What Is the Wise Payment System?
Wise (formerly TransferWise) is an international service that allows you to send and receive money transfers online. It was created in 2011 and quickly gained popularity thanks to its transparency and simplicity. The platform is regulated by the FCA in the UK and other financial institutions in various countries, which confirms its reliability.
In addition to money transfers, Wise offers:
- Multi-currency account: store and manage over 40 currencies.
- Debit card: pay in 150+ currencies, withdraw cash, Apple/Google Pay support.
- Currency conversion: exchange at the mid-market rate with low fees.
- Business accounts: bulk payments, API integration, business cards.
- Payment acceptance: receive money from 70+ countries without a Wise account.
- Mobile app: manage transfers, track exchange rates, receive notifications.
- Wise Assets: a product that allows you to invest in index funds.
How Wise Works: Step by Step
The service works through a system of local accounts that are used when transactions are made. Money doesn't cross borders directly: you send a transfer to Wise in your country, and the other person gets the equivalent amount from the service's local account abroad. This approach saves time and reduces the cost of international transactions.
Let's take a step-by-step look at the transfer process with Wise — how the service works and where to start if you are the sender:
- Select the destination. You specify the country where you want to send the money and enter the desired amount. The system immediately shows the commission and the real exchange rate.
- Enter the recipient's details. You need to specify the name of the person or company and the account or card details to which the money will be sent.
- Payment. You check the transfer details and confirm the transaction. The funds are debited from your account or card.
- Delivery notification. The system will notify you when the transfer is complete. The recipient will also receive a notification that the funds have been received.
You can track the transfer in real time in your personal account. Moreover, the service generates a special tracking number that you can use to find out all the details about the movement of funds.
What Are Wise's Fees and How Are They Calculated?
Opening and maintaining a Wise account is free. You only pay for transfers.
The commission depends on the amount, currency, recipient's country, payment method, and speed of transfer. On average, the commission ranges from $1 to $30. For example, when transferring $100 from a debit card, the following fees apply:
- Wise commission — $2.9;
- Debit card commission — up to $1.23.
When using a credit card, Google Pay, or Apple Pay, the fees will be different.
Transfers between Wise accounts in the same currency are free of charge. If currency conversion is required, a small fee of around 0.4% will be charged.
Before sending money, the system always shows the exact amount of the fee, and there is a convenient online calculator for calculating it.
How Do I Open an Account and Use a Wise Card?
To open a Wise account, download the mobile app and register. You can do this with your email address or Google, Facebook, or Apple accounts. After logging in, you will need to provide your details: name, date of birth, and address.
Is a physical Wise card available in Ukraine?
This service is not yet available in our country.
What currencies are supported?
Wise allows you to make transfers in UAH, EUR, USD, GBP, AED, and other popular currencies. However, the “Multi-currency account” feature is not available in Ukraine as of 2025.
Can I Use Wise in Ukraine?
Wise is partially available in Ukraine. Users can send money abroad, but they cannot receive transfers or apply for a card within the country.
Ukrainians living abroad have access to all Wise features. They can receive and store funds and issue digital and physical cards. To do this, they need to provide a real foreign address when registering. The service verifies it using documents such as a rental agreement or utility bill.
It is also important to remember that there are limits in Ukraine — transfers abroad are only possible from currency cards and no more than 100,000 UAH per month in equivalent.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Wise
The service has both positive and negative aspects. The advantages of Wise are as follows:
- Low fees. Transactions through this service are significantly cheaper than bank transfers.
- Fixed exchange rate from start to finish with no hidden fees.
- High level of security. Two-step authorization, data encryption.
- Fast transfer speed. Many transactions take only a few seconds.
The disadvantages of the service are that Wise does not work with cryptocurrencies and requires mandatory identity verification.