which enable you to pay international suppliers using domestic payment networks.
Local account details also make it easier to collect international payments from overseas buyers, payment gateways and more. With local account details, you can start selling and getting paid on global marketplaces like AliExpress, Amazon, Etsy, Rakuten and others without opening each account on the ground.
In addition to these local account details, WorldFirst also enables simpler e-commerce payments. We have direct connections with 130+ global marketplaces and payment platforms, so you can receive e-commerce payments in local currencies and collect payments worldwide.
Pay suppliers and partners faster
WorldFirst enables faster payments in more currencies than many other multi-currency accounts, so you can secure and maintain better supplier, vendor and partner relationships.
With a World Account, you can make fast, secure payments in 100+ currencies to 200+ countries, with 80% of transfers arriving within the same day.
The ability to pay more countries in more currencies makes it easier to source globally and pay suppliers in local and international currencies. You can also use your funds to pay employees or tax authorities via local networks, and make mass payments of up to 200 payments at once.
WorldFirst also enables free instant payments between World Accounts. That means that if you do business with other World Account holders, you can pay them in the same currency in just seconds, with zero fees.
What’s more, through WorldFirst’s exclusive integration with 1688.com, you get access to 10 million suppliers in China across 1,700 subcategories, without the need for a Chinese bank account, sourcing agent, or mainland partner. This means you can form faster supplier relationships and save even more as you source profitable products at lower prices.
Save money on fees, currency conversions and FX rates
With WorldFirst’s transparent pricing, there are no hidden fees or surprises. It’s free to open a multi-currency account with 10 currencies, and there are no monthly account fees. It’s also free to receive and hold over 20+ currencies.
WorldFirst also makes it affordable to exchange currencies, with competitive exchange rates based on the MMR. Fees for converting major currencies – including USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD and JPY – are capped at 0.50%. The ability to hold, receive and pay in 20+ currencies without needing to exchange your funds also makes it easier to avoid conversion fees.
If you’re worried about future rates or need to make a larger transaction, you can use forward contracts and firm orders to lock in the best exchange rates.
With firm orders, you pick a target FX rate and expiration date, and we watch the market until it hits your target to make the exchange for you. With forward contracts, you can choose a specific currency conversion rate to use on a predetermined date up to 24 months in the future.
Manage all your accounts, payments and currencies online
It only takes a few minutes to register for a WorldFirst account online. Once it’s active, you can:
Instantly generate up to 20 local receiving accounts (or more by contacting your Relationship Manager). To open a receiving account, you just:
- Go to your World Account dashboard
- Head to the “Collection” tab
- Click “Manage Accounts,” then “Add a New Receiving Account”
- Select the currency
- Click on “Details” to get your new account details
It’s a far cry from calling or visiting a local bank to open an account in each country where you want to do business.
Then, from a single online platform, you can view and manage all your currencies. With just one login, you can open multiple accounts, make payments, receive marketplace payments, trade and convert currency, view statements and more.
You can also seamlessly connect your World Account to your accounting software. It’s easy to connect WorldFirst with Xero to seamlessly reconcile transactions, send invoices, and generate tax records. Or, connect your account to NetSuite for inventory and supply chain management, operational support, business analytics and more.
For additional assistance, WorldFirst can provide a dedicated account manager to help you optimise your currency strategy, who you can contact via live chat, phone or email.
- 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
Top 6 multi-currency business accounts compared
Here’s how WorldFirst stacks up to five other popular multi-currency business accounts.
| WorldFirst | Juni | Wise | Revolut | Airwallex | Payoneer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Currency accounts | 20+ currencies | 5+ currencies | 50+ currencies | Up to 25 currencies | 20+ currencies | 9+ currencies |
| Countries you can pay to | 200+ countries | 10+ countries | 70+ countries | 150+ countries | 180+ countries | 190+ countries |
| FX/Conversion | MMR + up to 0.50% fee for major currencies | Low, transparent FX fees | MMR + 0.57%+ fee | Not specified | Interbank rates | Real-time exchange + 0.5% fee |
| Monthly account fees | None | Tiered fees starting at €111/month for established businesses | None | Free for a Standard account; Premium accounts start at US$9.99/month | Free for small businesses. Other business plans US$99–$499/month | None; US$29.95 annual fee for accounts receiving less than $2,000/year |
1. Juni
Juni is a business banking and accounting platform whose goal is to help small and medium-sized businesses lower their costs when they operate in multiple global markets. In addition to some multi-currency account features, Juni also provides credit cards and invoice credit, as well as spend management tools and accounting automations.
Juni’s multi-currency features include:
- Up to 10 IBAN accounts
- Low and transparent FX fees
- No cost to move money or pay in same currency
- Payments to 10+ countries worldwide
- Make payments in USD, EUR, GBP, SEK, or NOK
- Transfer money via SEPA, SWIFT and Bankgiro
2. Wise
Wise is a Money Service Business (MSB) that enables global businesses to pay invoices, receive funds and earn interest on any currency held in USD, GBP, or EUR. Fees to send funds start at 0.57%. All other fees are listed transparently on their website.
Wise’s multi-currency features include:
- Pay overseas staff and suppliers in 70+ countries with no hidden fees or FX markups
- Earn interest, including up to 2.83% APY on your GBP balance
- Set up local account details in multiple currencies
- Connect to accounting tools like Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent
- Use BatchTransfer to pay up to 1,000 people at once
- View 50+ currencies from one account and move funds between them instantly at the mid-market rate
3. Revolut
Revolut is a finance solution that offers a business account with multi-currency and global payments features. It offers a range of plans, each with different monthly fees and limits, for small, medium and enterprise businesses.
Revolut’s multi-currency features include:
- Hold up to 25 currencies
- Unlimited incoming transfers in GBP, EUR, USD and CHF
- Global and local account details
- Send money to 150+ transfer destinations
- Connect to your accounting software
- Receive money with SWIFT and BIC account details
- Use analytics to plan and track spending
4. Airwallex
Airwallex is a global payments and financial platform that powers a range of business features. Its offerings include expenses and reimbursement management, conversion-optimised checkout forms, automated accounts payable services and global business accounts.
Airwallex’s multi-currency features include:
- No monthly maintenance fees, no fees to open an account and no minimum transaction requirements
- Receive payments from 180+ countries
- Set up global accounts in 60+ countries including Australia, Europe (SEPA), Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and the United Kingdom
- View all your payments in your Airwallex Wallet
- Convert currencies at interbank rates
- Collect payments in international customers’ preferred currencies and spend them later in the same currency
- Make local direct debit payments from GBP, USD, AUD and CAD accounts
5. Payoneer
Payoneer is a financial services company that helps freelancers, businesses and marketplaces hire, pay and manage employees, manage currencies and get funding for business growth, among other services.
Payoneer’s multi-currency features include:
- Local receiving accounts in 9+ currencies
- Directly transfer international business earnings to preferred local bank account with 190+ countries
- Batch pay up to 200 suppliers, contractors, etc. at a time
- Pay EU and UK VAT authorities from your account for free
- Fast conversions with good exchange rates and no hidden charges
- Receive marketplace payouts from Amazon, eBay and more
- FX rates are based on the real-time exchange rate, plus a 0.5% fee
Choose WorldFirst for your multi-currency business account
There are many great options for multi-currency business accounts, and the right choice depends on your business needs. But WorldFirst is the clear winner for more currencies, lower fees and more ways to pay suppliers.
Open a multi currency business account with WorldFirst today.
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