How to Automate Payments Using the Wise API

Wise API can help you automate invoice payments, recurring transfers, standing orders, and more. This guide explains how the Wise API works, how to set it up, and how to get the most out of it.

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Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

Summary of steps

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Step 1: Check API fit and access

Start by confirming that the Wise API is a good fit for your business and your payment workflow. We’ve made it available for businesses that want to automate payments, connect tools, and reduce manual work.

It’s also worth reading who can use the Wise API so you can check that your intended use case matches the API’s workflow. If your business is new, make sure your Wise Business account is ready for setup too.

A typical use case here is a finance team that wants one payment system for recurring supplier payouts, ad hoc transfers, and reconciliation reporting. In this case, the team would confirm access early so they can avoid delays once they start building.

This could result in a smoother rollout, because the team can move into testing with the right account permissions, instead of discovering access issues halfway through implementation.

Step 2: Set up sandbox testing

Once you know the API is a fit, create a free sandbox account in getting started with the API. The sandbox is pre-funded with test credit, so you can trial your setup without moving real money.

Next, create your personal API token from your Wise account settings. You’ll need 2-step verification enabled before you can generate tokens from the website.

A useful use case here is a finance operations lead who wants engineering to test payment creation securely in a staging environment. In this case, the lead would create a token, share it safely with the relevant team, and keep live credentials separate from test access.

This would result in safer development, because the team can validate their build before anything touches real balances or live recipients.

Step 3: Map your payment workflow

Before you build, map exactly which parts of your payment process should run through the Wise API. The API can automate payouts, support recurring transfers, and help you track payment statuses from one integration.

If your business processes many payments at once, consider whether the batch payments tool is also useful. Batch payments are designed for creating and sending multiple payments in one go, which can be a good fit when you already have payee details collected and want a single control point.

For example, a finance team might handle three payment flows: monthly contractor payouts, urgent one-off supplier payments, and exception payments for corrected invoices. In this case, the team would route high-volume runs through automation and keep exceptions for review.

That could result in a cleaner setup, because repetitive payments can run automatically while unusual cases stay visible for approval or manual checks.

Step 4: Build, test, and monitor

Now connect your systems to the API and test the full payment journey. The getting started with the API guide shows that you can start in a sandbox, create tokens, and prepare to go live once your setup is complete.

Use the sandbox to test payment creation, transfer tracking, and statement retrieval for reconciliation. That matters because the Wise API can help you automate transfer creation and track statuses, while the who can use the Wise API article confirms the API’s broader use cases for payouts and reconciliation.

A practical example is a finance team sending hundreds of monthly payments and wanting fewer manual files and fewer logins. In this case, the team would run test transfers first, confirm that statuses update correctly, and then use those same controls in production.

This could result in fewer payment errors and faster month-end reconciliation, especially when your process also needs visibility on completed and pending transfers.

Get the most out of Wise Business

If you're already a Wise Business customer, we hope you are now familiar with how to automate payments using Wise API.

And if you have yet to sign up to Wise Business, we invite you to discover what makes Wise Business a smart choice for UK businesses seeking a business account for all their domestic and global money management needs.

With Wise Business, you can:

• 🌍 Send money to 70+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no hidden exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
• 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
• 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
• 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
• 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
• ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
• 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
• 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation
• 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
• 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
• 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
• 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
• 📈 Earn returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Capital at risk, growth not guaranteed. Your money is at risk if governments default or interest rates go negative. Visit https://payout-surge.live/gb/interest/%3C/a%3E to find out more)
• 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily (Card payment acceptance for new Wise Business customers is currently unavailable. Payment methods subject to eligibility and availability.)
• ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)

Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for all your domestic and global needs.

Be Smart, Get Wise.

Register for Wise Business ✍️

Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

FAQs

Can I use Wise API for both one-off and recurring payments?

Yes. The API can support both one-off payouts and recurring payment workflows, depending on how you design your integration.

That makes it useful for teams that want to automate regular supplier, contractor, or partner payments without rebuilding the process each time.

Do I need a live Wise account before testing the API?

No. You can begin with a free sandbox account, which comes pre-funded with test credit.

That lets you validate payment logic and workflow steps before you move anything into production.

Why do I need 2-step verification for API tokens?

We require 2-step verification before you can create personal API tokens because it adds an extra layer of security.

This helps protect your account while you’re building and testing integrations.

Should I use batch payments or the API?

It depends on your workflow. The batch payments tool is useful for uploading and sending many payments in one file, while the Wise API is better when you want a more automated, system-to-system process.

Many teams use both, depending on whether the priority is operational simplicity or deeper automation.