Using Wise Card Abroad: Everything you Need to Know – 2026
Planning a trip overseas is an exciting time, but keeping track of your budget while navigating different currencies can often be a headache. From grabbing a coffee in a bustling European plaza or booking accommodation online from back home, you need a payment method that doesn’t eat into your travel funds with high hidden costs.
This guide covers how to use a Wise card abroad, providing you with everything you need to know to spend confidently in 150+ countries. From understanding fee structures to managing your balance on the go, we’ll look at how to get the most out of your multi-currency account while travelling.
Quick summary: Using Wise abroad
- Global spending: Use your Wise card for purchases and ATM withdrawals in 150+ countries.
- Currency flexibility: Hold and manage 40+ currencies in your account, with the ability to switch between them using the mid-market rate.
- Fee transparency: Spend currencies you hold for free, or benefit from low, clear conversion fees starting from 0.63% when switching funds.
- Smart conversion: If you don’t hold enough in a specific currency, Wise automatically converts your balance using the method with the lowest available fee.
- Digital convenience: Manage your card entirely through the Wise app, including instant transaction notifications, card freezing and mobile wallet integration.
How to order a Wise card in Australia?
Ordering your Wise card is a straightforward process that you can complete directly from your phone or laptop. Follow these steps:
- Open a Wise account: Sign up for an account and open your first currency balance. Keep in mind that Wise will need to verify your account, which can take a few working days.
- Navigate to the Cards tab: Once your account is ready, go to the Cards tab in the Wise app or on the website and select the option to order your card.
- Pay the order fee: You will be prompted to pay a one-time 10 AUD order fee. During this process, Wise will confirm your personal details, such as your name and delivery address.
- Wait for delivery: Your physical card will typically arrive within 7 to 14 working days via standard post. If you need it sooner, you can choose to pay an additional fee for expedited delivery, which usually arrives within 4 working days.
- Activate and use: Once your physical card arrives, you can activate it by making a chip and PIN payment or by using it at an ATM for a withdrawal or balance enquiry.
While you wait for your physical card to arrive, you can often access your card details in the app to make online purchases or add the card to your mobile wallet for contactless spending. You can also order digital cards, which are an excellent way to shop securely, and hold up to 3 digital cards at any one time.
How do I activate my Wise card?
Once you’ve received your Wise card you’ll need to activate it before you can start making contactless payments with it. To activate your Wise card for contactless payments all you need to do is make a chip and PIN payment, or use your card at an ATM for a withdrawal or to make a balance enquiry.
How to use a Wise card overseas
You can use your Wise card to spend and withdraw money overseas in exactly the same way you use your bank card here in Australia. Wise cards are contactless and can be added to mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, for fast and convenient payments wherever you are. Plus, there’s no fee to spend any currency you hold in your account, and the card can automatically switch your balance to the currency you need with low fees from 0.63%.
Here’s a look at how you can use your Wise card overseas:
- Hold 40+ currencies and spend any balance you hold for free
- Make purchases in store and online internationally in 150+ countries
- Withdraw up to 350 AUD a month fee free*, with low fees after that
- Allow the card to convert to the currency you need for the lowest available fee
- Get instant transaction notifications and manage your card in the Wise app
- Choose from a selection of free, fast and low cost methods to top-up your Wise account and card
Your Wise card is designed with international use in mind, so there’s no need to notify Wise you intend to travel. Just activate your Wise card by making a chip and PIN payment, or using your card at an ATM, and you can start using it for contactless in-store purchases as well as withdrawals and online shopping in 150+ countries.
*Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks
The Wise card is an international debit card linked to a digital multi-currency Wise account. Opening a personal Wise account is free and you can get set up from your phone or laptop easily. Once you’ve registered for a Wise account, simply order your Wise card for delivery to your home address within a week or two.
Once you’ve got your Wise card up and running you’ll be able to access the following handy travel features:
- Spend and withdraw in 150+ countries and hold 40+ currencies
- No fees to spend any currency you hold in your account
- Currency conversion from 0.63% when you spend or withdraw with your Wise card
- Top up your account in dollars and convert to the currency you need using the mid-market rate
Read also: Wise card review
How does the Wise card work?
