How Airwallex is Changing Corporate Expense Management
Michael Ross
Compliance Officer • Oct 10, 2025
Introduction
Managing expenses in a high-growth startup is chaotic. Employees share credit card numbers over Slack, subscriptions are forgotten, and end-of-month reconciliation is a nightmare. Enter Airwallex, a fintech challenger that is aggressively targeting the corporate spend market with a promise of "Borderless Cards."
What Makes Airwallex Different?
Unlike traditional banks that might issue one or two physical corporate cards, Airwallex allows businesses to issue unlimited virtual Visa cards instantly.
1. The Ad Spend Use Case
Marketing agencies often manage spend for multiple clients.
- The Old Way: Use one card for all clients. If Facebook flags the card, all client campaigns stop.
- The Airwallex Way: Generate a unique virtual card for each client or each campaign. If one card is compromised or flagged, the others remain active.
2. Zero Transaction Fees
One of Airwallex's biggest selling points is eliminating international transaction fees. If you are a US company paying for a UK software subscription, traditional banks might charge a 3% foreign transaction fee. Airwallex allows you to hold balances in GBP and pay directly, bypassing the fee entirely.
Security Features
As a Compliance Officer, I look for control. Airwallex offers granular controls:
- Merchant Locking: Restrict a card so it can only be used for "Facebook Ads" or "AWS".
- Spend Limits: Set daily, monthly, or lifetime limits on a card.
- Instant Freeze: Compromised card details? Freeze it in one click from the dashboard.
Requirements for Approval
Airwallex is B2B focused. They generally do not accept sole traders in some regions. You will likely need:
- Certificate of Incorporation.
- Details of Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) owning >25%.
- A clearer description of business operations than consumer banks require.
Conclusion
For companies spending >$10k/month on digital ads or software, switching to a platform like Airwallex is not just about convenience—it's a direct bottom-line saving strategy.