Australian payments platform Airwallex is officially launching in Germany. The company plans to invest €31 million over five years, primarily into a new Berlin office and local team. Tom Sellin leads the DACH expansion, aiming to win several thousand active business customers within a short timeframe.
Airwallex offers business accounts, international transfers, multi-currency management, and online payment processing for companies with international operations. Beyond serving businesses directly, the company has built a significant embedded finance business, enabling fintech companies and non-financial brands to offer payment and account products to their customers. Depending on the use case, Airwallex competes with Wise (international transfers and banking), Adyen or Stripe (payment acceptance), or various banking-as-a-service providers (embedded banking).
EU access and recent growth
Airwallex operates in the EU through a Dutch e-money license obtained in 2021. The company reported approximately $1 billion in recurring revenue for 2025 and was valued at €6.9 billion in its latest funding round, which raised €280 million late last year. Headquarters have shifted from Melbourne to Singapore and San Francisco.
Embedded finance track record
Airwallex has built partnerships with several internationally operating companies. In February 2025, business services provider Vistra launched a global banking offering with Airwallex, enabling its 200,000+ managed entities to hold accounts and make payments across multiple geographies (EFR). UK-based bookkeeping software Dext partnered with Airwallex in July 2025 to launch embedded payments for accounts payable automation (EFR). HR platform Deel uses Airwallex to power its contractor card, giving freelancers instant access to earnings with global spending capabilities (EFR). The common thread: all three partners operate across multiple markets and need an infrastructure provider with broad geographic licensing coverage.
What this means for embedded finance
Airwallex's German launch adds another global payments player to an already competitive market. But the more interesting angle is the embedded finance positioning. For fintech companies and non-financial brands operating internationally, finding a single infrastructure partner that can deliver consistent products across Europe, APAC, and North America remains a challenge. Most European BaaS providers focus solely on the EU or UK markets. Airwallex's multi-geography licensing could be a differentiator for German digital companies with global operations or international ambitions.
