Wise vs Revolut Fees (2026): Which Is Actually Cheaper? 

If you’re choosing between Wise and Revolut, fees are probably your biggest concern.

Both fintech companies promise low-cost international spending and transfers — but their pricing models are very different. One focuses on transparency. The other blends banking features with subscription perks.

Here’s a clear breakdown of how their fees compare in 2026.

1. Exchange Rates: The Real Cost Difference

Wise: Mid-Market Rate + Transparent Fee

Wise uses the real mid-market exchange rate (the rate you see on Google).
Instead of marking up the rate, it charges a separate, clearly displayed fee — typically between 0.35% and 0.7%, depending on the currency.

You see the exact fee before confirming the transaction.

What this means:
You always know what you’re paying.

Revolut: Near-Interbank Rate (With Conditions)

Revolut uses a near-interbank exchange rate and offers:

  • Free weekday currency exchange (within your plan’s limit)
  • 1% markup on weekends
  • Monthly FX limits on the free plan (e.g., €1,000 equivalent)

After exceeding the monthly allowance, additional exchanges incur a fee.

What this means:
It can be very cheap — but only if you stay within limits and avoid weekends.

2. International Transfers

Wise

Fees typically include:

  • A small fixed fee
  • A percentage-based fee

For example, sending €1,000 internationally might cost between €4 and €8, depending on the currency route.

Wise is often cheaper for:

  • Larger transfers
  • Regular overseas payments
  • Sending money outside Europe

Revolut

Revolut offers:

  • Some free transfers depending on your plan
  • Possible SWIFT fees for certain currencies
  • Limits on free international payments

Revolut works well for occasional smaller transfers, but costs can increase once limits are exceeded.

3. ATM Withdrawals

Wise

  • 2 free withdrawals per month (up to ~€200 total)
  • After that: ~€0.50 + 1.75%

Revolut (Standard Plan)

  • 5 free withdrawals per month (up to ~€200)
  • Then 2% fee

Higher-tier Revolut plans increase the withdrawal allowance.

4. Card Payments Abroad

Both are excellent for travel compared to traditional banks.

  • Wise: Small conversion fee applied transparently.
  • Revolut: No weekday FX fee within limits, but weekend markup applies.

If you travel mostly during weekdays and don’t exceed limits, Revolut can be cheaper for everyday spending.

5. Monthly Fees

Wise

  • No subscription plans
  • No monthly fee
  • Pay only when you use it

Revolut

  • Standard plan: Free
  • Paid plans: Plus, Premium, Metal (monthly fee)
  • Includes perks like insurance, airport lounge access, and higher limits

If you want an all-in-one banking app with extras, Revolut’s paid tiers may justify the cost.

So Which Is Cheaper?

Choose Wise If:

  • You send large international transfers
  • You want full transparency
  • You don’t want subscription fees
  • You care about always getting the real exchange rate

Choose Revolut If:

  • You travel frequently
  • You exchange smaller amounts
  • You stay within monthly FX limits
  • You avoid weekend currency exchanges
  • You want banking features beyond transfers

Final Verdict

There’s no universal winner.

  • Wise is usually cheaper for international money transfers and large currency conversions.
  • Revolut can be cheaper for travel spending — if you stay within plan limits.

For many people, the smartest move isn’t choosing one — it’s using both.

RouteNote Select targets growth through music IP acquisitions 

The scoop: RouteNote is expanding its premium arm, RouteNote Select, as it looks to acquire and invest in music IP assets — signaling a deeper move into catalog ownership and long-term rights management.

Why it matters

  • Music IP has become a hot asset class for institutional investors.
  • Owning rights — not just distributing music — offers recurring, predictable revenue.
  • Independent distributors are increasingly competing with major labels and private equity for catalogs.

The big picture

RouteNote Select operates as the higher-touch, invite-only tier of RouteNote’s distribution platform, offering marketing, funding and strategic support to artists.

By pursuing music IP acquisitions, the company is shifting from pure distribution into:

  • Catalog investment
  • Royalty participation
  • Long-term rights ownership

That mirrors a broader industry trend where music companies aim to control both distribution infrastructure and the underlying intellectual property.

Between the lines

  • The past five years have seen firms like Hipgnosis Songs Fund and Blackstone pour billions into song catalogs.
  • Music rights are attractive because streaming has created steady, data-driven cash flows.
  • RouteNote’s move suggests mid-sized players want a slice of the IP economy — not just service fees.

