Wise Launches UK Current Account to Take On High Street Banks

● Everyday usage by customers in the UK surges – company served over 3m active customers over the last calendar year 
● UK customers hold over £8bn in Wise accounts – over £4bn held in Wise Assets, generating a return on their money 
● Airport Lounge Pass and Young Explorer cards for under 18s launched following customer demand

London, 30 March 2026 – Wise (LON:Wise) is today launching its UK Current Account with new features, challenging traditional banking with a smarter way to manage everyday money. The move comes as everyday usage in the UK surges: Wise served 3 million active people and businesses in the UK last year, holding over £8bn in their accounts. Globally, the company serves more than 15.6 million active customers, with 100,000 new customers joining Wise each week. In total, customers hold over £27.5 billion in their Wise Accounts.

Today, Wise also introduces two new features of the Wise Current Account: Airport Lounge Pass and Young Explorer cards.

Designed for people with international needs, the new current account comes with a Travel Hub. It includes a new Airport Lounge Pass feature to make international travel more convenient. Customers in the UK and other select markets can now purchase a one-off lounge access pass in a few clicks within their Wise app. Beyond that, the Travel Hub gives customers practical advice on paying like a local, wherever they go next. More features will be added over the coming months.

Following a testing phase, Wise is also officially launching Young Explorer cards. Children under 18 can get their own Wise card and begin to learn the basics of financial management that will underpin their lives. The card is directly linked to the parents’ Wise Current Account and can be topped up for spending and cash withdrawals. It’s designed with safety in mind: parents and guardians can track spending, set up approvals for payments and will receive instant spend notifications.

Earn returns on your money

Currently, over £250bn is held in UK current accounts earning 0% interest. Wise Current Account customers can earn a 3.26% variable rate on GBP balances through Wise Assets’ Interest feature. With no lock-in period, Wise customers can use their money for daily spending while generating returns.* Half of all UK deposits, over £4bn, are currently held in Wise Assets.

Nilan Peiris, Chief Product Officer at Wise, said: “Banks haven’t kept pace with what customers expect for their current account. People shouldn’t need separate accounts for home and abroad. With the Wise Current Account, we’re giving customers a smarter way to manage their daily financial needs. They can hold and fully access their money while getting a return, easily spend on everyday purchases and split bills, and send and receive money quickly across borders – all at a low cost with no hidden fees."

One account for home and abroad

To get paid like a local, customers can get GBP and over 20 local account details to receive money. Direct debits can be set up easily for recurring payments like streaming services or energy providers. Customers can also send money to 70+ countries or spend it at the mid-market rate with no hidden fees. 74% of all global payments now arrive instantly in under 20 seconds. For shared convenience with friends and family, customers can create shared spending spaces to split bills with others or manage group expenses. Payment links make it easy to send or request money instantly without needing bank details.

Built on Security

Security is at the heart of the current account to help ensure customers and their money is protected: Customers can quickly freeze and unfreeze cards, receive real-time notifications when they spend, and may also receive dedicated warning messages when making a payment that Wise’s systems flag a potentially suspicious, so they can pause and think before they proceed.

About Wise

Wise is a global technology company, building the best way to move and manage the world’s money. With Wise Account and Wise Business, people and businesses can hold 40+ currencies, move money between countries and spend money abroad. Large companies and banks use Wise technology too; an entirely new network for the world’s money. Launched in 2011, Wise is one of the world’s fastest growing, profitable tech companies. In fiscal year 2025, Wise supported around 15.6 million people and businesses, processing over £145 billion in cross-border transactions and saving customers around £2 billion.

Brand experience in central London

To celebrate the launch of the Wise Current Account, the company is opening a fortnight-long brand experience in the Future Stores on Oxford Street in central London. Customers old and new can learn more about Wise, explore interactive demos of all features, set up a Wise Account, and learn how to use Wise for daily life in the UK and abroad. New customers can sign up in minutes; a virtual card is available on approval, with a physical card delivered shortly after.

The fortnight-long brand experience at Future Stores was developed by Wise’s in-house creative team in partnership with Dalziel & Pow, a global design studio.