How to use a Wise account [2026 Guide]

Wise is a specialist in international transfers, multi-currency account and card services. With a Wise account you can hold 40+ currencies, send payments in 40+ currencies and get paid with account information in

20+currencies - making it easier than ever to manage your money across borders.

This guide looks at how to use a Wise account in the UK, when you travel, and for sending and receiving overseas payments.

Key points: How does Wise account work?

• Hold and convert currencies: Use the app to hold, manage, and convert between 40+ currencies instantly at the mid-market exchange rate.

• Send money to 140+ countries: Make quick and secure international payments which use low, transparent fees.

• Receive money to Wise with account details for 20+ currencies: Get local account information for 8+ currencies, with SWIFT information for more options.

• Spend with the Wise Card: Order a physical debit card for a low one-time fee, to make purchases and withdrawals in 150+ countries, including the UK.

• Manage your money easily: Freeze or unfreeze your card whenever you need it, set limits, and track spending directly through the Wise app.

*Get full Wise pricing details for your region here

How to use a Wise account for the first time ⭐

You can open your Wise account online or in the Wise app. You’ll need your ID and address documents, and after verification you can add money, order a Wise card, send payments, get account details and start to transact.

To get your account details for receiving money to Wise you’ll be prompted to add 20 GBP (or the equivalent in a different supported currency), and if you choose to get a Wise card you’ll need to pay the one time Wise card order fee of 7 GBP.

Cards are delivered in 4 - 6 business days in most cases, and you can start using your account with virtual cards before the physical card arrives so there’s no need to wait.

How to setup Wise account 

1. Open the Wise website or download the Wise app and select to option to sign up

2. Follow prompts to enter your email address and choose between a personal or business account

3. Add your country of residence and phone number to receive a verification code, then create a password

4. Verify your identity by uploading a photo of a government-issued photo ID like your passport - verification is usually quick by may take up to 2 days to complete

Once your account is verified you can add currencies that you want to hold or receive, and order a Wise card if you’d like to. We’ll look at how you can access these different Wise features a little later in this guide.

How to use Wise account to transfer money

Once you have a Wise account you can use it to make a payment to bank accounts in 140+ countries. One popular option is to use funds you already hold in Wise to make your payment. This has a few advantages:

• Sending money from money held on your Wise account is fast and intuitive

• Some overseas payments have no Wise fee, when currency conversion is not required

• In some currencies, payments from funds held on your Wise account have higher limits compared to other funding methods

Here’s how to use Wise to transfer money from money you already hold in your Wise account:

1. Open the Wise app or log into the desktop site and click on the ‘send’ button

2. Enter the amount and currency you want to send - or the amount and currency that the recipient should get in the end

3. When prompted, choose Wise as the funding method for the payment

4. Click ‘Continue’ to review the transfer - you’ll then see the exchange rate, the transfer fee and the amount the recipient will receive in their preferred currency

5. Follow the prompts to enter the recipient’s banking or Wise information and confirm your payment

You can also send your payment from money you hold in Wise, by logging into the currency in Wise first. Here’s how:

1. Open the currency you want to send money from

2. Click the ‘send’ button and enter recipient details, amount and currency to send

3. You’ll be shown the details of the Wise currency you’re sending from, the exchange rate being used and the transfer fee

In both cases, you can choose to send money either to a bank account or to a Wise account if your recipient also uses Wise.

💡 You’ll need to enter the recipient information depending on how you want the money to be received - either the recipient’s bank account information or or if they’re a Wise account user, their Wisetag, email or phone number.

If you’re sending money to another Wise account, transfers are free in the same currency. There’s a small conversion fee applied if you are sending money to be received in a different currency.

➡️ If the recipient doesn’t hold that currency already, Wise will automatically add the currency for them, for free.

Can I transfer money from Wise account to my bank account? ➡️🏦

Yes, you can transfer money from your Wise account to your bank account in the same way as you might send a transfer to someone else.

Here’s what to do:

1. In your Wise account click on the ‘send’ button

2. Enter the amount and currency you want to send or receive in your bank account

3. Select Wise as the funding method for the payment and check over the details

4. Follow the prompts to enter your bank information, and confirm your payment

💡 Once you’ve sent money to your own bank account once you can then save your bank account information as a recipient, to speed up the process next time.

You can even give the account a custom nickname so you remember it more easily. Here’s how:

1. In your Wise account go to the ‘Recipients’ tab and click on your account details

2. In ‘Account settings’ you can then tap ‘Add a nickname’ to give your own bank account an easy to remember name

The Wise account also offers a couple of other features which can be handy to make managing your account as straightforward as possible.

