Remember the feeling of launching your first cross-border sale? You saw the payment hit your app, only to realize your setup didn’t support that currency. Suddenly, your customer can’t pay, the deal stalls, and you’re scrambling.
That’s the invisible pain businesses face when a payment platform says, “We don’t support that region,” or “not available in your currency.”
Airwallex sounds like it’s built for global startups, but it isn’t universal yet. In this post, we will walk through its history: Airwallex supported countries & currencies, restriction, policies, and which countries or regions it doesn’t support. Consider it your payment hub reality check before you scale further.
Airwallex: A Brief Overview
If some of you’re wondering whether Airwallex is just another fancy name in the fintech space, here’s the thing: it wasn’t born in Silicon Valley with a ton of venture cash. It was built from a real business pain.
The founders, Jack Zhang and Max Li, were running a café in Melbourne in 2015 when they got hit by massive FX fees while importing coffee cups. That frustration sparked a fintech idea: Why can’t small businesses move money across the world like big banks do, minus the crazy fees?
Fast forward to 2025, Airwallex has become the go-to financial backbone for global businesses, making it easier to send, receive, and manage money across borders. Minus all the usual headaches.
A Brief Snapshot
- Founded: 2015 in Melbourne, Australia
- Founders: Jack Zhang, Max Li, Lucy Liu, and Xijing Dai
- Headquarters: Melbourne, with major offices in San Francisco, Singapore, London, and Hong Kong
- Valuation: Over $6.2 billion as of the latest funding round
- Clients Served: 150,000+ businesses globally
- Annual Volume: Processes $100+ billion in transactions per year
- Key Clients: Shein, Qantas, Brex, Papaya Global, and McLaren Racing
- Services Offered:
- Global Business Accounts
- Multi-currency Wallets
- Borderless Payment Cards
- International Payouts (Local & SWIFT)
- FX & Treasury Management
- Developer APIs for integrations
- Expansion Moves:
- Seeking banking licenses in the U.S. and UK
- Adding new currencies and payout countries quarterly
- Deepening B2B SaaS integrations (like with Xero, Shopify, and QuickBooks)
Airwallex Supported Countries
Think of Airwallex as having entry-level doors and bank-level doors. You only qualify if your business is registered in one of their official “supported countries.” Otherwise, you won’t pass through.
What’s That Mean for Your Setup?
- You must register your company in one of Airwallex’s supported regions to open a Global Account.
- Each region is linked to its own Airwallex entity. Like AU for Australia or UK for the United Kingdom.
- Ownership or directorship based in Russia or Belarus will still block your application.
The Airwallex Supported Countries List
You can open an Airwallex Business Account if your company is legally registered in one of these over 50 supported countries (as of June 2025)
Country | Onboarding Entity (AWX) |
Australia | AU |
Canada | CA |
Hong Kong SAR | HK |
Singapore | SG |
New Zealand | NZ |
United States | US |
United Kingdom | UK |
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark*, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland*, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland** | NL or LT depending |
India | SG |
Indonesia | HK |
Israel | UK |
South Korea | HK |
Malaysia | MY |
Mexico | US |
Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Macao, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, Seychelles, U.S. or British Virgin Islands | HK, based on region |
*Denmark CR accounts available via Netherlands entity
*Poland CR via UK/Netherlands entity
**Switzerland processed via Netherlands entity
Airwallex Payout & Domestic Receiving Reach
- Can send local or SWIFT payouts across 150–207 countries
- Domestic local clearing systems in 110+ regions
- Receive local payments in ~16+ domestic-currency markets through Global Accounts
- SWIFT transfer support in 60+ currencies and payouts covering over 150–200 countries
Why You Should Know All These?
If you’re setting up for international customers or suppliers:
- Make sure your business is registered in an Airwallex-supported country (the list above).
- Even if payouts or clients are far beyond your business base, you can still send or receive money there through Airwallex networks.
- But if your country is not listed, or you have directors based in Russia or Belarus, account creation will likely be denied
Some Quick Tips
- You can only open an Airwallex business account if your company is registered in one of ~50 approved jurisdictions.
- However, once onboarded, you can use Airwallex to receive or send money, locally or via SWIFT, in 150+ countries.
- Domestic payment capabilities exist in around 16 major markets.
- Russia and Belarus remain restricted from onboarding.
- Your country of registration and director locations matter deeply in whether you’ll be approved and what features are available.
Airwallex Supported Currencies
Let’s be honest: currency support is at the heart of why businesses choose Airwallex. But with nearly 130 collectable currencies, 64 holdable ones, and multiple transfer methods; it can feel overwhelming. So here’s a clearer breakdown in a way you’d actually find useful.
