Tencent-backed fintech Airwallex to invest in the Netherlands

Australian payment firm Airwallex said on Monday it will invest around 200 million euros ($233.64 million) over the next five years in its Netherlands operations, marking a major European expansion as it shifts from its Asia-Pacific base.

The Melbourne-founded fintech plans to ⁠increase its Amsterdam headcount by 60% to around 70 full-time employees by the end ⁠of 2026. Airwallex operates a global payments platform that enables businesses to send and receive international payments, hold multi-currency accounts, and ‍process online ‌transactions.

Founded in 2015, Airwallex secured a $13 million Series ⁠A round led by ‌Chinese internet giant Tencent in 2017. The ‌company recently raised $330 million in a Series G round, bringing its valuation to over $6 billion, and surpassed $1 billion in annual recurring revenue.

The investment comes as Airwallex ‍says it will prioritise growth in Europe and the Americas after a decade focused on Australia and ‌Asia-Pacific markets. ⁠The ​company received a licence in the ⁠Netherlands ​in May 2021, giving it access to the European Economic Area.

Airwallex served more than 150,000 customers as of ​October 2025, including Shein, Bolt, TikTok and Canva. The company now competes with established ⁠European payment processors including ⁠Netherlands-based Adyen and Mollie, as well as Dutch digital bank Bunq.