🔐 For example there’s a ‘trusted account’ option which lets you skip the authentication process to make payments faster when transferring to a trusted account.

How to use Wise account to receive money ⬇️

You can use Wise to receive money with your own local and SWIFT account information for a selection of currencies.

⬇️ Here’s how to setup your Wise account to receive money internationally: 🌍

1. Log into the Wise app, and click on ‘+ Open’

2. Choose the currency you need to get paid in to add this currency to your account - let’s use GBP as an example

3. Click on ‘More’ and then ‘Receive’

4. Tap ‘Your GBP account details’ to view your GBP Wise account information

5. You can now copy the account details and give it to the sender

Wise also offers a convenient option to request a payment from someone else. To do this just click on ‘More’ in the Wise account and then tap ‘Receive’.

You’ll see the ‘Request a payment’ option and can choose ‘Get paid by anyone’, to create a custom link to give the person who you need to be paid by.

How much money can I keep in a Wise account? 🤔

For many currencies there are no Wise limits for holding.

⚠️ However there are a couple of exceptions which it’s worth knowing about: Some Wise customers have limits on the amount you can hold in USD for example - although these limits are very high for convenience. Where they apply, USD holding limits are set at 20 million USD per day or 50 million USD per year for personal customers.

Is it safe to keep money in a Wise account? 🔐

Wise is a secure provider which has a selection of security features built into its app, desktop site and payment processes.

💡 Wise safety features include:

• 2 factor authentication to ensure secure log in

• Automatic and manual anti-fraud protocols, with thousands of individuals working on security

• Custom controls to help you manage your account as you prefer

• Instant transaction notifications and ways to freeze and unfreeze your cards should you ever need to

• Virtual cards for added protection when shopping online

How to use Wise account details

Your Wise account provides account details in 20+ currencies, allowing users to receive payments in foreign currencies conveniently and securely. Adding a currency and getting account details is free for personal customers, and there is a one time fee of 50 GBP for Wise business customers to get local account details.

UK Wise accounts support account details in: 🇦🇺 Australian dollars (AUD), 🇬🇧 British pounds (GBP), 🇨🇦 Canadian dollars (CAD), 🇪🇺 Euros (EUR), 🇭🇺 Hungarian forint (HUF), 🇳🇿 New Zealand dollars (NZD), 🇸🇬 Singapore dollars (SGD), 🇹🇷 Turkish lira (TRY), 🇺🇸 US dollars (USD)

Receiving payments in 8 currencies is free with local details.

Getting paid by SWIFT has variable fees depending on the currency. For example, receiving EUR by SWIFT costs 2.39 EUR, while CAD SWIFT payments have a fixed fee of 10 CAD, and receiving USD wires has a fixed fee of 6.11 USD per transaction.

How to add money into a Wise account

Wise offers different payment methods to top up your own account with varying fees and speed - the options available vary by currency. You can top-up your Wise account in 20+ currencies, including GBP.

💡 Here’s how to top up your Wise account:

1. In your Wise account click the currency you’d like to top-up and tap ‘add’

2. Enter the amount to top-up, and choose the payment method and currency

3. Click ‘continue’ and follow the prompts based on the payment method selected

Before you add money to your Wise account you can see all your payment options, including costs and delivery times. The most common method selected is ‘manual bank transfer’ which requires you to make a bank transfer from your bank account to the account details provided by Wise.

To use a manual bank transfer you must make the transfer from an account in your own name.

You may also like to convert money you already have in your account to a different currency, which you can do with the live mid-market exchange rate. Or you can also have a friend or family send you a transfer, by giving the sender your Wise account details for the relevant currency.

How to add a foreign currency to a Wise Account?

Wise account supports 40+ currencies. You can add a foreign currency to Wise in the app or by logging in online, in a few simple steps. Here’s what to do:

1. Log into the Wise app or desktop site and tap ‘Open+’

2. Choose the currency you want to activate from the list

3. The currency will be added instantly to allow you to receive payments, top up or hold your money

Once you have a foreign currency in Wise you can use it in several different ways. ⭐  Spend from your foreign currency with no Wise fee as long as you have enough in that currency to cover your purchase cost. Send a transfer to someone else - or convert to a different currency if you’d like to, with the mid-market rate and low fees.

How to open a Euro account in Wise?

