Wise
Pending verificationInternational money transfers at the real exchange rate — a UK alternative to PayPal and Western Union.
Overview
Wise is a London, United Kingdom-based European company building fintech and payments software since 2011. As an EU-headquartered provider, Wise likely operates under GDPR, though EU Alts has not yet independently verified its ownership and hosting facts, so its exposure to the US CLOUD Act isn't confirmed yet — see the Details section below for what's known so far.
Why European teams pick Wise
Teams in Europe consider Wise when they want a fintech provider that bills in EUR and keeps customer data under United Kingdom law, operating since 2011. Its EU headquarters is a good sign compared with well-known US incumbents, but EU Alts hasn't yet verified Wise's ownership and hosting facts — check back once verification is complete.
See more EU fintech tools or browse other startups from United Kingdom.
About
Wise (formerly TransferWise) is a UK-founded fintech founded in 2011 that offers international money transfers at the real mid-market exchange rate with transparent, low fees — typically far cheaper than bank wire transfers or PayPal. It provides personal and business accounts with local account details in 10+ currencies (GBP, EUR, USD, etc.), debit cards, and batch payment tools for payroll. Wise holds an Electronic Money Institution licence in Belgium and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (UK). EU business accounts are operated from Belgium, with data processed under GDPR. Wise is the standard choice for European freelancers, remote teams, and businesses that receive or send payments in multiple currencies.
Details
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- Ownership
- Independently owned (United Kingdom)
- Company size
- 200+ employees
Other EU startups like Wise
- KSeF Radar Poland — Polish SaaS for monitoring KSeF invoices and keeping accounting workflows under control.
- Invoicia Norway — EU-hosted invoice management with PEPPOL e-invoicing, Norwegian VAT (MVA) support, Brønnøysund auto-lookup, and credit notes. GDPR-first.
- Sumeria France — French mobile bank with peer-to-peer payments and savings — formerly Lydia.
- Payplug France — Simple online and in-person payment solution for French businesses — a French alternative to Stripe.
- Mangopay ✓ Verified by EU AltsLuxembourg — White-label payment infrastructure for marketplaces and platforms — a Luxembourg alternative to Stripe Connect.
- Spendesk France — All-in-one spend management for finance teams — a French alternative to SAP Concur.
Frequently asked questions
What is Wise?
Wise (formerly TransferWise) is a UK-founded fintech founded in 2011 that offers international money transfers at the real mid-market exchange rate with transparent, low fees — typically far cheaper than bank wire transfers or PayPal. It provides personal and business accounts with local account details in 10+ currencies (GBP, EUR, USD, etc.), debit cards, and batch payment tools for payroll. Wise holds an Electronic Money Institution licence in Belgium and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (UK). EU business accounts are operated from Belgium, with data processed under GDPR. Wise is the standard choice for European freelancers, remote teams, and businesses that receive or send payments in multiple currencies.
What does Wise do?
Wise is international money transfers at the real exchange rate — a uk alternative to paypal and western union. It is listed under fintech and payments on EU Alts because its core functionality serves teams looking for a European fintech tool with EU data residency, typically as a switch away from well-known US incumbents.
Is Wise a good European fintech alternative?
Wise is a fit for European businesses evaluating fintech options where data residency and GDPR alignment matter — typical buyers include EU-based SaaS teams, public-sector projects, regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal), and any organisation that needs to demonstrate that customer data does not leave the EU. It also overlaps with payments use cases.
Is Wise GDPR compliant?
Wise is headquartered in London, United Kingdom and falls under EU jurisdiction, so it likely processes user data under the GDPR by default. EU Alts has not yet independently verified Wise's ownership structure or hosting location, so we can't yet confirm its exposure to the US CLOUD Act the way we can for verified entries.
How do teams switch from well-known US incumbents to Wise?
Most teams considering a move from well-known US incumbents to Wise are drawn to its EU headquarters and fintech workflow fit. EU Alts hasn't yet verified Wise's ownership and hosting facts, so treat any CLOUD Act or Schrems II conclusions as provisional until verification is complete. Plan a migration in stages regardless: export your data from the US incumbent, pilot Wise with a small team, then move the rest once integration coverage is confirmed.
Where is Wise based?
Wise is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The company was founded in 2011. Its main website is https://wise.com.