What’s next

Expect:

  • More hybrid distributor-investor models
  • Increased competition for independent artist catalogs
  • Greater emphasis on data to value music assets

As streaming matures, the real power may lie less in platform access — and more in who owns the songs.

Why SaaS Stocks Crashed – And Why Most SaaS Companies Aren’t Going Anywhere

Over the past few years, SaaS stocks have been crushed.

Companies that once traded at 30x revenue fell 60–80%. Investors declared the “death of SaaS.” Growth-at-all-costs suddenly became a liability.

But here’s the reality:

SaaS isn’t dying. Bad pricing was.

Let’s unpack what actually happened.

The Zero-Interest Rate Bubble

Between 2015 and 2021:

  • Capital was cheap
  • Growth mattered more than profitability
  • Investors priced in perfect execution

Companies like:

  • Snowflake
  • Shopify
  • Zoom Video Communications

…were valued as if hypergrowth would last forever.

Multiples expanded beyond fundamentals. Revenue growth alone justified massive valuations.

That worked — until it didn’t.

What Actually Triggered the Crash

1. Rising Interest Rates

When rates rise:

  • Future earnings are discounted more heavily
  • Long-duration assets get hit hardest
  • Growth multiples compress

SaaS companies often promise profits far in the future. Higher discount rates crushed those valuations.

2. Slowing Growth

Enterprise customers tightened budgets.
Digital acceleration normalized post-COVID.
“Nice-to-have” tools were cut.

Even durable companies like Salesforce saw growth decelerate.

Markets repriced the entire sector.

3. Profitability Became Mandatory

The new environment demands:

  • Positive free cash flow
  • Efficient customer acquisition
  • Strong retention
  • Operating leverage

Companies that adapted survived. Others are still struggling.

Is the SaaS Model Broken?

No.

Recurring revenue remains:

  • Predictable
  • Sticky
  • High margin (at scale)
  • Operationally efficient

What changed is investor tolerance for inefficiency.

The Bottom Line

The SaaS crash wasn’t the death of the model.

It was the death of:

  • Growth without margin
  • Overfunded point solutions
  • Fantasy multiples

The next decade of SaaS will be smaller, leaner, and more profitable.

And that’s healthy

Blackstone backs Neysa with up to $1.2 B to power India’s AI compute push 

The scoop: Neysa, an Indian AI infrastructure provider, has secured up to $1.2 billion in financing led by Blackstone as India accelerates efforts to build its own domestic AI compute capacity.

Why it matters

  • This is one of India’s largest AI infrastructure financing deals to date, underscoring global investor confidence in local compute platforms.
  • India is trying to reduce reliance on U.S. and Chinese cloud providers by building local AI compute capacity.
  • The funding will support deployment of tens of thousands of GPUs, a critical bottleneck for large-scale AI workloads.

The big picture

Blackstone’s investment combines roughly $600 million in equity with plans for an additional $600 million in debt financing for Neysa, which has historically operated with far smaller capital. The startup intends to expand GPU infrastructure — including deploying more than 20,000 GPUs over time to meet surging demand for AI training and inference.

India’s policy environment, including incentives for cloud and AI infrastructure providers, has made the market more attractive for such large-scale investments.

Between the lines

  • The deal signals a shift in AI infrastructure funding: traditional asset investors are stepping in where VCs once dominated.
  • Neysa aims to serve enterprise customers, government agencies, and AI developers needing low-latency, compliant, onshore compute rather than relying on overseas providers.
  • Competition is heating up, with other local players scaling capacity, global hyperscalers expanding into India, and regional policies favouring domestic compute growth.

What’s next

Expect to see:

  • Rapid scaling of GPU clusters in India’s major tech hubs
  • More international capital entering regional AI infrastructure
  • Policy tailwinds shaping long-term compute ecosystems

This deal could be a milestone in India’s bid to become a global AI compute hub — not just an AI services consumer.

Alibaba unveils Qwen 3.5 in escalating global AI model race 

The scoop: Alibaba Group has launched Qwen 3.5, the latest version of its flagship AI model, as competition intensifies among global tech giants to dominate foundational AI systems.

Why it matters

  • Major tech companies are racing to distribute powerful AI models worldwide.
  • China’s tech leaders are accelerating releases to compete with U.S. firms.
  • Qwen 3.5 is positioned as a more capable, efficient model for developers and enterprises.