To give an example, here’s how to activate a Euro account in Wise to allow you to hold Euros, receive payments and spend:

1. Log into the Wise app or desktop site and tap ‘Open+’

2. Choose Euros from the list on screen

3. The currency will be activated instantly

You can now top-up your account in Euros, or simply convert money to EUR from another currency in your Wise account if you prefer. You can then spend Euros from this account using a physical or virtual Wise card, and get EUR account details to be able to get payment in Euros from a European bank account.

How to pay with Wise account

If you get a Wise debit card linked to your Wise account you can spend and withdraw internationally in 150+ countries and make purchases from international websites in foreign currencies.

You’ll need to pay a one off Wise card order fee of 7 GBP and you’ll get your card in the mail within 4 - 6 business days in most cases. To activate your card for contactless use simply make a Chip and PIN payment or use an ATM.

Here is how to start paying with your Wise account and card:

1. In the Wise app, click on the ‘Card’ tab then ‘Order a card’

2. Choose to order a physical card and make the one off payment

3. Once your card arrives you can activate it for contactless use

When you pay with a Wise card, your transaction is taken from the currency you’re spending if you have money in Wise in that currency. If you don’t have the required currency Wise will use the smart conversion technology to pay from the currency you have in your account which incurs lowest fee possible, using the mid-market exchange rate.

Within Wise you can’t choose a ‘main’ account to spend from as Wise will select automatically to get the lowest available fee based on the transaction. However, if you want to hold a certain currency and not spend from it, you can open a Jar in that currency and move your funds there. Funds held in a Jar aren’t used for day to day payments - to release the funds for spending you can transfer it back to your main account in that currency.

How to use Jars in Wise account

You can open Wise Jars in your preferred currency or currencies, to save for a special purchase or trip, or to keep money separate from your day to day spending funds. You might want a Jar with Wise if you’re:

• Saving in a foreign currency for upcoming travel

• Holding money for a future foreign currency bill

• Preparing for a big purchase overseas

Once money is in a Jar you can’t spend it with your card, but you can move your money back to your main Wise account whenever you choose to for spending. Here’s how to open a Jar in a Wise account and get started:

1. Log into the Wise app or desktop site and tap ‘Open+’ and then ‘Open a Jar’

2. Choose the currency you want to hold in your Jar

3. Give your Jar a name and icon

4. The Jar will be opened instantly to allow you to add money

How to convert currencies in Wise account

If you have money in Wise and want to switch it to a different currency for holding you can do so in just a few taps. You may also be able to top up directly into a foreign currency if you prefer - this option depends on the currency you need.

Here’s how to convert currencies in Wise account:

1. Log into the Wise app or desktop site and tap the currency you want to convert from

2. Tap ‘Convert or move’ and enter the amount to convert and the currency you want to switch to

3. You’ll see the rate and fee which applies and can confirm the conversion when you’re ready

If you’d prefer to top up in a foreign currency you can do so, by selecting from the supported currencies when you add money.

How can I withdraw money from my Wise account?

You can withdraw cash from your Wise account using your Wise card. Just look out for the card logo (Visa or Mastercard) on an ATM, and make your withdrawal as you would with any debit card. You can make up to 2 withdrawals to a total of 200 GBP monthly with no Wise fee, before paying Wise charges of 0.5 GBP per withdrawal and 1.75% of the withdrawal total*.

*Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks

If you’d prefer you can also move your money from your Wise account to another bank account with a money transfer. Log into Wise and select the option to send money. You can then enter your own bank details as recipient and confirm the amount and currency you want to withdraw.

Can I use a Wise account as a normal bank account?

Wise is not a bank, and therefore a Wise account is not a ‘bank’ account.

However, a Wise account offers many features which help you to manage your money day to day across multiple currencies:

• Hold 40+ currencies and exchange with the mid-market rate

• Send payments to banks around the world, in 40+ currencies

• Get paid with account information in 20+ currencies

• Spend globally with virtual and physical Wise cards

• View and manage your money easily with your phone or laptop

Key takeaways: How to use Wise account 💡

Wise accounts in the UK allow customers to flexibly manage multiple currencies in one account, with ways to hold, exchange, send, spend and receive payment easily and with just a phone or laptop.

While Wise isn’t a bank and does not offer all the services a bank does, it’s a smart option for anyone living an international lifestyle.

• Wise allows you to hold and manage 40+ currencies in the same account

• With your Wise account you can also get a linked international debit card for spending and withdrawals in 150+ countries

• Use Wise to send transfers in 40+ currencies or to receive payments in 20+currencies

• Wise currency exchange uses the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees which vary by currency

• Wise is safe to use, with industry leading protections built in as standard and automatic and manual anti-fraud protocols running 24/7