The Wise card is a debit card linked to a multi-currency Wise account. You can top up your Wise account in dollars or the currency of your choice, and convert to the currency you need for international spending – or just let the card do the conversion for you, with the mid-market rate and low fees.
You can spend and make withdrawals with your Wise card in 150+ countries, and shop online with international retailers easily. We’ll look at how spending and withdrawals with your Wise card work in more detail a little later, including the fees and limits that apply to your Wise account and card.
Fees for using a Wise card abroad
To get your Wise card you’ll pay a one time order fee of 10 AUD, with no monthly or annual fees after that.
Top up your Wise account with dollars or any of the other supported currencies, and convert to the currency you need for spending. There’s no fee to spend any currency you hold in your Wise account – and if you don’t have a balance in the right currency your Wise card can automatically convert for you, with a small conversion fee and the mid-market exchange rate.
Here’s a rundown of the key Wise fees to know about. We’ll cover ATM cash withdrawals, fees and limits in more detail a little later on.
| Service | Wise card fee |
|---|---|
| Order a Wise card | 10 AUD |
| Spend a currency you hold | Free |
| Spend in a currency you don’t hold | Currency conversion fees from 0.63% |
| ATM withdrawals | 2 withdrawals, to the value of 350 AUD a month fee free*
After that a fee of 1.5 AUD + 1.75% of the withdrawal value applies** |
| Order a replacement card | No fee to replace an expiring card
6 AUD for a replacement at any other time |
*Correct at time of writing – 20th April 2026.
Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.
** Important update: Please note that from 1st May 2026, Wise is updating the structure for ATM withdrawals. You will be able to withdraw up to 400 AUD per month for free, with no limit on the number of withdrawals. Any amount withdrawn in excess of this 400 AUD monthly allowance will incur a 2.69% fee.
Does the Wise card have foreign transaction fees?
There are no foreign transaction fees when you spend with a Wise card. You can spend any currency you hold in your account for free.
If you don’t have a balance in the currency you need – or if your balance isn’t enough – the Wise card uses smart conversion technology to convert your balance from the currency which charges the lowest possible fee, using the mid-market exchange rate. Wise currency conversion fees vary but can be as low as 0.63%.
How does my Wise card know which currency to use?
You can spend with your Wise card even if you don’t have money in the currency you need. Your Wise card will simply convert the amount needed from the currency balance you hold which offers the lowest available fee. This applies if you don’t hold a balance in the currency needed, or if you don’t hold enough for the transaction in the required currency.
The good news is that this means you’ll pay the lowest available fee, and you don’t need to convert funds in advance if you’re travelling or spending overseas.
What if I spend money in a currency that I don’t have in my account?
You’ll be able to top up your Wise account in dollars or a selection of other currencies, and then convert to any of the supported 40+ holding currencies in the Wise app. But what if you don’t hold a balance in the currency you need when you spend with your Wise card? In this case, the Wise card will do the hard work for you and switch what’s needed from the currency balance which has the lowest available fee.
Here are some examples of how the Wise auto convert technology can work:
- You hold 200 euros in your account and want to make a purchase that costs 100 euros – in this case, the 100 euros will be deducted from your euro balance, with no fee to pay
- You want to make a purchase that costs 100 euros but you don’t have a euro balance in your Wise account – in this case, the Wise card will convert from your available funds, with a conversion fee from 0.63%. Conversion fees do vary, but the card will pick the balance which offers the lowest available fee at the time of the transaction
- You hold 50 euros in your account and want to make a purchase that costs 100 euros – in this case, the 50 euros will be deducted from your euro balance, with no fee to pay, and the remaining amount will be converted from your available funds, with a variable conversion fee from 0.63%.
How to withdraw money abroad with a Wise card
You can make convenient ATM withdrawals all over the world using your Wise card. Here’s how to withdraw money abroad with a Wise card:
- Find a convenient ATM which supports the network your Wise card is issued on (Visa or MasterCard)
- Insert your card and select the option to make a withdrawal
- Enter the amount you want to withdraw
- Enter your PIN for security
- Your money will be dispensed and your card will be returned
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*Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.
