Your provider shortlist
What matters for your payments?
Choose a starting point, then adjust the features. No sign-up needed.
What do these features mean?
- Bulk / batch payments
- Pay many suppliers, contractors or staff from one file upload or API call instead of one transfer at a time.
- Payment approval workflow
- Require a second person to sign off payments above a threshold — the core financial control for any team handling money. The strongest setups also enforce separation of duties (a creator can't approve their own payment).
- Multi-user roles & permissions
- Give a bookkeeper view-only access, a clerk payment-prep rights and an owner final approval — without sharing one login.
- Multi-currency account
- Hold and receive balances in several currencies with local account details, so you aren't force-converted on every payment and can net off receivables against payables.
- Forward contracts / hedging
- Lock today's exchange rate for a future invoice, protecting margin on payments you already know are coming.
- Dedicated dealer / account manager
- A named human for large or complex transfers — matters most above ~$10k and for risk-managed FX.
- Payments API
- Trigger payouts straight from your own software, ERP or platform — essential for automating at volume or embedding payments in a product.
- Accounting integration
- Two-way sync with Xero / QuickBooks / NetSuite so payments reconcile themselves instead of manual entry.
- Corporate / expense cards
- Issue spend cards with limits and receipt capture, consolidating travel and SaaS spend alongside your FX.
7 providers to compare
Select features to compare fit. Unselected results start with the lowest measured benchmark cost.
Costs below are averages on a $5,000 benchmark across tracked routes, not quotes for your business. Providers without measured costs are labelled. View the evidence.
Wise Business
Transparent low-margin FX with strong self-serve batch and approvals.
XE Money Transfer
Wide-reach business payments with mass-pay API and long-dated hedging.
Currencies Direct
Personal-service FX broker for SMEs that want a human and hedging.
OFX
Account-managed FX built for larger and recurring business transfers.
Airwallex
Multi-currency accounts plus spend management on one platform.
Mercury
US business banking with strong AP automation and approvals.
Regency FX
Account-managed business FX with forward contracts for planned payments.
We may earn a commission from provider links. Feature matches and observed costs determine the displayed order, not sponsorship. Confirm current pricing, supported features and eligibility with the provider.
02Feature comparison matrix
● = full support · ◐ = partial / plan-gated · — = not listed · ? = not verified. Open a cell for feature details and plan limits.
| Feature | Regency FX | Wise Business | OFX | Airwallex | Mercury | XE Money Transfer | Currencies Direct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk / batch payments | Not verified for Regency FX business accounts. Partner capabilities alone do not establish availability; confirm directly. | BatchTransfer via file upload or API. | Batch payments via file upload. | Batch transfers via dashboard or API. | Mass payments via read/write API + Bill Pay. | Up to 250 transfers in one go (Mass Payments API/platform). | Batch payments via single multi-currency upload. |
| Payment approval workflow | Not verified for Regency FX business accounts. Partner capabilities alone do not establish availability; confirm directly. | Per-payment approval rules; bulk-approve up to 100 at once. | Approval workflow with one-click bulk approve. | Multi-layer approval workflows (Grow/Accelerate plans). | Multi-layer $-based rules; approve in Slack/app; separation of duties. | Platform controls; lighter than dedicated AP tools. | Handled via account manager / platform, not granular self-serve. |
| Multi-user roles & permissions | Not verified for Regency FX business accounts. Partner capabilities alone do not establish availability; confirm directly. | Viewer / Employee / Preparer / Admin roles. | Team roles & permissions with spend control. | Multi-user access on paid plans. | Granular user-level permissions & roles. | Team access on business accounts. | Account-managed access rather than rich role tiers. |
| Multi-currency account | Not verified for Regency FX business accounts. Partner capabilities alone do not establish availability; confirm directly. | Hold 40+ currencies; local details in up to 9–10. | Global Business Account, 30+ currencies, local receiving. | Up to 10 Global Accounts (USD/EUR/GBP spun up in minutes). | USD account base; pays out in 40+ currencies (no FX hold). | Send & receive in 130+ currencies, 190+ countries. | Receiving accounts in major currencies; transfer-led. |
