Australian payments firm Airwallex said that it will invest about €200 million over the next five years in the Netherlands, marking a major European expansion as it shifts focus from its Asia-Pacific base.

According to Reuters, the Melbourne-founded fintech plans to increase its Amsterdam headcount by 60% to around 70 full-time employees by the end of 2026, strengthening its European operations.

Founded in 2015, Airwallex operates a global payments platform that enables businesses to send and receive international payments, hold multi-currency accounts and process online transactions.

The company raised US$13 million in a Series A round led by Tencent in 2017.

More recently, Airwallex secured US$300 million in funding in May 2025, pushing its valuation past US$6 billion, followed by an additional US$330 million Series G round in December 2025 that lifted its valuation to US$8 billion.

The company also surpassed US$1 billion in annual recurring revenue last year.

Airwallex said in 2024 that it was aiming to be ready for an initial public offering in 2026, though it declined to comment on its current IPO plans.

The latest investment reflects a strategic push to prioritise growth in Europe and the Americas after a decade focused on Australia and Asia-Pacific markets.

The company received a license in the Netherlands in May 2021, granting access to the European Economic Area.

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