Wirex
Earliest-wave crypto card; 180+ countries.
- Who holds it
- An e-money institution holds your balance in a safeguarding account — E-money institution (FCA, FRN 902025); crypto via Wirex Digital Services VASP (OAM Italy).
- The ledger
- The e-money institution’s own ledger.
- If it fails
- Safeguarded funds are returned in administration — ring-fenced, but access can be frozen and slow.
Derived from Wirex’s regulation type and custody — a class of protection, not a guarantee. Limits and eligibility vary by scheme, balance and jurisdiction; confirm before you rely on it. What happens if a neobank shuts down →
The facts
| Category | hybrid |
| AI | banking for AI agents |
| HQ | London, UK |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Regulation type | E-money institution |
| License detail | E-money institution (FCA, FRN 902025); crypto via Wirex Digital Services VASP (OAM Italy) |
| Card | Visa · Debit |
| Cashback | Up to 8% Cryptoback |
| Yield | X-Accounts yield |
| Stablecoins | Yes |
| KYC | Yes |
| Active regions | North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, MENA, Asia, Oceania |
| Countries | United Kingdom, European Union, Singapore, Australia, United States |
| Founders | Pavel Matveev, Dmitry Lazarichev |
| Services | crypto on-ramp · crypto off-ramp · fiat pay-in (bank rails) · fiat pay-out (bank rails) · own IBAN / account no. · multi-currency hold · virtual cards · crypto-settled card |
| FX markup | 0% FX markup (Visa principal member), all tiers; small spread if funding from crypto (2026-07) · source ↗ |
Verified links: official site ↗ · terms ↗ · privacy ↗ · @wirexapp ↗
Common questions about Wirex
What is Wirex?
Wirex is a fiat-and-crypto neobank, headquartered in London, UK and founded in 2014. Your money is held custodially, so Wirex or its partner bank holds the balance and you hold a claim on it. It is regulated as an e-money institution (E-money institution (FCA, FRN 902025); crypto via Wirex Digital Services VASP (OAM Italy)).
Does Wirex have a card, and where can you use it?
It issues a Visa debit card. It is available in 5 countries, across all 7 world regions tracked here.
Does Wirex require KYC?
Yes. Wirex requires identity verification (KYC) to open an account, as a e-money institution.
What does Wirex cost?
From the verified fields: FX abroad — 0% FX markup (Visa principal member), all tiers; small spread if funding from crypto (as of 2026-07); cashback Up to 8% Cryptoback; yield X-Accounts yield. Cashback and yield are "up to" figures that change constantly and often depend on a paid plan — confirm current terms with Wirex before relying on them.
Head-to-head
Peers
Revolut · Cash App · Mercado Pago · Mogo · Venmo · Robinhood
Wirex appears in
Neobanks authorised as e-money institutions (48) · Neobanks available in North America (126) · Neobanks available in Europe (144) · Neobanks available in Asia (132) · Neobanks available in Oceania (72) · Neobanks available in Latin America (113) · Neobanks available in Africa (92) · Neobanks available in MENA (85) · Neobanks that issue a Visa card (182) · Neobanks in United Kingdom (29)
Figures compiled from public sources, for comparison only — not financial advice. "Up to" rates change constantly; always confirm with the issuer. Spotted an error? Suggest a fix.