Is Global66 unavailable in Canada? Here are some alternatives

Global66 isn’t currently available to users in Canada. For those looking to send money internationally, manage multi-currency balances, or support business operations abroad, several Canadian-friendly alternatives offer similar features.

We’re comparing some of the top options on the Canadian market, including Wise, KOHO, Simplii, Tangerine, and PayPal. You’ll find up-to-date user ratings, a feature comparison table, and clear pros and cons to help you choose the right service. We’ll also take a look at Wise for transparent international money transfers and global account features.

Why Global66 isn’t available in Canada

Global66 is active in Latin America and the US, but hasn't announced plans to expand into Canada or meet local compliance standards. Until that changes, Canadians will need to use other regulated alternatives.

Likely reasons include regulatory and licensing barriers. To operate in Canada, financial services must register as a Money Services Business (MSB) with FINTRAC¹ and follow strict anti-money laundering rules.

Overview of 4 Canadian alternatives

While Global66 isn’t available in Canada, there are other providers that offer smart, flexible ways to move money across borders. Some are designed for everyday spending and saving, while others come with features tailored to freelancers, side hustlers, or small business owners.

If you’re looking for simple transfers and multi-currency tools, or just a low-fee way to send money abroad, these four Canadian-based options, plus Wise, are all alternatives worth considering.

KOHO

KOHO offers a reloadable prepaid Mastercard, with three plan tiers to suit different needs and budgets. All plans come with useful tools like budgeting insights, cashback, and interest on savings. Premium users get extra perks like waived foreign transaction fees, credit-building tools, and one free international ATM withdrawal per month.

Pros:

• No foreign transaction fees on Extra and Everything plans²
• Up to 2% cashback and 4% interest on eligible categories²
• 1 free international ATM withdrawal per month on premium plans²
• Credit-building tools and free credit score access included
• Easy to open online with no credit check or minimum balance

Cons:

• Monthly fees for premium plans (12 –14.75 CAD/month)²
• 1.5% FX fee applies on the free Essential plan³
• Out-of-network ATM withdrawals can still cost 2 –3 CAD after the first free one⁴

Wealthsimple Cash

The Wealthsimple Cash account pairs with a prepaid Mastercard to handle everyday spending with no monthly fees or FX charges⁵. Users earn interest on both CAD and USD balances, and can access investing tools ranging from commission-free stock trading to self-directed portfolios. It's a good option for Canadians who want a no-fee setup with some earning potential and investment access built in.

Pros:

• No monthly fees, FX charges, or Interac e-Transfer costs for the chequing account⁵
• Earn 2.75% on CAD and 4% on USD savings accounts⁶ with no minimums
• 1% cashback on card purchases, redeemable as cash or investments⁷
• CDIC coverage up to $1 million via partner banks⁵
• Access to stock, ETF, and crypto trading in one app
• Partnered with Wise for quick international transfers to chequing accounts with a limit of up to 9,999.99 CAD per day⁸

Cons:

• ATM withdrawals are reimbursed only up to 5 CAD per month⁵
• No physical branches or in-person customer service
• Prepaid card requires manual top-ups (not a credit card)

Simplii Financial

Backed by CIBC, Simplii Financial delivers full-service digital banking without the typical costs. It covers chequing, savings, credit, and even foreign currency options, all online. Users can bank with no monthly fees, send unlimited Interac e-Transfers, and withdraw cash from thousands of CIBC ATMs across Canada⁹.

With perks like high promotional interest rates and a cashback credit card, it's a safe choice for anyone who prefers traditional banking tools in a low-cost, digital format.

Pros:

• Free chequing, savings, and USD/foreign currency accounts⁹
• Unlimited Interac e-Transfers and transactions for chequing account customers⁹
• CIBC ATM network access nationwide
• Cashback credit card with up to 4% on dining and daily spending (up to 8% cashback in your first 3 months)¹⁰
• No fees on international transfers to 130+ countries¹¹

Cons:

• No in-person banking or branch access
• Overdraft protection carries monthly and interest charges¹²
• Credit card interest is high if unpaid
• Promotional savings interest rates are time-limited
• Lacks perks like free foreign ATM use or FX fee waivers¹³

Tangerine

Tangerine is a digital bank under the Scotiabank umbrella, designed to make everyday banking simple and cost-effective. With a no-fee chequing account, a variety of savings options, and global ATM access, it suits those who want the essentials without paying for extras. Everything is managed online or through the app, and customers can use over 3,500 Scotiabank ATMs in Canada and thousands more abroad through the Global ATM Alliance¹⁴.

