Airwallex vs Karbon Business (Karbon FX) (2026): Which Is Better for Receiving International Payments in India?
- Author:
- Manoj Sharma
- Verified by:
- Editorial team
- Published:
- Last modified:
Short answer
The better choice depends on how your clients pay and which documents you need. Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. Airwallex is best for registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally. The table compares both by use case using published information.
| Use case | Better option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Invoices around $2,000 | Not comparable | Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. |
| Invoices around $5,000 | Not comparable | Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. |
| Invoices around $10,000 | Not comparable | Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. |
| Need: registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally | Airwallex | Airwallex is built for this. |
| Need: Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA | Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | Karbon Business (Karbon FX) is built for this. |
How do Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) compare at a glance?
| Attribute | Airwallex | Karbon Business (Karbon FX) |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Fees | No USD receive fee; free local payouts; Explore plan no monthly fee | 1% + 18% GST on fee, indicative; varies by country, method |
| FX markup | 0.60% for INR (0.40% majors), Singapore schedule; India rate not confirmed | Conflicting: claims 0% markup or lists 0.5%-1.0% |
| Settlement | States ~90% processed within hours to one business day | Conflicting: same day before 3 PM IST, 4-8h or 24-48h |
| FIRA | No auto FIRA; FIRC on request; partner fee may apply | States e-FIRA per transaction, 1-2 business days; cost unstated |
| Currencies | Receive 20+ currencies from 70+ countries; INR payouts to India | States all major currencies except RBI-restricted, including USD, EUR, GBP |
| RBI status | Not confirmed; not on RBI list, no PA-CB claim | Not confirmed; states it works only with PACB-licensed players |
| Indian individuals | No, registered businesses only | Freelancers per site; unregistered individuals not confirmed |
| Indian businesses | Yes, via Airwallex Singapore, subject to checks | Yes, proprietors, partnerships, LLPs and companies |
| Limits | Airwallex states most accounts have no deposit limit; transfer limits vary by method and are shown when creating a transfer. India-specific limits Not confirmed. | Per-transaction and annual limits are set at account setup based on KYC, bank partner policy and RBI rules, and can be raised on request. No figures are published |
How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Airwallex vs Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Each row applies the platform's published fee, FX markup and GST on the fee to the XE mid-market rate for 3 Nov 2026.
| Platform and invoice | Fee | FX markup | GST | INR received | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Airwallex, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Airwallex, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX), $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX), $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX), $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
What is Airwallex and who is it for?
Airwallex is a global business account provider that issues local collection account details (Global Accounts) in 20+ currencies. Its help centre lists India as an eligible business registration country, with Indian businesses onboarded to the Airwallex Singapore entity. An Indian company can collect foreign client payments into a Global Account, convert to INR and send the money to its Indian bank account by local transfer.
- Regulated by: Not confirmed. Airwallex is not on the RBI list of payment system authorisations dated 30 Sep 2026, and its pages make no PA-CB claim
- Used by: Yes. India is listed as an eligible registration country, with Indian businesses onboarded to Airwallex Singapore, subject to industry and risk checks
- Best for: Registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally
What is Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and who is it for?
Karbon Business is a Bengaluru fintech whose Karbon FX product lets Indian businesses and freelancers collect payments from overseas clients. The Karbon Forex terms name Interropac Private Limited as the operator of the platform at karbonfx.com. They also say inward collections are processed under a third-party partner's connected-user terms. Users get account details for receiving foreign payments, and the funds are converted and paid out in INR to their Indian bank account with an e-FIRA.
- Regulated by: Not confirmed. States it works 'only with PACB-licensed players and regulated banks'. No RBI listing for Karbon or its operating company was checked or found
- Used by: Yes. Sole proprietors, partnerships, LLPs and companies, with documents based on business type
- Best for: Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA
How do Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) fees and FX markup compare?