The big picture

Alibaba says Qwen 3.5 delivers improvements in:

  • Reasoning and coding performance
  • Multilingual capabilities
  • Deployment flexibility across cloud and enterprise environments

The company is pushing the model through its cloud division, aiming to attract developers building AI-powered apps and services.

The strategy mirrors a broader industry shift: AI models are becoming platform ecosystems, not just standalone tools.

Between the lines

  • Chinese tech firms are under pressure to keep pace with rapid AI advances abroad.
  • Open-weight and commercial releases are increasingly being used as a distribution strategy.
  • AI leadership is now tied not just to model performance, but to ecosystem adoption.

What’s next

Expect:

  • Faster iteration cycles for large language models
  • More competition on pricing and accessibility
  • Continued expansion of AI capabilities into enterprise workflows

The AI race is no longer just about who builds the smartest model — it’s about who spreads it the fastest.

OKX secures EU payments license to expand stablecoin push 

The scoop: OKX has obtained a European Union payments license, clearing a key regulatory hurdle as it expands stablecoin services across the bloc.

Why it matters

  • The EU is tightening crypto oversight under new rules like Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).
  • A payments license gives OKX greater legitimacy to operate regulated crypto-fiat services.
  • Stablecoins are increasingly central to crypto trading, cross-border transfers and on-chain finance.

The big picture

With the license, OKX can offer regulated payment services in the EU, strengthening its ability to integrate stablecoins into mainstream financial workflows.

Stablecoins — digital tokens typically pegged to fiat currencies — are becoming critical infrastructure for crypto markets. They enable:

  • Faster settlement
  • Reduced volatility compared to other cryptocurrencies
  • Easier on- and off-ramps between crypto and traditional finance

By securing regulatory approval, OKX positions itself to compete more aggressively in Europe’s evolving digital asset landscape.

Between the lines

  • Europe is emerging as a testing ground for regulated crypto expansion.
  • Exchanges that secure compliance early could gain a first-mover advantage.
  • Regulatory clarity may attract institutional players wary of operating in uncertain jurisdictions.

What’s next

Expect:

  • More crypto exchanges to pursue EU licensing pathways
  • Greater integration of stablecoins into regulated payment rails
  • Increased scrutiny as regulators monitor compliance under MiCA

As crypto firms adapt to stricter oversight, regulatory approval is becoming less of a burden — and more of a competitive moat.

OpenAI hires OpenClaw creator to accelerate personal AI agents 

The scoop: OpenAI has hired Peter Steinberger, the developer behind the open-source AI agent OpenClaw, as it ramps up efforts to build more capable personal AI agents.

Why it matters

  • AI companies are racing to move beyond chatbots toward autonomous agents that can complete real-world tasks.
  • OpenClaw gained traction for allowing users to run AI agents locally, connecting them to tools like email and calendars.
  • Hiring its creator signals OpenAI’s serious push into agent-based AI systems.

The big picture

CEO Sam Altman announced the hire, highlighting the company’s ambition to develop “personal agents” that can act on a user’s behalf.

Unlike traditional AI chat tools that respond to prompts, agents are designed to:

  • Take initiative
  • Execute multi-step tasks
  • Integrate across apps and services

The move reflects a broader industry shift toward AI systems that function more like digital assistants than text generators.

Between the lines

  • OpenClaw built a strong open-source community.
  • Rather than absorbing or shutting it down, OpenAI plans to support its continued development.
  • That approach could help OpenAI strengthen ties with developers — a key competitive advantage in the AI ecosystem.

What’s next

Expect OpenAI to:

  • Invest more heavily in agent infrastructure
  • Expand integrations with third-party tools
  • Position AI agents as the next major product category beyond ChatGPT-style interfaces

The hire underscores a central trend in AI: the future may belong to systems that don’t just answer questions — but take action.

Grab is buying U.S. investing app Stash for about $425 million in a major cross-border fintech move 

Grab Holdings Limited, the Singapore-based super-app operator known for ride-hailing, delivery and digital financial services across Southeast Asia, has agreed to acquire Stash Financial, Inc., a U.S.-based digital investing and financial wellness platform, in a deal valuing Stash at roughly US $425 million.

Under the terms of the agreement, Grab will initially purchase a 50.1 % controlling stake in Stash at closing, with the plan to buy out the remaining equity over the next three years at fair market value. Payment for the deal will be made using a mix of cash and stock, with the exact mix at Grab’s discretion. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.