| Forward contracts / hedging | Business page offers fixed exchange rates for up to 12 months. Confirm deposit and settlement obligations. | Confirm availability with the provider. | Lock rates up to 12 months (subject to approval). | Confirm availability with the provider. | Confirm availability with the provider. | Lock rates up to 24 months; credit lines for corporates. | Lock rates up to 24 months with a small deposit. |
| Dedicated dealer / account manager | Personal account manager documented on the business services page. | Confirm availability with the provider. | Named dealer for large/complex transfers. | Enterprise/relationship support at scale. | Confirm availability with the provider. | Account management for enterprise/large transfers. | Named account manager with timing/hedging advice. |
| Payments API | Not verified for Regency FX business accounts. Partner capabilities alone do not establish availability; confirm directly. | Free API; used by Xero, Deel, GoCardless. | Business payments API. | Full payments + accounts + embedded-finance API. | Robust read + write API for mass payments. | Payments, Mass Payments & Currency Data APIs. | Integration available for corporate clients. |
| Accounting integration | Not verified for Regency FX business accounts. Partner capabilities alone do not establish availability; confirm directly. | Xero & QuickBooks integrations. | Real-time two-way Xero & QuickBooks sync. | Xero / NetSuite integrations. | QuickBooks / Xero / NetSuite sync. | Integrates via API; fewer native connectors. | Limited native accounting connectors. |
| Corporate / expense cards | Not verified for Regency FX business accounts. Partner capabilities alone do not establish availability; confirm directly. | Business cards outside the US (none for US businesses since 2023). | Confirm availability with the provider. | Corporate + employee cards with OCR receipts. | Corporate cards with spend controls. | Confirm availability with the provider. | Confirm availability with the provider. |
03Provider profiles
The detail behind the matrix — pricing, speed, reach, limits, KYC and the use cases each provider is genuinely built for.
Regency FX
Account-managed business FX with forward contracts for planned payments.
Best for: Businesses planning overseas supplier payments or larger transfers with a dedicated account manager.
- Pricing:
- Company information states no transfer fees; exchange-rate margin and third-party charges can affect total cost.
- Speed:
- Confirm arrival time for your currency and funding method before booking.
- Reach:
- Confirm your destination and currency with the business team.
- Minimum:
- Confirm the minimum for your payment with Regency FX.
- Batch limit:
- Batch upload capability and recipient limits not verified.
- Eligibility:
- Business accounts available, subject to onboarding and payment-partner eligibility checks.
Common use cases
- Overseas supplier invoices
- Planning future foreign-currency payments
- Larger business transfers with account-manager support
Used most by
Strengths
- + Personal account manager
- + Forward contracts available for up to 12 months
- + Online transfers alongside assisted service
Watch-outs
- − Pricing requires a personalised quote
- − Forward contracts create a binding payment commitment
- − Batch, API and accounting capabilities not verified
Compliance, KYC, limits & security
- Regulation:
- Payment services are supplied by partners including Currencycloud, Equals Connect and Sciopay; the applicable entity depends on location and service. These are partner authorisations, not Regency FX's own FCA authorisation.
- KYC / onboarding:
- Ask the account manager for required company, ownership and source-of-funds documents.
- Limits:
- Confirm transfer limits and any forward-contract deposit before agreeing a trade.
- Fraud & security:
- The provider's security page describes encryption and access controls; confirm the controls available on your business account.
- Funds protection:
- Regency FX states that its payment partners safeguard client funds. Ask which partner will handle your payment and how its safeguarding applies.
Sources checked 30 September 2026: Business services · Forward contracts · Safeguarding and security
Wise Business
Transparent low-margin FX with strong self-serve batch and approvals.
Best for: SMEs and startups paying global teams, contractors and suppliers who want the lowest visible markup and clean self-serve controls.
- Pricing:
- ~$31 one-time setup, no monthly fee. Conversion fee from 0.33%.
- Speed:
- Often same/next business day on major routes.
- Reach:
- Hold 40+ currencies; pay 160+ countries; local account details in up to 9–10 currencies.
- Minimum:
- No minimum transfer.
- Batch limit:
- Up to 1,000 payments per BatchTransfer.
- Eligibility:
- Most countries — but no onboarding in Nevada or US territories, and Wise stopped issuing US business cards in 2023.