What does Airwallex charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: USD local account details in the US (ACH, Fedwire) | 0% Global Account receiving fee | FedNow and RTP only for eligible customers | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Receiving: SWIFT into a Global Account (USD, EUR, GBP and others) | 0% Global Account receiving fee | Intermediary bank charges are Not confirmed | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Receiving: Local GBP, EUR, SGD, AUD, CAD and other local account details | 0% for most currencies (0.60% for KRW, VND, BRL and MYR collections) | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Receiving: Online card payments | 3.60% + SGD 0.50 for international cards (Singapore schedule) | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Currency conversion to INR | 0.60% customer mark-up for INR (0.40% for major currencies such as USD, EUR, GBP), included in the exchange rate, per the Singapore fee schedule; optional API quote-lock premiums of 0.02% to 0.30% are extra; India-specific rate Not confirmed | When foreign currency is converted | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Convert the balance to INR with the 0.60% customer mark-up included in the rate and send by local transfer to the Indian bank account; the local payout fee is $0. SWIFT payouts cost SGD 20 (SHA) or SGD 35 (OUR). | When INR is sent to your account | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Explore plan | Free | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Grow plan | SGD 79/month | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Accelerate plan | From SGD 399/month | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| SWIFT payout | SGD 20 (SHA) or SGD 35 (OUR) per payout | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| FIRC | May be charged by the banking partner; quoted by support on request | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Extra spend users | SGD 5 per additional active spend user per month (5 free) | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| API FX quote validity premium (optional, API version 2024-06-30 or later) | 0.02% (1 minute) to 0.30% (24 hours), added to the FX mark-up | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| GST on fees | The Singapore fee schedule states fees are exclusive of GST where applicable. Whether Indian GST applies to Indian customers is Not confirmed. | Applies to the platform's fee | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
What does Karbon Business (Karbon FX) charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: US account details (Fedwire) | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Typically credited within 0 to 1 business days | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: US account details (ACH) | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Usually credited within 2 to 3 business days | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: SWIFT international wire | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Generally 1 to 3 business days; intermediary bank charges may be deducted | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: SEPA (EUR) | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Typically credited within 0 to 1 business days | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: Payment link or invoice | Not confirmed | Created from the Karbon FX dashboard | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Currency conversion to INR | Conflicting: freelancer and exporter pages and two Karbon blog posts claim 0% markup at mid-market rates; the Stripe, Payoneer, PayPal and Razorpay comparison pages list a 0.5%-1.0% forex markup; the calculator uses a third-party live rate with an 85.60 INR fallback | When foreign currency is converted | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Funds are converted and sent in INR to the user's registered Indian bank account, the same working day if requested before 3:00 PM IST. Karbon's homepage calculator shows an indicative 1% fee plus 18% GST on that fee; its FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and payment method, and intermediary bank charges may also be deducted | When INR is sent to your account | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Intermediary bank charges | May be deducted by correspondent banks; outside Karbon's control | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| GST | 18% on Karbon's fee, per the homepage calculator | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Account opening or annual fee | Conflicting. Karbon's PayPal vs Karbon case study says there are no setup, monthly or closure fees; the Karbon Forex terms mention fees collected during onboarding and refer to fees set on the platform or in a customer agreement, without amounts | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| GST on fees | The homepage calculator applies GST at 18% on Karbon's 1% fee, not on the full payment. The help centre says taxes apply as per government rules and that GST-compliant invoices for Karbon's charges are available on request. Karbon's blog posts also state that GST at 18% applies only to Karbon's 1% fee, not to the invoice amount (PayPal vs Karbon case study). | Applies to the platform's fee | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
How do Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) compare on settlement speed?
- Airwallex: Airwallex states about 90% of transfers to India are processed within a few hours to one business day
- Karbon Business (Karbon FX): Help centre: typically the same working day by end of day if the INR transfer is submitted before the 3:00 PM IST forex cut-off, otherwise by end of day on the next working day. The homepage says 4-8 hours and the freelancer and exporter pages say 24-48 hours
| Platform | Settlement to India | Payout route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex | States ~90% processed within hours to one business day | Convert to INR (0.60% markup in rate), $0 local transfer | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | Conflicting: same day before 3 PM IST, 4-8h or 24-48h | INR to Indian bank, same day if before 3:00 PM IST | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
Do Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?
| Platform | FIRA and e-BRC | RBI status | Checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex | No auto FIRA; FIRC on request; partner fee may apply | Not confirmed; not on RBI list, no PA-CB claim | 30 Sept 2026 | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | States e-FIRA per transaction, 1-2 business days; cost unstated | Not confirmed; states it works only with PACB-licensed players | 30 Sept 2026 | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) support?
