Money on the Move
Beyond traditional banking, today travel-friendly forex cards, crypto wallets, and even neobanks are catering to professionals who live and work across borders
If you’ve lived or worked across borders—be it as a digital nomad hopping between countries, an NRI sending money home while managing client payments overseas, or a consultant sleeping in one time zone and conferencing in another—you’ve most likely known the challenges of traditional banking.
High foreign exchange fees, slow international transfers, clunky account opening processes, and late-night customer support in one language only: these are the things that prompt global professionals to seek better options. That’s where travel-friendly forex cards, crypto wallets, and neobanks step in.
Forex Cards
Classic travel forex cards have evolved from simple prepaid travel money into tools that global professionals actually use as part of their everyday financial toolkit.
Rather than drawing cash at local banks and paying unpredictable exchange rates or high mark-ups on regular credit/debit card, multi-currency forex cards let you pre-load foreign currencies at relatively transparent rates and spend like a debit card abroad. They’re especially popular among frequent flyers, consultants, and executives who clock regular air miles between client sites.
Many bank-linked prepaid cards support numerous currencies and zero or very low forex mark-ups, helping you avoid the 2–3 per cent conversion fees that traditional credit cards often charge. Fintech-partnered cards such as those from Niyo Global or Scapia also have zero forex markup on international spends.
Crypto Wallet
If you lean toward tech-centric solutions or work in Web3, crypto wallets—especially those tied to spending cards—can feel like the ultimate cross-border money tool. Traditionally, crypto holders had to convert to fiat before spending—but newer solutions let you use crypto directly for payments or convert at the point of sale.
Platforms like Wirex or Revolut, which blends crypto and fiat, allow you to hold multiple currencies and crypto assets, and when you spend, the app automatically swaps your crypto to local currency at competitive rates.
More specialised projects, like THORWallet or Bybit Card, go even further: they link your digital assets to a Mastercard/Visa so you can spend crypto without manually converting first, sometimes with perks like cashback or yield on stored assets.
And emerging players like Offramp or Krayon are working toward true global payment rails where you can hold stablecoins and fiat in the same wallet and use them across multiple continents—great for freelancers, consultants, and startup founders operating across latitudes.
Neo Banks
If forex cards are the travel debit card of choice, neobanks are the full-service mobile bank account that doesn’t require brick-and-mortar branches.
These digital banking platforms are built from the ground up for global usage: multi-currency accounts, real-time exchange rates, intuitive expense tracking, and instant cross-border transfers are all standard features—no branch visits required. Revolut is a standout example. Originally a travel card app, it’s evolved into a holistic financial platform offering multi-currency wallets, crypto trading, and international transfers—all in one place.
In the Indian market and beyond, neobanks like Monese offer multi-currency accounts and debit cards that are usable across Europe—a boon for expats and consultants constantly moving between countries. Fintech players like Niyo and Zolve focus specifically on cross-border needs — for example, giving NRIs or international students banking access in India even before arrival.
Living and earning across borders used to mean navigating a maze of accounts, high fees, and opaque rates. Today, travel-friendly forex cards, crypto wallets, and neobanks are empowering professionals with more choice, more control, and better value — whether you’re hopping time zones monthly or just sending money back and forth between home and work abroad.
