World Card vs Airwallex Card: Fees and features comparison
Last updated: 9 April 2025
Searching for the best multi-currency card for your business? We compare the World Card with the Airwallex card
Key takeaways
- Spend in 150+ currencies via the Mastercard network with the World Card; access global currencies with Airwallex on the Visa network.
- You can get up to 20 free World Cards for business and employee spending; Airwallex’s AUD 29/month starter plan includes 10 company cards and two employee cards
- The World Card offers 10% cashback* on the first AUD 1,500 spent and 1% on international spending; Airwallex has no cashback offers (*T&C apply)
- Both cards ensure secure payments with 3D Secure authentication for added transaction protection
Managing business expenses across multiple currencies can be costly and time-consuming, with exchange rate fluctuations and foreign exchange fees eating into profits.
A multi-currency corporate card can help. By allowing you to pay suppliers, cover travel expenses and manage subscriptions in various currencies without excessive fees, the right card can cut costs and simplify global spending.
But not all multi-currency cards work the same way. Some offer better fee structures, wider currency support or additional perks like cashback.
In this article, we dive into the features, benefits and fees of the World Card and Airwallex card to help you choose the best fit for your global business.
Table of Contents
What is the World Card?
The World Card is an international debit card powered by Mastercard, designed for spending in 150 currencies worldwide. It’s linked to your World Account, a multi-currency account with which you can send, receive, hold and convert funds in over 20 currencies.
If you already have a World Account, you can apply for the card for free. If not, simply sign up to get access. You can issue up to 20 cards for your team.
There are zero foreign exchange fees in the 15 major currencies, including USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, NZD, SGH, and CNH (as long as you have sufficient balances).
What is the Airwallex card?
Airwallex offers Visa debit cards for your company and employees. You can use the cards online or in-store.
In addition to the 10 currencies supported by Airwallex’s multi-currency account, which include USD, AUD, CAD, SGD, NZD, HKD, JPY, EUR, GBP and CHF [2], Airwallex cards also allow you to pay for expenses in all the Visa-supported currencies.
The number of cards you can get for your company and employees will depend on your monthly subscription plan [1]. While these cards are free, an Airwallex account comes with a monthly fee of AUD 29–AUD 499 per month [3]
World Card vs Airwallex Borderless Card: The fees breakdown
| Fees | WorldFirst | Airwallex [3] |
|---|---|---|
| Card issuance fee | Zero | Zero |
| Annual fee | Zero | - Free for the number of cards included in your pricing plan - Additional cards are charged at AUD 15 per user per month |
| 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) |
0.5% for USD, HKD, CNY, AUD, EUR, GBP, CAD, SGD, CHF, NZD, JPY, 1% for all other currencies - No charges if you have an existing balance in the purchase currency [5] - In case of insufficient funds, the base/ home currency funds are used to make the transaction and a currency conversion fee is charged [5] Foreign transfer fees and currency conversion fees apply |
| Monthly account fees for the multi-currency account linked to the card | Zero (20+ currencies) | Multiple pricing tiers are available: - AUD 29 per month (Zero if you deposit at least AUD 5k per month or hold a minimum balance of AUD 10k) - AUD 99 per month - AUD 499 per month |
World Card vs Airwallex Borderless Card: Feature comparison
Global card usage
The World Card is powered by Mastercard and can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Airwallex operates on the Visa network. [1]
Spending with your card
With the World Card, you can make purchases in over 150 currencies. Additionally, when you pay directly from your existing balance in the same currency – for instance, using USD from your USD currency account – there are no foreign exchange charges.
If you don’t have enough funds in the same currency, your payment will be deducted from your default currency account. When this happens, a currency conversion fee applies – either at WorldFirst’s rate or the Mastercard rate.
Here’s a breakdown of currency conversion fees with the World Card:
- Paying with an existing balance: No foreign exchange fee
- Paying without an existing balance in one WorldFirst supported currencies: WorldFirst foreign exchange fee applies
- Paying in a currency not supported by WorldFirst: Mastercard FX rate + up to 1.5% additional margin
For more information on World Card, check the FAQs here
Here’s a breakdown of currency conversion fees with the Airwallex Borderless Card:
- Transactions in the 10 supported currencies: No fees if you have sufficient funds in the transaction currency. If you don’t hold enough balance in the payment currency, Airwallex will use funds from your base/ home currency and a currency conversion fee applies [5]
- Transactions in other currencies: Foreign transfer fees and currency conversion fees apply [5]
Take control of your business spending with the World Card – the smart way to manage global expenses, from supplier payments to travel costs.
- Launch offer: 10% cashback* on your first $1,500 spend
- 1% cashback* on all business spend, always
- Free to apply, with no ongoing costs
- Save more with zero FX fees on 15 currencies
- Equip your team and business with up to 20 cards
- Set custom spending limits for budgeting and expense control
Getting cards for your team
You can apply for up to 20 World Cards for your team at no extra cost. Each card comes with the ability to set custom spending limits and track all the outgoing payments for easy account reconciliation.
Airwallex provides two different types of multi-currency cards: company cards and employee cards [6].
Company cards: These are virtual cards issued in the company’s name that can be used by teams, departments, or the entire company. Card details are accessible to all card admins
Employee cards: Available as virtual or physical cards or digital wallets (Google Pay and Apple Pay), these are issued to individual employees for business expenses such as travel or meals. Admins can manage limits, freeze or cancel cards, but can’t view the employee card details.
The number of free cards depends on your Airwallex pricing plan. Additional employee cards cost AUD 15 per user per month. With the starter plan of AUD 29 per month, you can apply for 10 company cards and two employee cards for free[3].
Security
Both the World Card and Airwallex card use 3D Secure (3DS) authentication to keep your online payments safe [7]. When making a transaction, you’ll receive a 6-digit verification code via SMS or email for extra security.
Cashback offers
For a limited time, enjoy 10% cashback on your first AUD 1,500 spent with the World Card. You’ll also get 1% cashback on all your international spend, always*.
Airwallex doesn’t provide cashback offers for customers in Australia or New Zealand.
WorldFirst or Airwallex: Which is better for global businesses?
Both WorldFirst and Airwallex offer multi-currency accounts with business expense cards for Australian businesses but their fees and currency support differ. Choosing the right provider comes down to what matters most to your business – whether it’s lower fees, more currency accounts or specific card benefits. Understanding these differences can help you make the best decision for managing your global business payments efficiently.
→ Take a look at the Airwallex card review to help decide on the best multi-currency corporate card for your business.
Sources:
- https://www.airwallex.com/au/business-account/cards
- https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/900001755826-What-currencies-are-supported-by-the-Airwallex-Borderless-Card
- https://www.airwallex.com/au/pricing
- https://www.airwallex.com/us/core-api/issuing
- https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/900003301566-What-is-the-automatic-conversions-for-cards
- https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4970990380943-How-do-I-choose-between-a-Company-Card-or-Employee-Card
- https://www.airwallex.com/docs/payments__native-api__3d-secure-authentication
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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