How Airwallex Lets You Collect and Hold Currencies
With Airwallex, you’re able to collect payments in 130+ currencies. Yep, all according to international ISO 4217 standards. So when your customers pay in their own currency, the money lands straight in your wallet, no middle steps.
Need to hold or swap currencies? Airwallex supports 64 of them inside your wallet; from the big ones like USD, EUR, and GBP to less common ones like NPR, KZT, and EGP.
And with the Global Accounts feature, you can open local accounts in 20+ currencies across 10+ countries. That means getting paid like a local, with fewer currency exchange headaches.
Currency Details Table
Currency Code | Country / Use Case | Hold & Convert | Collect via Local Bank | Accept via SWIFT |
USD | United States | Yes | ACH / Fedwire | Yes |
EUR | Eurozone | Yes | SEPA | Yes |
GBP | United Kingdom | Yes | Faster Payments / CHAPS | Yes |
SGD | Singapore | Yes | GIRO / FAST | Yes |
AUD | Australia | Yes | Direct Transfer / RTGS | Yes |
CAD | Canada | Yes | EFT / Interac | Yes |
AED | UAE (outside UAE-based) | Yes* | IPI / RTGS (for some) | Yes |
JPY | Japan | Yes | Local RTGS | Yes |
INR | India | Yes | Bank Transfer | Yes |
MXN | Mexico | Yes | SPEI | Yes |
HKD / CNY | Hong Kong / China | Yes | Local (ACH, FPS, RTGS) | Yes |
IDR | Indonesia | Yes* | BI-FAST / SKN | Yes |
Others (50+) | Global | Varies | Local support across 60+ countries | Yes (60+ currencies) |
* Restrictions based on customer location (e.g., UAE-registered businesses can’t open AED wallets).
All local payout details are tied to the registration country of your Global Account.
Note: Businesses registered in the UAE currently can’t open an AED (Dirham) wallet with Airwallex, even though AED is technically supported for transfers.
Why You Should Know All These?
If you expect to do business in any of these currencies, or even collect via marketplace payouts, knowing which ones Airwallex supports for collection, holding, and transfer can save you from messy conversions and blocked features later.
Especially if you serve clients in the U.S., UK, Singapore or Europe, make sure your Global Account aligns with the currencies they’ll pay in, and that your region is properly configured.
A Few Smart Currency Tips for Entrepreneurs
- Don’t just collect, hold strategically.
If your customers are paying you in EUR or GBP and you’ve got suppliers to pay in that same currency, hold onto it. Don’t rush to convert, those extra steps eat into your margins quicker than you’d expect. - Match your wallets to your market.
Serving U.S. clients? Set up a USD Global Account. Selling in Europe? Prioritize EUR. Airwallex isn’t just a wallet; it’s a bridge between your market and your money. - Mind the compliance flags.
Holding or receiving in certain currencies like AED or INR may trigger region-specific compliance filters. Check if your business registration country matches the currency you want to open. - SWIFT ≠ local comfort.
SWIFT works everywhere but feels like paying international postage. Always prefer local collection methods (ACH, SEPA, etc.) when available. They’re faster, cheaper, and less scary for your clients. - Set alerts, not regrets.
Currency rates fluctuate daily. Use Airwallex’s FX alerts if you’re holding multiple wallets. You don’t need to trade like a Wall Street shark, but knowing when to convert can save hundreds monthly.
What Currencies Can You Actually Receive with Airwallex Global Accounts?
Not every currency listed on Airwallex can be used to receive payments into your own named Global Account. That’s an important detail many miss.
As of 2025, you can receive payments like a local in major currencies such as USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, NZD, HKD, SGD, JPY, and CAD, among others. These come with local bank details, so your clients or platforms can pay you without international transfer hurdles.
Some other supported currencies are only available for conversions or outbound transfers; not for receiving payments directly.
Before you offer a currency option to customers, it’s worth confirming whether Airwallex actually lets you receive in that one. Saves time. Saves follow-ups.
What Really Counts As Airwallex Restricted Countries
Let’s be clear up one misconception here: yes, Airwallex is widely global, but there are a few places it simply won’t serve.
First, a little background:
Airwallex follows global financial sanctions and risk policy very strictly. If you or any company owner/director is legally based in certain restricted regions, Airwallex won’t open an account for your business, even if you registered your company elsewhere.
Countries Where Airwallex Won’t Onboard You
- It’s not just local subsidiaries. They check where actual directors or UBOs (Ultimate Beneficial Owners) are located.
