Best GXS Bank alternatives

#1 alternative

MariBank

active

MAS digital full bank. Sea Limited. SDIC S$100k. Not Shopee Pay and not Grab’s GXS.

4.8

Singapore · SG digital-bank · Sea Limited

7.5Solid

MariBank Singapore Private Limited is an MAS digital full bank. SDIC up to S$100,000 (the 2024 uplift; older blogs still say S$75k). Sea Limited is the shareholder. Shopee Pay is e-money. GXS is the other digital full bank. Trust is Standard Chartered’s digital brand. Three different Singapore objects. Keep reading the live overseas-transfer tariff.

Best for: Singapore citizens, PRs and pass-holders who want an MAS digital bank, not a Shopee wallet.

Licence

Digital full bank — MariBank Singapore Private Limited. SDIC member

Protection

SDIC deposit insurance up to S$100,000 per depositor per member bank

Monthly

S$0 core pitch — confirm live (overseas-transfer fees restated mid-2026)

#2 alternative

Trust Bank, Co. Reg. No. 202039712G, is a MAS digital bank. The homepage prints the SDIC paragraph in full: SGD deposits of non-bank depositors insured up to S$100,000 in aggregate per depositor per scheme member; foreign-currency, dual-currency, structured deposits and other investments are not insured. That is better copy than most digital banks worldwide. Standard Chartered and FairPrice Group are the partnership — they are not the scheme. GXS is Grab-Singtel. MariBank is Sea. Freedom card and TrustInvest are SKUs; only the eligible SGD deposit is SDIC. Keep salary on the savings account, not on the stockback card.

Best for: Singapore residents who want a MAS digital bank with supermarket rewards, and will keep investments off the SDIC line.

Licence

Digital bank — Trust Bank Singapore (Co. Reg. No. 202039712G)

Protection

Homepage Deposit Insurance Scheme box: Singapore dollar deposits of non-bank depositors are insured by SDIC for up to S$100,000 in aggregate per depositor per Scheme member by law. Foreign currency deposits, dual currency investments, structured deposits and other investment products are not insured. Footer: Co. Reg. No. 202039712G. Partnership of Standard Chartered and FairPrice Group — shareholders, not the scheme.

Monthly

Confirm live — savings + cards carry the marketing

#3 alternative

Wise

active

The mid-market FX rail everyone else is measured against.

4.7

London · 16M+ · Public (WISE)

8.6Strong

The control for cross-border. Pair with a licensed local bank for salary protection. Never describe Wise personal as a UK bank account.

Best for: Anyone who receives or sends money across borders for a living.

Licence

EMI (personal)

Protection

Safeguarded EMI funds in the UK — not FSCS. Local bank details may sit at partner banks.

Monthly

Free personal · Wise Business subscription optional

#4 alternative

Airwallex

active

Global business accounts from a Singapore-born payments company.

4.5

Singapore · 150k businesses · ~$800M raised

8.3Strong

Default APAC business account in this register. Mercury wins US start-ups; Airwallex wins multi-entity trade.

Best for: Exporters, marketplaces, and Aussie/Asian scale-ups paying suppliers in many currencies.

Licence

Payments / EMI-class licences by market

Protection

Safeguarded / stored-value — not a retail bank deposit scheme

Monthly

Account often free · FX and scale pricing on the corridor

#5 alternative

Kestrl is a habit layer. Keep a Monzo/Starling/high-street account for the actual deposit. Halal branding does not move FSCS.

Best for: UK Muslims who want a money app that speaks their constraints, with a real bank still underneath.

Licence

App + partner EMI/bank rails

Protection

If a spending account exists, it is partner-EMI or bank — not Kestrl-as-bank

Monthly

Freemium / subscription SKUs — confirm live

#6 alternative

Found

active

US banking for the self-employed: taxes, invoices, and a debit card.

4.8

San Francisco · Self-employed base · Series-era (Allianz x others)

7.3Solid

Found is the freelancer current account. Novo is generic SMB. Relay is multi-entity ops.

Best for: US freelancers who hate QuickBooks more than they hate banks.

Licence

Fintech with partner banks

Protection

FDIC via Piermont Bank and partners

Monthly

Free core