Wise Debit Card Review 2025
Wise offers easy ways to transact internationally which are cheap, fast, and easy to use – with no hidden charges or sneaky exchange rate hikes. Wise products include instant low fee international payments, multi-currency accounts, and the Wise international debit card. You can use your Wise card to spend in person and online, and to withdraw cash from an ATM around the world. That means there’s no need to transfer funds out of Wise to access them - just use your card to make contactless and mobile payments whenever you want to.
This Wise debit card review covers all you need to know about the Wise card features, benefits, fees, exchange rates and more.
Quick summary: Wise card in the Philippines
Wise customers in the Philippines can open a Wise account in the Wise app or online, and order their Wise card in just a few taps. You can then spend your account balance all over the world, including making cash withdrawals.
Wise card features
Hold and exchange 40+ currencies in your Wise account
Spend and withdraw in 150+ countries
Convert currencies with the mid-market exchange rate and low transparent fees
No foreign transaction fee - Spend any currency you hold in the account for free when you have enough balance
View and manage your account in the Wise app, freeze and unfreeze your card instantly with just a phone
Check your currency balances in the app – and get instant transaction notifications for security
Pros of the Wise debit card | Cons of the Wise debit card |
|---|---|
✅ No ongoing card charges to pay – it’s also free to spend any currency you hold in your account ✅ Auto convert function to cut costs even if you don’t have the currency you need ✅ 2 no fee ATM withdrawals, to the value of 12,000 PHP per month*, with low fees after that ✅ Not a credit card – no risk of interest charges creeping in | ❌ One time fee to get your card in the first place ❌ Some ATM fees apply when you exceed the no fee limit ❌ Top up account online or in app only – no cash or cheque options ❌ Card delivery can take 9 to 18 business days |
Who is the Wise debit card for?
The Wise card is great for:
Anyone receiving payments to a Wise account looking to spend their balance conveniently
Travellers looking to make contactless or mobile payments
Anyone on holiday who wants to withdraw cash cheaply from local ATMs
People who love to shop online with international retailers
Anyone who wants a low cost, secure account with both virtual and physical cards
Entrepreneurs who need to spend in foreign currencies
Business owners who want to offer international debit cards to team members to manage spending and expenses
Can I get the Wise debit card in the Philippines?
Yes. You can get a Wise debit card for personal or business use in the Philippines.
To get your Wise card you’ll need to register for a Wise account online and get verified by uploading some ID documents. You can then order your Wise card for a low, one time fee. We’ll cover the process in detail later – but the good news is that you don’t even need to leave home to get started.
Is the Wise card a good option?
The Wise debit card can be a great way to make receiving and spending in foreign currencies cheaper and more convenient. If you receive payments from abroad to Wise, you don’t need to transfer the funds out to a wallet like GCash - instead, just use your wise card to spend the funds with low fees and the mid-market exchange rate.
Here are some benefits of the Wise card:
A Wise debit card is an efficient and cheap way to spend money at home and overseas
Wise offers the mid market rate at the time you convert from one currency to another
You’ll pay no foreign transaction fees, and the conversions costs can be as low as 0.57%
Manage your card, review transactions and set up alerts to keep on top of your money from your phone
Get your Wise card 💳
Can I use the Wise card abroad?
The Wise card has been optimized to make your life easier and cheaper when traveling abroad.
Set up an account and order your Wise card from the Philippines – or any of the other countries supported by Wise – for a low, one time fee, and get easy access to multi-currency spending and withdrawals in 150 + countries.
Once you have your card, activate it, and then you can receive payments to Wise, or add money in PHP. Once you have a balance you can either convert to the currency you need in advance or at the point of payment. If you’re leaving your money to convert later, your card will automatically make the exchange for you in the way that incurs the lowest possible fee.
We’ll look at how you can use your Wise card to make life easier and cheaper in more detail in just a moment.
How does the Wise card compare to other popular cards?
The Wise card can be a helpful option to spend and withdraw in the Philippines and abroad with low overall costs. You can add money to your account yourself or receive payments from others, in a range of currencies, making this flexible. But how does the Wise card compare? Let’s look at a head to head comparison against some other options.