- If one of them resides in a restricted country, your account application will be declined.
- Even if your company is registered in the U.S., UK, EU, etc., it won’t matter if ownership ties trace back to these blocked regions.
Quick Heads Up
In short:
Airwallex won’t support businesses connected to Russia or Belarus; either through ownership or director status.
Best practice? If you’re from a restricted country but currently reside elsewhere with legal residency, use that address for onboarding. If not, you’ll need to explore alternative services.
Setup Tips for Global Founders
Nonresident? Going global? Cool. But here’s what you don’t want: getting blocked after setup.
Keep these in mind:
- Register smart.
Stick with Airwallex-friendly countries like the U.S., U.K., Singapore, or Australia. - Think in currencies.
Match your business currency with what your customers pay in. Don’t wing it. - Check your people.
If a director or owner is from a restricted country, you might hit a wall. - Payouts matter too.
Some countries let you collect but not pay out locally. Double-check if that fits your model. - Build with tomorrow in mind.
If you plan to scale, don’t lock yourself into a setup that limits future markets.
Need Help Setting Up from a Supported Country?
Here’s the catch: Airwallex won’t let you in unless your business is based in one of their supported countries. If you’re running things from Dhaka, Lagos, or anywhere outside their list, you’ll need a U.S., UK, or UAE entity to even get started.
Business Globalizer can sort that out for you.
From legal company formation to tax compliance, business address, and banking. And if you’re unsure what structure or country fits your payment goals best, you can start with a free consultation. Need deeper guidance? Our premium sessions go all in on strategy, docs, and compliance that actually works.
Set it up right, from day one.
Final Thought
That early scramble, the one where a payment fails because the platform doesn’t support your currency or country, that’s not just a one-off glitch. It’s a warning sign that the tools you choose matter more than they seem.
Airwallex is powerful, but not borderless for everyone. Before you build your operations around it, double-check the essentials: where your company is formed, where your clients pay from, and whether your cash flow fits into the box of Airwallex supported countries & currencies.
Clearing things up now saves you a whole lot of headache later.
FAQs on Airwallex supported countries and currencies
Can I open an Airwallex account if I’m from Bangladesh, India, or Pakistan?
Answer: Unfortunately, no. Unless your company is registered in a supported country like the US, UK, or Singapore. Your personal location doesn’t matter as much as your legal entity’s registration and the location of directors/shareholders.
Does Airwallex support AED wallets for UAE companies in 2025?
Answer: Not fully. While AED is a supported currency, UAE-based wallets and local payouts are still partially rolled out or under limited access. Double-check with support before relying on it for business operations in the UAE.
What’s the difference between a supported currency and a supported wallet?
Answer: Great question.
- A supported currency means Airwallex can send/receive that currency.
- A supported wallet means you can actually hold funds in that currency inside your account.
Not every supported currency has its own wallet yet.
Is there a way to use Airwallex if my country is restricted?
Answer: Yes, but with a catch.
You’d need to form a company in a supported country (like the US or UK), use a real business address, and meet KYC/ownership requirements. That’s how many nonresident founders unlock access legally.
Can I receive PayPal or Stripe payouts into my Airwallex account?
Answer: Sometimes, yes. Airwallex offers virtual bank account details for USD, GBP, and EUR that are compatible with many platforms. But it’s not a full PayPal substitute; test compatibility first, or check their latest integrations.
Why did Airwallex reject my application even though my country is listed as supported?
Answer: Happens more than you’d think. Common reasons:
- One of your shareholders is from a restricted country
- You listed a virtual or flagged address
- Your business activity raised compliance concerns
Reach out to their onboarding team. They’re strict, not silent.
Can I use Airwallex for personal transactions or freelancing?
Answer: Nope. Airwallex is strictly for registered businesses.
No side hustles. No individual gig payouts. Think B2B, not B2C.
How many currencies can I hold at once?
Answer: Technically, 60+ supported currencies are available.
But the ones you can actively hold depend on your account region.
For example, an AU company may have broader wallet access than a US one. It doesn’t work the same for everyone.
Does Airwallex work with dropshipping or affiliate businesses?
Answer: Depends. If you’re registered properly and can prove your business model is clean, you’ll likely pass. But high-risk industries (adult content, gambling, etc.) are flagged or blocked altogether.
What if I move countries after opening my Airwallex account?
Answer: Doesn’t matter where you move. What matters is where your company is incorporated. As long as that remains unchanged and compliant, your account stays valid, even if you’re sipping tea in Istanbul next month.