Common use cases
- Paying overseas contractors and remote staff
- Supplier invoices in multiple currencies
- Collecting from marketplaces/clients via local details
- Subscription/SaaS revenue collection
Used most by
Strengths
- + Lowest visible markup of the set
- + Self-serve batch + approvals, no sales call
- + Free, widely-adopted API (Xero, Deel, GoCardless)
Watch-outs
- − No forward contracts / hedging
- − No dedicated dealer for large transfers
- − No US business cards since 2023
Compliance, KYC, limits & security
- Regulation:
- FCA (UK), FinCEN MSB (US), ASIC (AU) and other local licences; publicly listed (LSE).
- KYC / onboarding:
- KYB: business registration/licence, EIN, beneficial-ownership details. AI document scanning; most business accounts verified in 1–3 business days.
- Limits:
- No fixed transfer minimum; high per-transfer ceilings vary by currency and verification level.
- Fraud & security:
- 2FA, transaction monitoring, in-app payment-approval controls; recipient confirmation on supported routes.
- Funds protection:
- Customer funds safeguarded in segregated accounts (not FDIC/FSCS bank deposit insurance).
Account-managed FX built for larger and recurring business transfers.
Best for: Businesses sending larger amounts ($10k+) that want a dealer, forward contracts and tight Xero sync, with no transfer fees.
- Pricing:
- No transfer fees; cost is the rate margin.
- Speed:
- Often within 1 business day to major destinations.
- Reach:
- 30+ currencies, 170+ countries; Global Business Account with local receiving.
- Minimum:
- $200 per transfer (or $1,000/year minimum).
- Batch limit:
- Multiple recipients per batch file upload.
- Eligibility:
- Broad — operates across US, UK, EU, AU, NZ, CA, HK and more.
Common use cases
- Recurring supplier/import payments
- Large one-off settlements (property, equipment)
- Hedging known future FX exposure
- Paying overseas staff and contractors in batches
Used most by
Strengths
- + No transfer fees, dealer support on large amounts
- + Forward contracts up to 12 months
- + Real-time two-way Xero/QuickBooks sync
Watch-outs
- − Rate margin replaces fees — compare totals
- − $200/transfer minimum
- − No corporate cards
Compliance, KYC, limits & security
- Regulation:
- Regulated by ~50 bodies incl. FCA (UK), FINTRAC (CA), AUSTRAC (AU); registered FinCEN MSB in the US.
- KYC / onboarding:
- KYB on business identity, ownership and source of funds; integrates third-party verification. Onboarding typically a day or two.
- Limits:
- Min $200/transfer (or $1,000/year). No published upper cap — built for large transfers.
- Fraud & security:
- 2FA, transaction monitoring and approval workflows; dealer-assisted checks on large transfers.
- Funds protection:
- Client funds held in segregated accounts at major banks per local regulation.
Airwallex
Multi-currency accounts plus spend management on one platform.
Best for: Scaling and eCommerce businesses wanting global accounts, batch payouts, cards, approvals and an embeddable API in one stack.
- Pricing:
- Free/low base tiers; advanced controls on Grow/Accelerate plans. FX ~0.4–0.6%.
- Speed:
- Local-rail payouts often same/next day.
- Reach:
- Up to 10 Global Accounts; pay 120+ countries; collect like a local in 180+ markets.
- Minimum:
- No fixed minimum; geared to ongoing volume.
- Batch limit:
- Up to 1,000 recipients per batch.
- Eligibility:
- Available across US, UK, EU, AU, HK, SG and more.
Common use cases
- Collecting global revenue in local currencies
- Mass contractor/seller payouts via API
- Embedding payments in a marketplace/platform
- Consolidating card spend + FX
Used most by
Strengths
- + Collect + pay + spend on one platform
- + Strong API for marketplaces/embedded finance
- + Corporate cards with OCR receipt capture
Watch-outs
- − Best controls are on paid plans
- − No forward contracts
- − Overkill for occasional senders
Compliance, KYC, limits & security
- Regulation:
- 60+ licences/registrations globally; HKMA MSO + stored-value licence; FinCEN MSB (US) and local EMI/MSB licences.
- KYC / onboarding:
- Single KYB unlocks all capabilities; gen-AI screening cut false positives ~50%. Accounts can activate in ~48h with complete docs.
- Limits:
- No fixed minimum; scales to high volume. Own local rails bypass SWIFT in 120+ countries (≈93% same-day).
- Fraud & security:
- 2FA, encryption, advanced fraud detection; granular multi-layer approvals.