Pros:

• No monthly fees on chequing and savings accounts¹⁵
• Unlimited debit transactions and free Interac e-Transfers¹⁵
• Mobile wallet support for Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more
• Access to 3,500+ ATMs in Canada and 44,000 globally¹⁴
• Backed by a major Canadian bank (Scotiabank)

Cons:

• No in-person service or physical branches
• Foreign purchases and withdrawals come with a 2.5% foreign exchange fee¹⁶
• Only one chequing account type offered
• Paper services may cost extra
• No international transfer service available

PayPal Business

PayPal Business offers a global, all-in-one platform to help Canadian entrepreneurs accept payments, manage transactions, and grow their online presence. It supports all major credit and debit cards, even if your customers don’t have PayPal, and includes tools like invoicing, subscriptions, batch payouts, and e-commerce integrations. It's especially useful for small businesses that want a quick setup and international reach. The downside? Fees can quickly add up, particularly for cross-border or card-based transactions.

Pros:

• Accepts all major credit and debit cards
• Customers can pay without creating a PayPal account
• Tools for invoicing, subscriptions, and batch payouts
• Seamless integration with Shopify, QuickBooks, and other platforms
• Access to business financing and credit options

Cons:

• Domestic payments incur a fee of 2.9% + a fixed fee per transaction¹⁷
• 3%–4% FX conversion fee¹⁷
• Card payments from abroad can attract fees over 4%¹⁷
• Instant transfers to debit cards have a 1.5% withdrawal fee¹⁷
• You can't downgrade business accounts to personal accounts. If you want a personal account, you'll need to open a new one with a new registered email address¹⁸.

Wise Business

Wise Business is built for companies that need a smarter, lower-cost way to handle international payments. You can hold and convert over 40 currencies, get local account details in 23 currencies, and pay employees or suppliers in more than 70 countries.

Everything is priced transparently, with currency conversions using the real mid-market rate and no hidden markups. Wise also connects with accounting tools, supports batch payments, and lets teams spend with Wise debit cards. It’s a practical alternative for globally minded businesses, but keep in mind that it’s not a full-service bank.

Pros:

• Currency conversion at the mid-market rate with low fees (from 0.48%¹⁹)
• Hold, convert, and manage balances in 40+ currencies
• Get local bank details in 23 currencies, including CAD, USD, EUR, GBP
• Pay invoices or salaries in bulk to 50+ countries
• No foreign transaction fees on spending with Wise debit cards
• Syncs with Xero, QuickBooks, and other accounting software
• Free same-currency transfers between Wise accounts

Cons:

• One-time setup fee of 55 CAD¹⁹ to activate local account details
• No lending, overdraft, or business credit options
• Receiving USD wire transfers and SWIFT payments cost 6.11 USD¹⁹
• No physical branches or in-person customer service
• No rewards or cashback program for card spending
• ATM withdrawals over 350 CAD/month incur extra fees (1.75% + 1.50 CAD per withdrawal¹⁹)

Quick comparison of providers

Provider	Multi-currency wallet	Supported FX currencies	Transfer options
KOHO	No	CAD	Domestic transfers, e-Transfers, global transfers to 190+ countries
Wealthsimple Cash	No - USD savings account available separately	CAD, USD savings account	Domestic transfers, international transfers via Wise; prepaid card usable abroad
Simplii Financial	USD savings account and Foreign Currency Savings Accounts	CAD, USD savings account GBP, EUR, INR, PHP and CNH Foreign Currency Savings Accounts	Free international transfers to 130+ countries
Tangerine	No but USD savings account available	CAD, USD savings account	No built-in international transfer service
PayPal Business	Yes	20+ currencies	Global payments and invoicing, supports card and PayPal payments in multiple currencies
Wise Business	Yes	40+ currencies	Send, hold, convert, and receive globally; local bank details

FX rates & fees comparison

If you're planning to convert CAD to USD, it's important to compare not just fees, but also the exchange rates offered by each provider. Even a small markup on the exchange rate can make a big difference in the final amount delivered.

To help you see how much you'd get from different services, here’s a comparison based on sending CAD 1,000 to USD, using the best available rates and disclosures for each platform. Note that some providers don’t publicly list their real-time exchange rates or fees upfront.