Feature | Wise | GCash Card | BPI Debit Card | BDO Debit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Availability | Available to eligible personal and business customers in a broad range of countries | Available to eligible residents of the Philippines and overseas Filipinos | Available to eligible residents of the Philippines | Available to eligible residents of the Philippines |
Supported currencies | 40+ currencies | PHP | PHP | PHP |
Fee to get a card | 369.60 PHP | 250 PHP | No fee | No fee |
Ongoing account fees | None | None | Depends on linked account | Depends on linked account |
Foreign transaction fee | None | None | 1.5% | 2% |
International ATM withdrawal fees | 2 withdrawals to 12,000 PHP in value with no fee every month 30 PHP + 1% after that | Variable fees based on the ATM selected | 3.5 USD or 1.75%, whichever is higher | 3.5 USD |
What is a Wise debit card?
The Wise card is a debit card – not a credit card – that works linked to a Wise multi-currency account.
It’s great for spending online and in person, and making cash withdrawals at home and abroad – and best of all, you’ll get currency conversion using the mid-market exchange rate whenever you choose to spend in a foreign currency. That makes it a great choice for everyday use - and it’s also often used as a travel card.
Wise digital card
The Wise virtual card - also known as the Wise digital card - allows you to make payments online and in stores with your phone. Simply add your virtual card to a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay, to make contactless payments in stores and buy things online. You can have up to 3 virtual cards at any one time which can make it easier to manage your budget by assigning different spending types to different cards.
Wise virtual cards have different card details to your physical card, and can be frozen instantly whenever you’re not using them - offering a handy added layer of security. You’ll be able to start using your Wise digital card as soon as you order your physical card, with no need to wait for the physical card to be delivered.
You can get the digital card if your Wise account has a registered address in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the EEA (European Economic Area), Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the US.
How to request and activate your Wise virtual card
Here’s a look at how to get a Wise virtual card:
Open a Wise Account online or in the Wise app - you’ll just need your phone or laptop, and some ID for verification
Add a balance in the currency of your choice
Order your Wise physical card for a low, one time fee, for delivery to your home address
You can instantly generate a Wise digital debit card by tapping the Cards tab and choosing Create a digital card
Your digital card is ready for use right away, for online shopping or to add to a mobile wallet like Apple Pay for on the go spending
Get your Wise card 💳
Wise eco card
The Wise eco card is made from a biodegradable plastic substitute of non-edible corn, which is both renewable and organic. This replaces more than 80% of the PVC in the card which can be damaging for the environment.
The eco card is available for personal customers in the EEA, Switzerland, and the UK - keep an eye out for when it becomes available in the Philippines.
Wise card fees for spending abroad
When you spend a currency you hold in your account, there’s no Wise fee. If you need currency conversion, a low charge from 0.57%_ applies. There’s no foreign transaction fee. We’ll look at Wise fees in more detail a bit later, but for now let’s see how that compares to other options in the Philippines.
Wise card vs other banks and providers
Here’s a reminder of the foreign transaction fees of the other banks and providers we looked at earlier.
Feature | Wise | GCash Card | BPI Debit Card | BDO Debit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Foreign transaction fee | None | None | 1.5% | 2% |
How does the Wise debit card work?
The Wise card is linked to a Wise multi-currency account, which lets you hold, exchange, receive and send payments in 40+ currencies. Order a linked Wise debit card to make it easier to spend and make cash withdrawals from your Wise account balance, all over the world.
It’s free to spend currencies you hold enough of in your account. And if you don’t have the currency you need in your account, the Wise debit card can automatically convert the amount for you from whichever available currency account has the cheapest conversion fee. That means that there’s no need to worry about converting money before traveling, because you’ll always know you’re getting the best available deal every time.
What can you do with the Wise debit card?
Hold and spend in a broad range of currencies
Your Wise account supports over 40 different currencies. When you need to switch between them, you’ll always get the mid-market rate, meaning you’ll save on conversion fees.
Spend and withdraw money abroad
Use your Wise card for contactless payments and ATM withdrawals internationally. You can choose to either keep your money in PHP and let the card convert it for you at the point of payment, or switch your balance to the currency or currencies you need in advance.
