Airwallex vs ila Bank.
Airwallex (A77/100) and ila Bank (i50/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Airwallex leads ila Bank 7-0.
| A Airwallex №14 · FCA 77 /100 | i ila Bank №74 · ila Bank is the digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait 50 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 77 /100 | 51 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 0.40% | 1.50% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FCA | Payment inst. |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €100,000 SG.SDIC | Safeguarded BH.DCS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 50 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.0 ★ 5k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.4 | 4.2 ★ iOS 4.3 · And 4.1 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Airwallex if…
The global multi-currency payments and operating-account platform with the broadest footprint in the SMB category — 23 currencies, local accounts in 10+ jurisdictions, local-account receiving in 60+ countries, multi-jurisdiction licensing (AU AFSL + MAS MPI + HKMA MSO + FCA EMI + US state money-transmitter), volume-based FX pricing, and issuing API for embedded card programmes. Structurally the most comprehensive cross-border AP / AR platform in the category, sitting between Wise Business (consumer-and-SMB cross-border) and Stripe (acquiring + payments) in the global-SMB stack. The embedded-finance API is the structural moat versus Aspire and Wise Business — marketplaces and SaaS platforms build payouts and card-issuing on Airwallex infrastructure rather than running multiple regional bank relationships.
Pick ila Bank if…
Digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK B.S.C., Bahrain Bourse: BBK) — one of the GCC's oldest commercial banks (founded 1971). Launched November 2019 as Bahrain's first fully-digital retail bank. CBB Conventional Retail Bank licence sits at the BBK parent; ila is a brand inside that charter, not a separately licensed entity. Bahrain DPS cover BHD 20,000 per depositor flows via the parent licence under CBB Rulebook Volume 6. Conventional banking; for Sharia products from the same group, see KFH Bahrain (separately licensed Islamic bank).
- Best for fees Airwallex won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Airwallex won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Airwallex won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Airwallex won 2 of 2
Airwallex vs ila Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Airwallex better than ila Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Airwallex leads ila Bank 7–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Airwallex 77/100 vs ila Bank 50/100. Airwallex is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Airwallex or ila Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Airwallex: €0; ila Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Airwallex: 0.40%; ila Bank: 1.50%. Airwallex wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Airwallex or ila Bank?
Airwallex holds a Partner-bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €100,000. ila Bank holds a Payment inst. licence under ila Bank is the digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK B.S.C.) — CBB Conventional Retail Bank licence held at the BBK parent. CBB Rulebook Volume 6 Deposit Protection Scheme cover up to BHD 20,000 per depositor per institution; ila and BBK aggregate against one ceiling because they are the same legal entity. Verify the current DPS ceiling on cbb.gov.bh.; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Airwallex is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Airwallex and ila Bank?
Airwallex operates in 50 countries; ila Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.