| Platform | Currencies | Payment methods | Indian individuals | Indian businesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex | Receive 20+ currencies from 70+ countries; INR payouts to India | USD local account details in the US (ACH, Fedwire); SWIFT into a Global Account (USD, EUR, GBP and others); Local GBP, EUR, SGD, AUD, CAD and other local account details; Online card payments | No, registered businesses only | Yes, via Airwallex Singapore, subject to checks | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | States all major currencies except RBI-restricted, including USD, EUR, GBP | US account details (Fedwire); US account details (ACH); SWIFT international wire; SEPA (EUR); Payment link or invoice | Freelancers per site; unregistered individuals not confirmed | Yes, proprietors, partnerships, LLPs and companies | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
What are the strengths and limitations of Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Airwallex
- No receiving fee: 0% Global Account receiving fee for USD and most currencies
- Published FX margin: 0.60% for INR on the Singapore fee schedule, included in the quoted rate
- Multi-currency holding: funds can be held in major currencies before converting
- Wider toolkit: cards, bill pay and payment acceptance in one account
- Businesses only: no personal accounts for individuals or unregistered freelancers
- Offshore entity: Indian customers are onboarded to the Singapore entity, not an Indian one
- FIRC on request: not issued automatically, and the banking partner may charge for it
- No confirmed RBI status: Airwallex is not on the RBI authorisation list and makes no PA-CB claim
Karbon Business (Karbon FX)
- Settlement timing: Publishes a 3:00 PM IST forex cut-off, with INR typically credited the same working day before it
- Documentation: States it issues e-FIRA automatically and can map shipping bills for exporters
- Receiving rails: Lists Fedwire, ACH, SWIFT and SEPA credit times in its help centre
- Fee visibility: a calculator on the homepage shows a 1% fee and 18% GST on the fee for an entered USD amount, labelled indicative
- Pricing: the only public figures are an indicative calculator (1% + 18% GST on the fee) and a FAQ saying fees vary by country, currency and method
- Conflicting claims: Its pages state both 0% markup and a 0.5% to 1% forex markup, and settlement times of 4-8 hours, 24-48 hours and same day
- Regulation: Karbon relies on PA-CB licensed partners; its own RBI authorisation is not confirmed
- Limits: Per-transaction and annual limits are set during onboarding and are not published
Should you choose Airwallex or Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
- Choose Airwallex if: you need registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally.
- Choose Karbon Business (Karbon FX) if: you need Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA.
For example, an exporter billing $5,000 a month: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users.
Which other platforms should you consider besides Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Other covered platforms ranked by the INR received on a $5,000 invoice.
| Platform | Fees | FX markup | FIRA | INR on $5,000 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skydo | $19 up to $2,000, $29 to $10,000, 0.3% above + GST | States zero FX margin at live rate | States instant, free FIRA per payment | ₹4,71,037 | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Razorpay | 1% per bank transfer (Rs 1,000 flat below Rs 1,00,000) + GST | States 0% markup on MoneySaver at live rate | FIRS within 24 hours of settlement; no charge listed | ₹4,68,686 | Indian businesses and freelancers on Razorpay invoicing foreign clients |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank | No inward, FIRC, SWIFT fee on current accounts; GST on conversion | Card rate, markup not published; 1.71% below mid-market on 7 Oct 2026 | Nil FIRC on current accounts; savings Rs 100 or nil | ₹4,65,665 | Service exporters wanting a current account without inward remittance fees |
| HDFC Bank | No inward charge; physical FIRC INR 200 + taxes; GST on conversion | Card rate ~1.79% below mid-market on 6 Oct 2026; markup unpublished | Physical FIRC INR 200; emailed advice free for trade | ₹4,65,286 | Existing HDFC customers wanting free SWIFT receipts or EEFC accounts |
How did we verify this?
Fees, FIRA terms and RBI status were checked on each platform's own pages and RBI sources on 30 Sept 2026. INR figures use the XE mid-market rate for 3 Nov 2026. The formula is on the methodology page.
