Wise takes the stress out of travel money — with new features for friends, families and solo explorers
Features include “Young Explorers” cards for 6-17 year olds, destination spending guides, airport lounge passes, and better ways to split and manage shared expenses
SYDNEY, Australia, 5 May 2026 — Wise, the smartest solution for spending and managing money internationally, has unveiled a range of new features to help Aussies calm the travel money chaos. This comes as new research from Wise reveals the challenges of overseas spending, with more than two-thirds (67%) of Aussies reporting financial anxiety during their most recent overseas trip.
The updates centre around Travel Hub, which takes the guesswork out of international money. When a traveller uses their Wise card overseas, they can collect a digital in-app passport stamp then click on this to unlock destination-specific tips — with help on locating low-fee ATMs, mastering public transport, understanding the exchange rate, and finding the right balance between cash and card. Plus, thanks to a new partnership with DragonPass, Aussies can buy passes for more than 1,400 airport lounges globally directly through the Wise app, often at a lower cost than walk-in rates.
That said, travel stressors are not just a solo affair, with nearly half (46%) of Aussie travellers admitting to arguing with someone about travel-related money, and almost a third (30%) experiencing someone failing to pay their fair share on a trip. Parents travelling with children under 18 also feel more stressed than those without, with a whopping three-quarters (75%) reporting spending anxieties on their recent trip.
- Wise cards for Young Explorers: parents can now create physical cards for their 6-17 year-olds (or digital cards from age 13) accompanied by a child-friendly version of the app. Kids have freedom to use their cards online, in-store and at ATMs, but parents have full control of card funding, and the ability to set spending limits. Young Explorers cards can also be viewed by two adults at once, so both parents can see what their kids are up to.
- Manage shared purchases with Group Spending: customers can create a shared balance with up to nine other Wise account holders for expenses such as meals, transport and group activities. The central account holder remains the owner of the money, but each person gets a virtual card linked to the group, and can track spending in one place — perfect for avoiding travel tension.
- Ensure everyone pays their fair share with Bill Split: travellers can now avoid the need to juggle multiple cards when paying bills too, even in a foreign currency. Users can pay on their Wise card, open the transaction, divide the payment across a group in their chosen currency, then request to be paid back. While customers can request money from those without a Wise account, those that do will receive a “pay money” request, making it easier to settle.
- Get paid from Aussie bank accounts via PayID: customers can now link a mobile number or email address to their Wise account as a PayID. This enables seamless, instant payments from Australian banks to their Wise Account, without the need to juggle BSBs and account numbers when chasing your mates.
Tristan Dakin, Australia and New Zealand Country Manager at Wise, said: “Aussies love travel, but we’ve all experienced the stress of navigating different currencies, being overcharged by hidden fees, and keeping tabs on spending with friends and family. With these new features, we’re taking convenience to the next level, helping travellers to spend less time worrying about money, and more time enjoying their trip.”