- Funds protection:
- Client funds safeguarded in segregated accounts at Tier-1 institutions.
Mercury
US business banking with strong AP automation and approvals.
Best for: US-incorporated startups and SMEs wanting banking, bill-pay and global vendor payouts in one account with deep approval controls.
- Pricing:
- $0 monthly. ACH + domestic + USD intl wires free; non-USD 1% FX.
- Speed:
- 99.6% of 2025 domestic payments arrived in ≤1 business day; USD intl wires 1–3 days.
- Reach:
- Pays 40+ currencies across 200+ countries/regions (USD account base).
- Minimum:
- No minimum.
- Batch limit:
- Mass payments via API; Bill Pay for AP batches.
- Eligibility:
- Requires a US-registered company (founders can be non-US); rejects PO box / registered-agent addresses; some founder countries unsupported.
Common use cases
- US startup treasury + operating account
- Accounts-payable automation with approvals
- Paying global vendors/contractors in local currency
- Mass payouts via API
Used most by
Strengths
- + Free USD wires + ACH; banking + payments combined
- + Best-in-class approval rules (incl. separation of duties, approve in Slack)
- + Up to $5M FDIC via sweep; read/write API
Watch-outs
- − Requires a US entity — not for non-US companies
- − Flat 1% FX on non-USD (pricier than specialists at scale)
- − No forward contracts / hedging
Compliance, KYC, limits & security
- Regulation:
- Fintech (not itself a bank); banking via partners Choice Financial Group, Column N.A. & Evolve (Members FDIC).
- KYC / onboarding:
- KYB on US entity: formation docs, EIN, ownership, genuine US business address (no PO box / registered-agent). Some founder countries unsupported.
- Limits:
- No minimum; standard wire/ACH ceilings. USD intl wires free; non-USD flat 1%.
- Fraud & security:
- TOTP 2FA, data encryption, fraud monitoring and dark-web scanning; separation-of-duties approval rules.
- Funds protection:
- Up to $5M FDIC via sweep network (spread across ~20 partner banks).
XE Money Transfer
Wide-reach business payments with mass-pay API and long-dated hedging.
Best for: Businesses needing broad currency coverage (145+) and recurring/scheduled supplier payments with no fees and forward contracts.
- Pricing:
- No transfer fees; cost is the rate margin.
- Speed:
- Typically 1–4 business days.
- Reach:
- Send to 190+ countries in 145+ currencies; send & receive across 130+.
- Minimum:
- No widely-published fixed minimum.
- Batch limit:
- Up to 250 transfers per Mass Payments request.
- Eligibility:
- Senders must be based in EU, UK, US, CA, AU or NZ.
Common use cases
- Recurring overseas supplier payments
- International payroll/contractor runs
- Importers hedging invoice exposure
- eCommerce multi-currency revenue
Used most by
Strengths
- + No fees even on large transfers
- + Forward contracts up to 24 months + credit lines
- + Widest currency reach in the set (145+)
Watch-outs
- − Senders limited to 6 regions
- − Approvals lighter than dedicated AP tools
- − Fewer native accounting connectors
Compliance, KYC, limits & security
- Regulation:
- Triple-regulated: FCA (UK), ASIC (AU), FinCEN (US).
- KYC / onboarding:
- KYC + AML/CTF documentation at signup; documents encrypted and stored per regional rules. Corporate credit checks for credit lines.
- Limits:
- No widely-published fixed minimum; no fees even on large transfers.
- Fraud & security:
- 2FA, AML/CTF monitoring, encrypted data handling.
- Funds protection:
- Client funds safeguarded per regulator requirements in each jurisdiction.
Currencies Direct
Personal-service FX broker for SMEs that want a human and hedging.
Best for: SMEs and corporates wanting a dedicated account manager, forward contracts and batch payouts with zero fees on any amount.
- Pricing:
- Zero transfer fees; cost is the rate margin.
- Speed:
- Usually 1–2 business days (Europe sometimes <12h; exotic currencies longer).
- Reach:
- Major + many exotic currencies; receiving accounts in key currencies.
- Minimum:
- ~£100 online to third parties (platform min £10; max £300k–£500k).
- Batch limit:
- Multiple payees per single multi-currency upload.
- Eligibility:
- Strong UK/EU focus; serves SMEs and corporates internationally.