Wise ATM withdrawal limits
There are Wise card withdrawal limits which apply whenever you use your Wise card to take cash from an ATM. Wise limits are set to a default amount, but you can then change this within the app if you need to. You can also check how much of your daily or monthly limit you’ve already used, so there’s no need to keep a track manually – just have a quick look on the Wise app and you’re done.
Here’s how to view and change your Wise card ATM withdrawal limits in the Wise app:
- Log in on the Wise app and select the Cards tab
- Tap Account limits and the type of transaction – ATM withdrawals
- Select the button to change the limit within the Wise maximum available limit range
The Wise ATM withdrawal limits are 7,000 AUD a month. Your daily limit is also automatically set to 7,000 AUD, but you can adjust this down in the app if you’d prefer to. Wise monthly limits reset at the end of each calendar month.
Wise card ATM withdrawal fees
You may find when you’re making an ATM withdrawal that a message is displayed on the ATM asking you if you’d rather pay in your home currency – so in this case, dollars, rather than the currency of the country you’re in.
This is described as dynamic currency conversion (DCC), and can happen when you spend or withdraw with a card overseas. It’s positioned as a service which makes it easier to see how much your transaction costs you more easily – but in reality, it also usually means paying higher fees.
Avoid this unnecessary cost by choosing to pay in the local currency wherever you are every time. You can also learn more in this Wise article about ATM fees and DCC.
Wise offers all card holders some free ATM withdrawals every month, with low fees after that. Here’s how Wise card ATM fees breakdown:
| ATM withdrawal | Wise fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 withdrawals per month, to the value of 350 AUD | No Wise fee* |
| Additional withdrawals once your monthly allowance is exhausted | 1.5 AUD + 1.75% of withdrawal value** |
* Details correct at time of writing – 20th April 2026. Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.
** Important update: Please note that from 1st May 2026, Wise is updating the structure for ATM withdrawals. You will be able to withdraw up to 400 AUD per month for free, with no limit on the number of withdrawals. Any amount withdrawn in excess of this 400 AUD monthly allowance will incur a 2.69% fee.
Wise spending limits and ATM withdrawal limits
Your Wise card comes with default limits for spending and ATM withdrawals, which are in place to keep your money secure. These limits are divided into two categories: your total account spending limits (the combined amount you can spend by card and withdraw from ATMs across all cards on your account) and specific ATM withdrawal limits.
You can view and manage these limits at any time directly in the Wise app:
- Log in to the Wise app and select the Cards tab.
- Tap Account limits and choose the transaction type you wish to view.
- Select the option to change your limit if you need to adjust it within the Wise maximum available range.
Daily limits refresh at midnight each day, while monthly limits reset on the first day of each calendar month. Note that even if you set a higher limit on a specific card, your total spending cannot exceed your overall account limits.
| Limit type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly spending limit | AUD 52,500 |
| Daily spending limit | AUD 52,500 |
| Monthly ATM withdrawal limit | AUD 7,000 |
| Daily ATM withdrawal limit | AUD 7,000 |
How do I put money on my Wise card?
The Wise card is linked to your multi-currency Wise account. To use your Wise card for spending or withdrawals you’ll first need to add money to your Wise account – you can choose from a variety of different ways to top up Wise, including some low-cost and fast methods, and ways to add different currencies if you’d like.
Wise top up options include bank transfer, POLi, PayID, debit card and credit card. Using a bank transfer or debit card are often the cheapest options, and credit card is usually the most expensive way to add money to Wise.
Adding money to Wise so you can spend with your Wise card is easy – and can all be done online or in the Wise app. To give an example, here’s how to add money to a Wise card in AUD, by bank transfer, using just your phone:
- Log into your Wise account on the Wise app
- Tap your AUD currency balance
- Select Add and enter the amount you want to top up
- Pick bank transfer as the payment method
- Follow the prompts to deposit funds and you’re good to go
Is it safe to use the Wise card abroad?
Wise prioritises your security with the latest features designed to keep your money protected while you travel, including two-step authentication and biometrics for account access, and encryption to ensure your data remains private.