What Stash does & why it matters

Stash is a U.S.-registered investment advisor and fintech platform that combines subscription-based investing, banking tools, financial education resources and an AI-driven Money Coach feature designed to help everyday consumers improve their financial habits and long-term wealth outcomes. It currently manages more than US $5 billion in assets and has over one million paying subscribers.

The company also offers StashWorks, an employee financial wellness programme used by U.S. employers to help staff build better saving and investing behaviours through guidance and tools.

Strategic rationale for Grab

This acquisition marks a significant expansion of Grab’s financial services footprint into the U.S. mass-market investing space – a market where it previously had no commercial presence. It adds a recurring subscription revenue engine and deepens Grab’s fintech capabilities, particularly in areas powered by AI and personalised financial guidance.

Post-closing, Stash will continue operating as an independent brand, retaining its current services, business model and leadership – including its co-founders and co-CEOs — while gaining access to Grab’s broader ecosystem and resources. Grab has also indicated it may explore introducing elements of Stash’s technology, such as the AI Money Coach, into its Southeast Asian markets over the longer term.

For Grab, this move diversifies revenue beyond its core ride-hailing and delivery businesses and bolsters its financial services roadmap – which already includes lending, payments and digital banking – at a time when the company is increasingly focused on sustainable, high-margin services.

Why does Hargreaves Lansdown have some Swedish companies and not others

1. Exchange Access & Settlement

HL offers access to “major international exchanges” (like Stockholm, Paris, Frankfurt, NYSE, Nasdaq, etc.), but they don’t automatically make all companies on those exchanges available.

  • They rely on CREST and Euroclear (the settlement systems) and need to have a smooth process for custody and dividends.
  • Smaller or less liquid Swedish stocks sometimes aren’t supported because they’re harder/expensive to settle.

2. Liquidity & Demand

HL curates what’s listed for retail clients.

  • Large caps / well-known Swedish companies (think Volvo, Ericsson, Evolution Gaming) tend to be included because they’re liquid and there’s demand.
  • Small caps or niche companies may not be available unless enough HL clients request them — not worth the admin burden otherwise.

3. Corporate Actions & Complexity

Foreign shares often involve dividend tax, rights issues, and corporate actions. HL simplifies its offering to avoid the cost/complexity of handling lots of “long tail” small companies overseas.

4. Custody Costs

HL passes some overseas custody and settlement costs onto clients in its dealing fees.
If a stock would require unusually high back-office overhead, HL may simply choose not to offer it to retail clients.

5. Regulatory / Listing Requirements

Some companies, even though they’re on the Stockholm Exchange, might trade only in certain share classes (A vs B shares, for example). HL typically lists the more liquid share class (usually the B shares in Sweden). That’s why you’ll sometimes find “Rokob” but not “Rokoa.”

Ooni Pizza Oven now with AI Pizza Intelligence – Sounds slightly stupid

Have you ever looked at your pizza oven and wished it was just a little bit smarter? Ooni has, and so its new Volt 2 comes loaded with “Pizza Intelligence,” an adaptive heating system designed to deliver a more even and consistent cooking temperature.

Why does everything need to have the AI buzz word attached to it at the moment. An AI Pizza Oven – just sounds stupid.

It would be great if you could just put in the pizza and its cooks to the perfect temperature automatically, without having to program it at all.

Upcoming Specs for Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 – before the next Apple Event

There is a lot of talk about the specs of the new versions in the Apple Watch series – and here is what we know so far before the next Apple event. Full specs on Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Stacked wood beams turn this barn into an amazing practical office with stunning design

This stacked wood beam design is something of great beauty.

In West Flanders, Belgium, a humble private barn has undergone a dramatic transformation. Once a simple agricultural structure, it’s now a visually striking, light-filled office designed by Studio Farris Architects.

via – Contemporist

Anthropic launches Claude for Chrome – Google Chrome Extension for AI assistance

Anthropic is launching a research preview of a browser-based AI agent powered by its Claude AI models, the company announced on Tuesday. Claude for Chrome is initially rolling out to 1,000 subscribers on Anthropic’s Max plan (priced at $100-$200 monthly). The company has also opened a waitlist for other interested users.

With this Chrome extension, selected users can chat with Claude in a sidebar that maintains awareness of everything happening in their browser. Users can also authorise Claude to perform actions in their browser and complete tasks on their behalf.