Common use cases
- International payroll for staff in many countries
- Exporter/importer FX risk management
- Royalty, licensing & IP payments
- Batch supplier/contractor payouts
Used most by
Strengths
- + Zero fees + a named account manager
- + Forward contracts up to 24 months with small deposit
- + Batch payments in different currencies in one upload
Watch-outs
- − Less suited to sub-£1,000 / same-day transfers
- − Lighter self-serve controls (account-managed)
- − Fewer native accounting connectors
Compliance, KYC, limits & security
- Regulation:
- FCA-authorised (UK) with equivalent local registrations; established 1996.
- KYC / onboarding:
- KYB on business + beneficial owners; account-manager-assisted onboarding for corporates.
- Limits:
- Online ~£100 min to third parties (platform min £10); max ~£300k–£500k per transfer.
- Fraud & security:
- 2FA, AML monitoring; account-manager verification on large/unusual transfers.
- Funds protection:
- Client funds held in segregated safeguarded accounts, separate from company funds.
04Measured FX costs: specialists vs banks
Ranked by average true cost (FX markup + fees) of sending $5,000 across 10 corridors where we hold a live quote, as of 3 October 2026. Lower is cheaper. This is computed, not editorial — it refreshes every 6 hours.
Bar length shows average total cost (FX markup + fee) to send $5,000. The first row has the lowest measured average in this dataset.
Download the cost data
The full per-corridor cost table behind these figures, as a CSV. Free to use with attribution to SendMoneyCompare.
Download CSV (2026-10-03)How we compared these
Featureswere verified against each provider’s own business and pricing pages plus 2026 third-party reviews (June 2026). We scoped the set to genuine business-FX / B2B-payment providers — Wise Business, OFX, Airwallex, Mercury, XE and Currencies Direct — because the question here is business payments, not consumer remittance. Regency FX was added on 30 September 2026 using its business, forward-contract and safeguarding pages plus company-supplied information. Unverified capabilities are labelled separately and receive no feature-match credit.
Cost is computed live: we collect quotes for the same $5,000 payment on the same corridor every 6 hours and measure the true total cost as the gap between the mid-market receive amount and the actual receive amount after FX markup and fees —
true cost % = (mid-market receive − actual receive) ÷ mid-market receive × 100
Cost varies by amount: above ~$10,000, account-managed brokers (OFX, XE, Currencies Direct) can beat the headline figures through negotiated rates and waived fees. Compliance and KYC details reflect published requirements and can change — always confirm onboarding requirements with the provider for your jurisdiction. Always pull a live quote for your exact amount and corridor before committing.
Business payment providers: questions answered
What is the best provider for international business payments?
Start with the features your business needs, then compare eligible providers and request a quote. Our $5,000 benchmark averages 1.01% for specialists and 2.74% for banks across tracked corridors. Those averages do not establish the best provider for your particular business.
Which providers support bulk payments and approval workflows?
Wise, OFX, Airwallex, Mercury, XE and Currencies Direct list bulk/batch payments; Regency FX batch capability is not verified. Wise Business handles up to 1,000 payments per BatchTransfer, Airwallex up to 1,000 recipients per batch, XE up to 250 per mass-pay request, and OFX, Mercury and Currencies Direct via file upload or API. For approval controls, Mercury and Wise offer the most granular self-serve rules (Mercury enforces separation of duties so a creator can't approve their own payment); OFX and Airwallex support multi-layer approvals; XE and Currencies Direct are lighter or account-manager-led.
Are these providers safe and regulated for business money?
Yes — each is regulated and safeguards client funds. OFX is overseen by ~50 regulators (FCA, FINTRAC, AUSTRAC) and registered with FinCEN; XE is triple-regulated (FCA, ASIC, FinCEN); Currencies Direct is FCA-authorised; Wise and Airwallex hold multiple local licences and safeguard funds in segregated Tier-1 accounts. Mercury is a fintech, not a bank — deposits sit with partner banks (Members FDIC) with up to $5M coverage via a sweep network. None of the FX specialists offer bank deposit insurance; they ringfence client money instead.
How much cheaper are specialists than banks for business FX?
On the corridors we measure live, sending $5,000 costs 1.01% on average through a business-FX specialist versus 2.74% through a high-street bank — making banks roughly 2.71× more expensive. The gap is almost entirely the exchange-rate markup banks build into the rate, which stays hidden behind "no fee" wording.