Create and use virtual cards
Generate virtual cards through your Wise account for safer online shopping that adds an extra layer of security to your online transactions.
Shop online with international retailers
Use your physical or virtual Wise card to shop with international retailers. The card can automatically convert your balance to your required currency if you don’t already hold it in your account.
Pay with your phone
Add your Wise card to mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay for quick and easy contactless payments using your smartphone.
Get your Wise card 💳
Wise card fees
Here’s a rundown of all the Wise fees you can expect to meet when ordering and using your Wise multi-currency debit card:
Service | Wise debit card fee |
|---|---|
One time card order fee | 369.60 PHP |
Replace an expiring card | Free – Wise will remind you when you need a new card for convenience |
Spend currencies you hold in your account | Free |
Spend in currencies you don’t have in your account | Wise will auto convert the balance you have to the currency you need, using the mid-market exchange rate and the lowest available fees |
International ATM withdrawal fees | 2 withdrawals to 12,000 PHP in value with no fee every month 30 PHP + 1% after that |
Wise exchange rate
Wise was created with a mission to make currency conversion cheaper and more transparent. When you convert currencies with Wise you’ll get the mid-market rate with no hidden markup – whether you are spending with your Wise debit card, converting currencies within your Wise account, or sending an international payment.
This is different to banks and most other international card providers. Typically, the exchange rates you get from other providers will include a markup which is added onto the exchange rate used. That’s an extra fee, but it’s hard to spot and pushes up the prices you pay without you necessarily knowing it.
To avoid this tricky fee, Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate and splits out the full costs of currency conversion for transparency. You’ll be able to see the full fees you pay when you switch currencies within your account – and if you use the card’s auto convert feature, you can be sure the transaction will be processed with the lowest fee possible.
Wise card limits
There are some security limits on card spending, to keep your account safe. You can adjust your own limits in the Wise app if you want a lower limit.
Country | Monthly spending limit | Monthly ATM withdrawal limit |
|---|---|---|
Philippines | 2 million PHP | 275,000 PHP |
How to use your Wise debit card
Once you’ve ordered your Wise debit card you can add a balance, convert currencies, spend locally and internationally, and make cash withdrawals at home and abroad. Let’s look at how to get and activate your Wise card, how to add money, manage your card, and order a new one if you ever need to.
How to get your Wise card
Here’s how to get your Wise debit card in just a few simple steps:
Open a Wise account online in just a few minutes
Top up your Wise account in the currency of your choice
Order your Wise card for a one time fee
Complete the verification step, uploading an image of your ID document
Your physical card will arrive in the post and you an create a virtual card instantly
If you don’t already have a Wise multi-currency account it’s good to know you can register in just a few minutes using your email address, Facebook, Apple or Google ID.
How to activate your Wise card
Once your physical card arrives in the post you’ll need to activate it. This is done simply by making a purchase using your PIN number - or if you’d prefer you can make a cash withdrawal or check your balance in an ATM.
How to find your Wise card pin
You’ll be able to find your PIN, as well as your card number and CVV code, in the Wise app at any time. Just log in and tap the cards tab, then Show PIN.
How to top up your Wise card
Your Wise debit card is linked to your Wise multi-currency account. To add funds to your Wise account you’ll need to take the following steps:
Log into your Wise account online or in the Wise app
Select the currency balance you want to top up
Tap Add
Confirm the currency you want to pay with
Enter the amount you want to top up and select a payment method
Check everything over, confirm and follow the prompts to complete the payment
How to freeze and unfreeze your Wise card
If you’re concerned about the security of your card, or if you’re not planning on using it for a while you can freeze it in the Wise app or online. Then simply unfreeze next time you’re ready to use it. Here’s what to do:
Log into your account online or in the Wise app
On the website, go to Cards; on the app, go to Card
Click on Freeze card
How to replace or cancel your Wise card
If you’ve lost your card, or if it’s been damaged, you can order a new one easily. You can also cancel and replace your card if it’s been stolen. Here’s what to do:
Log into your account online or in the Wise app
On the website, go to Cards; on the app, go to Card
Select the reason you need to replace your card
How to replace or delete a digital card
To replace your digital card:
Log into your account online or in the Wise app
Go to Cards
Select the digital card you want to replace
Select Replace card
You can also delete your digital card at any time. o delete your digital card:
Log into your account online or in the Wise app
Go to Cards
Select the digital card you want to delete
Select Delete card
Wise debit card for business
If you have a Wise Business account you may also be able to benefit from Wise business debit cards and expense cards.