Example – 1,000 CAD to USD

Provider	Approx. Rate	Fee Type	Amount Delivered (USD)
KOHO	1 CAD = 0.73500000 USD	Transfer fee - 3.87 CAD	732.16 USD
Wealthsimple Cash	Rate not publicly available - shown at transaction	Up to 1.5% markup on the conversion rate20	Not disclosed
Simplii	Rate not publicly available - shown at transaction	2.5% markup on conversion rate21	Not disclosed
Tangerine	International transfers aren’t supported22	N/A	N/A
Wise	1 CAD = 0.7312 USD	Domestic wire transfer fee - 0.31 CAD Wise fee - 7.10 CAD Total fees - 7.41 CAD	725.82 USD

App and user experience evaluation

All six platforms offer good mobile and web usability, with clean interfaces and user-friendly onboarding. However, their capabilities vary when it comes to handling foreign currency or international transfers.

KOHO:

• Sleek, intuitive mobile app with budgeting and savings tools.
• Real-time transaction notifications and card controls.
• FX and international spending are supported
• In-app chat support is available, with generally positive feedback on response times.

Wealthsimple Cash:

• The Wealthsimple app covers banking, investing, and crypto.
• Clean design with straightforward navigation.
• FX features are minimal and geared more towards domestic use and investing.
• Users rate it highly for ease of use but note some limitations with instant funding or transfer speeds.

Simplii:

• Fully digital banking experience, with app access to chequing, savings, and international transfers.
• Simple interface with essential tools for money management.
• App lacks advanced features like live FX tracking or spending insights.
• International transfers are possible but FX rates are only shown at the point of transaction.

Tangerine:

• Modern app with access to full banking services, savings goals, and investment tools.
• Integration with mobile wallets and biometric login.
• Lacks support for international transfers or foreign currency accounts.
• Highly rated for daily banking, but limited if you need global functionality.

PayPal Business:

• Powerful dashboard via web or app for managing transactions, invoices, and subscriptions.
• Accepts global payments and supports multiple currencies.
• Higher fees and complex fee structures can be frustrating for some users.
• Excellent for e-commerce integration, but not a full banking replacement.

Wise Business:

• Intuitive web and mobile platform with real-time currency conversion and transfer tracking.
• Dashboard includes access to account details in multiple currencies, expense management, and batch payments.
• Built for international business with clear exchange rate and conversion pricing, fast global transfers, and integration with accounting tools.

Conclusion

Canada offers a growing number of digital banking options, but few are well-equipped for international currency management. Most providers, like KOHO, Simplii, and Tangerine, offer no-fee daily banking but either lack international transfer functionality or apply significant FX markups without transparency.

Wise stands out thanks to its multi-currency support, transparent pricing, and global reach. Businesses and individuals who frequently send, receive, or hold money in different currencies can benefit from Wise’s mid-market exchange rates, low fees, and local account details in 20+ currencies. Meanwhile, platforms like PayPal Business offer global payments but with higher fees and less competitive exchange rates.

If you’re focused on daily Canadian banking, KOHO, Simplii, and Tangerine are strong picks. If you want to combine investing and spending, Wealthsimple offers a flexible, low-fee model. For international payments and multi-currency control, Wise is the most robust and cost-effective solution.

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Sources:

1. Money services businesses (MSBs)
2. KOHO
3. How much is the foreign exchange fee? | KOHO Help Center
4. Using ATMs with your KOHO card
5. Wealthsimple Cash
6. USD Savings Account | Wealthsimple
7. Earn cash back with your Wealthsimple prepaid Mastercard
8. Send an international money transfer – Help Centre
9. Bank Accounts – No-Fee Daily Banking | Simplii Financial
10. No Fee Chequing Account | Simplii Financial
11. Global Money Transfer Offer for New Clients | Simplii
12. Simplii Financial™ Overdraft Rate
13. Simplii Financial Credit Card Summary of Annual Interest Rates and Fees
14. Can I get cash at a Tangerine Location?
15. No-Fee Daily Chequing Account
16. Bank Fee Schedule | Tangerine
17. Fees | Merchant and Business | PayPal CA
18. How do I upgrade or downgrade my PayPal account?
19. Wise Business Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use
20. Compare Generation, Premium, and Core Plans & Fees | Wealthsimple
21. Simplii Financial Credit Card Summary of Annual Interest Rates and Fees
22. How do I send a wire transfer or wire money? | Tangerine