Wise launches travel card waitlist in India to cut hidden fees for overseas spenders

Wise, the global technology company building the best way to move and manage money worldwide, has opened the waitlist for the Wise Travel Card in India.

The announcement coincides with the Global Fintech Festival in Mumbai, where UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, referenced Wise’s new launch during his visit as part of the broader UK-India economic collaboration that’s opening opportunities for British companies in India's fast-growing fintech sector.

Indian travellers spent almost $17 billion on travel spending abroad, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India.

"A family visiting their daughter studying in London could lose over ₹17,500 to fees on a ₹5 lakh trip with traditional bank cards. The Wise card solves this. It will give Indian travellers the mid-market exchange rate - the one they see on Google - with only a small, transparent conversion fee with no other surprise charges," the company said in a press release.

Taneia Bhardwaj, South Asia Expansion Lead at Wise, said, "India is growing incredibly fast as a travel market, but the products we use when we're abroad haven't kept up with the needs of today's savvy Indian travellers. The payments experience abroad should be as seamless as paying in India, and that's why we've built the Wise card specifically for the Indian market.