- Airwallex Help: Eligible Countries and Territories, INDIA IN - AWX Legal Entity SINGAPORE (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Eligibility to open an account, unable to offer personal accounts to individuals (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Singapore Fee Schedule, Customer Mark-Up / Margin (... INR ...) 0.60%; "The customer mark-up / margin will be included as the FX Exchange Rate"; Global Account Receiving Funds Fee 0% for other currencies; Local Payout Fee $0; 24-Hour Quote Validity 0.30%; "exclusive of GST (where applicable)" (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Singapore Pricing, Grow $79/month; Accelerate from $399/month; 3.60% + $0.50 international cards (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex: Send money to India (Singapore), Approximately 90% of transactions are processed within a few hours to one business day (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: What is an FIRC and how do I get one?, "there may be a fee associated with issuing an FIRC. This fee is not set by Airwallex; it is determined by our banking partner" (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Which currencies can I get a Global Account in (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Documents required for companies in other countries, Ultimate Beneficial owner ... more than 25% of the issued share capital (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Limits for transfers and deposits (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- RBI: Certificates of Authorisation under the PSS Act (30 Sep 2026), Airwallex not listed (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business homepage, Embeds forex calculator (iframe src v0-calculator-taupe.vercel.app); 'For higher volume transactions, please reach out to your assigned AM for customized rates'; PACB-licensed players note (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon For Freelancers, Virtual USD account; FIRA issued by licensed banking partner; 0% markup claim; 24-48 hours (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon For Exporters, USD, EUR, GBP; FIRA and shipping bill mapping; 0% markup claim; 24-48 hours; dedicated account manager (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs Payoneer (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Help Centre: Pricing & Fees, Settlement cut-off 3:00 PM IST; receiving rail timelines; currencies; KYC; limits; GST invoices (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- What are the charges for receiving an inward remittance?, Charges may include currency conversion fees based on live FX rates, transfer fees that vary by the sending country, currency, and payment method, applicable taxes, and intermediary bank charges (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Do you provide a FIRA for every transaction?, e-FIRA within 1-2 business days (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Forex Terms & Conditions, Operator Interropac Private Limited; User duly incorporated in India; clause 3 onboarding fees; clause 6 Fees; clause 7 Foreign Inward Remittance Services (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon forex calculator (embedded on karboncard.com), Karbon's Fee(1%); GST(18%); Live Forex Rate 1 USD = 85.60 INR; The displayed amount is indicative and subject to change based on the rate booking date (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon forex calculator script, Fee = 0.01 x INR amount; GST = 0.18 x fee; rate from api.exchangerate-api.com, default 85.6 if the fetch fails (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs Stripe (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; feature panel: Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon blog: Payoneer vs Wise vs Karbon, Karbon charges a flat 1% inward remittance fee and uses mid-market Xe.com rates with 0% FX markup. GST at 18% applies only to the 1% fee; e-FIRA within 24 hours; hold for up to 60 days (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon blog: Case study, PayPal vs Karbon, 1% platform fee, GST of 18% only on that fee, effective 1.18% all in; zero FX markup; no setup, monthly, or closure fees; hold USD, EUR, GBP, or CAD for up to 60 days (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs PayPal (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0% (transparent, upfront); feature panel: Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs Razorpay (Karbon page), transparent forex markups as low as 0.5%; Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; feature panel: Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 7 Oct 2026)
FAQs about Airwallex vs Karbon Business (Karbon FX)
Is Airwallex or Karbon Business (Karbon FX) cheaper for receiving USD in India?
Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. At $2,000: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. At $10,000: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. Figures use each platform's published pricing and today's reference rate, so check both pricing pages before you decide.
Which is faster, Airwallex or Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Airwallex states: Airwallex states about 90% of transfers to India are processed within a few hours to one business day. The homepage says 4-8 hours and the freelancer and exporter pages say 24-48 hours. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Do Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) both provide a FIRA?
Airwallex: No automatic FIRA; FIRC can be requested from support and is issued by Airwallex's banking partner, which may charge a fee that support will quote. Karbon Business (Karbon FX): States an e-FIRA is issued for every eligible inward transaction, by email and on the dashboard, typically 1 to 2 business days after funds are credited.
Are Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) authorised by RBI?
Airwallex: Not confirmed. Airwallex is not on the RBI list of payment system authorisations dated 30 Sep 2026, and its pages make no PA-CB claim. Karbon Business (Karbon FX): Not confirmed. States it works 'only with PACB-licensed players and regulated banks'. No RBI listing for Karbon or its operating company was checked or found.
Can Indian freelancers use both Airwallex and Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Airwallex, individuals: No. Airwallex states it is unable to offer personal accounts to individuals; applicants must be officially registered, active businesses Karbon Business (Karbon FX), individuals: Freelancers can sign up, according to Karbon's freelancer page, and the KYC list asks for a GST certificate only if registered.
Should I switch from Airwallex to Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Switch only if Karbon Business (Karbon FX) pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the Airwallex account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first.