To open a Wise account you’ll need to complete a verification step which helps keep your account secure, and to use your card you’ll need to set up security including your own PIN. Once your card is up and running you’ll get instant transaction notifications, and can easily freeze or cancel your Wise card if you’re concerned it’s been lost or stolen.
How do I activate my Wise card?
Once you’ve received your Wise card you’ll need to activate it before you can start making contactless payments with it. To activate your Wise card for contactless payments all you need to do is make a chip and PIN payment, or use your card at an ATM for a withdrawal or to make a balance enquiry.
Use Google Pay or Apple Pay and spend with your phone
You can use your Australian issued Wise card conveniently with an e-wallet like Apple Pay for mobile spending. That means you don’t need to carry the physical card to make contactless payments in person, or when shopping online.
You can add your Wise card to your preferred wallet by going to the wallet’s app and following the instructions there – or right from the Wise app instead.
As an example, here’s how to add your Wise card to Apple Pay:
- Open the Wise app
- Tap on the Card tab, where you can see all your available cards
- Select the card you’d like to add then tap on Add to Apple Wallet
Which countries can I use my Wise card in?
Wise customers in a broad range of countries, including Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, UK, most of the EEA, the US, New Zealand, Canada and Brazil can order a Wise card.
Wise cards can be used almost anywhere in the world where Visa or Mastercard debit cards are accepted – a total of 150+ countries. The Wise card can be used for online payments, and for in person payments when you travel.
Are there any countries where the Wise card doesn’t work?
There are a few countries where the Wise card cannot be used – usually because of global sanctions or practical constraints. These include Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo and The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
Exactly where Wise services can be offered may vary from time to time, so do double check if you’re unsure about whether or not your Wise card can be used in your destination.
Tips for saving money when spending abroad
Nobody wants to spend more than necessary when travelling. The Wise card and account can be a good way to cut your costs – here are a few other things to look out for:
- Pay in the local currency – an ATM or merchant may ask if you’d prefer to pay in dollars, but this is always more expensive
- Keep a couple of payment methods handy, like cards on different networks and a small amount of cash, so you’re never stuck
- If you ever need to convert cash, avoid airport and hotel currency exchange kiosks, as these usually mean higher fees
Related:
Conclusion: Is Wise a good travel card?
The Wise card is a practical choice for travellers, allowing you to hold 40+ currencies and spend in 150+ countries using the mid-market exchange rate. Its smart auto-convert technology ensures you get the lowest possible fee when spending abroad, making it a cost-effective alternative to banking cards.
Read more about the 4 best ways to take money overseas
FAQs on using Wise card for travel
Which ATM can I use with a Wise card?
You can use your Wise card to make ATM withdrawals at ATMs which support your card’s payment network. Check the network your card is issued on – Visa or MasterCard – and look out for ATMs displaying that logo. There are a small number of countries where Wise cards issued in Australia can’t be used, usually because of global sanctions – full details are available on the Wise website.
Is a Wise card a debit or credit card?
The Wise card is an international debit card that’s linked to a digital multi-currency Wise account.
Does a Wise card automatically use the right currency?
When you spend using your Wise card the money will be deducted from the balance you hold in that currency, if you have enough in your account. If not, the Wise card will automatically convert money from another currency balance you hold, choosing the balance with the lowest available fees so you get the best possible deal.
Can I use the Wise card with Apple Pay or Google Pay abroad?
Yes, you can use your Wise card with Apple Pay or Google Pay wherever contactless payments are accepted. It works exactly the same way as it does in Australia, allowing you to make quick, secure payments while travelling without needing to carry your physical card.
Do I need to tell Wise I’m travelling?
No, you do not need to notify Wise that you are travelling. Your Wise card is designed for international use and will work automatically in any of the 150+ countries where Visa or Mastercard debit cards are accepted.
Useful resources
- Wise: Australia: The official homepage for Wise in Australia with information on all account, card and payment services.
- AUSTRAC: Moving money into or out of Australia: Official government guidance on declaration requirements for international transfers.
- Wise: Get a debit card: Information on how to use and order your Wise debit card.
- Wise: ATM withdrawal structure and fees: Official help guide regarding monthly withdrawal allowances and fee structures.
- Wise: Digital card information: Learn about the benefits of using digital cards for secure online and mobile wallet payments.