Business customers can order a Wise card for themselves, and expense cards for team members who need easy ways to organize international business spending and expenses. Just as with Wise personal customers, Wise Business card holders get the mid-market exchange rate when converting from one currency to another, with low fees, as well as some fee free ATM withdrawals every month. There’s no fee to order a business Wise card.
Wise Business account holders also get some extras to save time and make it easier to track and manage international spending. For example, account administrators can set and adjust card spending limits and track transactions centrally, making expense claims easier for everyone.
Where is the Wise card available?
If you have a Wise account you can apply for a Wise debit card from many countries including the Philippines and the following countries and regions: the EU and EEA, the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil.
What currencies does the Wise card support?
Wise account holders can hold 40+ currencies, and spend in 150+ countries with the Wise card. The Wise card supports most major and global currencies, and can be used globally in a broad range of countries.
There are some countries where your Wise card for business or personal use can not be used. Usually this is as a result of international sanctions or practical limitations. Full details are available online on the Wise website.
How to withdraw money with the Wise card
Once you’ve received your Wise card, you’re ready to start making withdrawals from ATMs at home and abroad. You’ll need to look out for ATMs that support Visa or MasterCard, and bear in mind that you’ll be charged a fee if you make 3 or more withdrawals in a month, or if the combined value of your withdrawals exceeds the currency equivalent of 12,000 PHP.
Here are a few tips to help when you’re making cash withdrawals with the Wise card:
When abroad, always elect to pay in the local currency wherever you are – not in PHP
Don’t write down or give out your card PIN
Freeze your card right away if you spot a withdrawal on your account that you don’t recognize
Be wary of security around ATMs, as these are common targets for petty thieves
Is Wise card safe to use?
Yes. The Wise card is safe to use.
Wise accounts have a range of security features including thorough verification processes, 2 factor authentication and a 24/7 fraud prevention protocol. Additionally, Wise debit cards can be frozen instantly in the Wise app if you’re concerned about security, with real time transaction notifications and the option to check your balance and account history in a glance in the app.
What should you do if your Wise card gets lost or stolen?
If you’re concerned your Wise card has been frozen, freeze it immediately in the Wise app. If you notice any unexpected transactions you’ll need to let Wise know in the app, by following the reporting process - the team can advise you what to do based on the situation.
Conclusion: is the Wise card worth it?
The Wise debit card can make life easier – and help you save money – if you travel often, shop with international ecommerce stores, or want to be able to manage your money and spending across currencies more flexibly.
Wise currency exchange uses the mid-market exchange rate with no markup and no hidden fees – and with the Wise debit card’s smart auto convert feature you don’t even need to switch currencies before you travel. Leave the Wise card to switch to the currencies you need, when you need them, with the lowest possible fee every time.
Wise card FAQ
Yes. Use your Wise card to spend and withdraw in 150+ countries globally. You’ll need to check the network your Wise card is issued on - Visa or Mastercard - and look out for the logo which will be displayed prominently on payment terminals and ATMs.
Yes. The Wise card can be used for contactless and mobile payments easily.
The Wise debit card is linked to a Wise multi-currency account. To use your Wise card you’ll need to top up your Wise account with PHP – or another eligible currency of your choice. Adding funds is easy and can be done online or in the Wise app.
To get a Wise debit card you’ll need to register an account with Wise online or in the Wise app and upload an image of some ID for verification. You’ll then be able to order your card quickly online or in the app for a low, one time fee.
Card delivery in the Philippines can take 9 to 18 business days.
Once your physical card arrives in the post you’ll need to activate it. This is done simply by making a purchase using your PIN number - or if you’d prefer you can make a cash withdrawal or check your balance in an ATM.