Redefining financial innovation for a global economy

Innovation is at the core of Airwallex’s DNA. From day one, we set out to build something better – challenging conventions, eliminating friction, and focusing relentlessly on what businesses truly need to manage their money globally.

The problem was clear: Legacy financial infrastructure wasn’t built for the speed and scale of modern business. Even today, cross-border transactions rely on slow, expensive, and fragmented networks with intermediaries, delays, and hidden fees. Compliance complexity makes global growth costly and challenging.

Businesses shouldn’t have to work around these limitations. They need financial infrastructure that keeps up with them.

That’s why we built something new. Instead of patching up broken systems, we reimagined global finance from the ground up. We built a platform that accelerates transactions, removes barriers to growth, and gives businesses complete control over how they move and manage money worldwide.

And the world is taking notice. Being recognised among Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025 reaffirms what we’ve always believed: Real innovation means solving the biggest challenges in global business, not just making incremental changes. For us, that means reinventing how companies move and manage money, breaking down barriers to international growth, and shaping the future of global financial services.

How Airwallex is building the future of financial services

Most financial providers work within the limits of old systems. We built something new.

Airwallex’s infrastructure helps businesses send, receive, and manage money globally without the bottlenecks of traditional banking.

Here’s how we’re making it happen:

• We build our own rails, we don’t just ride the existing ones. We've built direct integrations with local payment systems instead of relying on slow, expensive third-party networks or partners. This means faster transactions, lower fees, and total control over global money movement.

• We handle compliance so businesses don’t have to. With deep expertise in regulatory frameworks and robust onboarding processes across multiple jurisdictions, we simplify global money movement – helping companies expand internationally while staying compliant with local rules and regulations.

• We build for automation and flexibility. Our API-first platform lets businesses manage global payments, treasury, FX, and multi-currency accounts without the manual workarounds and inefficiencies of traditional banking.

But infrastructure and software alone aren’t enough. Execution matters.

At Airwallex, we build with urgency, ensuring businesses don’t have to wait for legacy systems to catch up. Our goal is simple: Remove barriers so businesses can scale without friction.

The result? A financial system designed for growth. Whether expanding into new markets, managing global cash flow, or embedding financial services into products, Airwallex gives companies the tools to operate globally without limits.

Where global financial services are headed next

The financial landscape is changing fast. The next generation of financial infrastructure won't just process transactions – it'll be embedded, automated, and deeply connected to business operations.

Airwallex is leading this shift. Instead of forcing businesses to adapt to outdated banking systems, we’re creating a financial operating system built for modern business needs.

What’s possible today:

• Global business accounts that operate beyond borders. Businesses can hold and manage funds globally, opening multi-currency accounts without the complexity of setting up local bank accounts in each market.

• Integrated spend management. Finance teams gain full control over spending and payments from a single platform. They can issue virtual and physical cards, set spending limits, automate reconciliation, and accept payments in local currencies.

• Automated treasury management. Companies are automating treasury functions, managing FX risk in real time, and transferring funds efficiently across markets without manual work.

• Simplify cross-border complexity. Businesses don't need to navigate fragmented international systems alone. Airwallex is building next-generation global financial solutions, combining multi-currency accounts, AI-powered risk management, and automated treasury tools to remove barriers to international growth.

• Embedded finance as a full financial ecosystem. Instead of just enabling transactions, businesses are integrating end-to-end financial infrastructure – accepting payments, automating collections, issuing cards, and managing multi-currency wallets – directly into their platforms. Airwallex is powering this shift, making financial services a seamless, native part of any business ecosystem.

What’s coming next:

• ‘Agentic Finance’ will redefine financial operations. Beyond insights, AI-driven automation will transform how businesses manage money. Airwallex is laying the foundation for AI-driven agents that can execute financial tasks, from optimising treasury functions to streamlining accounts payable – reducing manual effort and making operations more intelligent.

These innovations are setting the stage for the future of global banking. Without being a bank, Airwallex is leading this transformation, building the financial infrastructure and applications that will power the next decade of finance.

The recognition is great, but the work is just beginning

It’s an honour to be named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025; however, awards don’t measure innovation. Impact does.

The real work lies ahead.

We’re focused on expanding our infrastructure into new markets and giving businesses the financial tools they need to grow without barriers. The next generation of global companies won’t be built on outdated banking systems. They need financial infrastructure that matches their ambitions – fast, intelligent, and built for scale.

Airwallex is here to make that possible.