Rethinking international multi-currency payouts for travel platforms

Complementing FX services with flexibility, speed, and operational control.

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As global travel demand continues to grow, the industry has never been more interconnected. Platforms are seamlessly onboarding hotels in Hungary, tour guides in Singapore, or transport providers in Spain. Yet, behind this global expansion, payments remain deeply fragmented, creating friction, inefficiency, and barriers to true scalability.

Most platforms rely on major FX partners to manage currency exchange. While this offers broad coverage, it is not enough.

True cross-border success depends not just on supporting multiple currencies, but on how quickly, flexibly, and reliably funds reach the right partners in the right place, at the right time.

In this article, we explore how international multi-currency payouts can be enhanced by combining the expertise of large FX providers with the capabilities of flexible partners like Fire, offering local rails, predictable settlement, and payment automation.

Where major FX providers leave gaps in international multi-currency payouts

Major FX providers remain essential for travel platforms, especially when it comes to managing large-scale currency conversions. Their services give platforms the ability to hold and exchange a wide range of currencies, which is critical for cross-border operations. However, when it comes to paying out to local partners, these providers often leave gaps that can affect efficiency and partner satisfaction.

The most common challenges include:

• Settlement delays that slow down payments to hotels, guides, and suppliers.
• High transaction and conversion costs that erode platform margins.
• Limited payout options, as many providers still rely on SWIFT transfers. While SWIFT remains a trusted method for international payments, local payment rails are often faster, more cost-effective, and better aligned with regional partner needs.
• Restricted automation and API capabilities, making it more difficult to manage payouts efficiently at scale.

In other words, large FX partners handle the heavy lifting of currency exchange, but they are not designed for the flexible, automated payouts that today’s travel platforms rely on.

The value of local payout options for global travel platforms

Local payment rails are domestic networks that process transactions within a specific country or region. In Ireland and across the wider EEA, this is SEPA; in the UK, it is Faster Payments and BACS; and in the US, ACH and FedWire.

By combining international multi-currency payouts with access to local payment rails, travel platforms can overcome many of the challenges faced when paying partners across regions. This approach delivers a more seamless and complete service for both users and suppliers.

Many local businesses:

• Operate in local currencies and often lack access to advanced FX tools.
• Prefer to receive funds in domestic bank accounts or mobile wallets rather than through SWIFT, which, though highly reliable for international transfers, can add unnecessary costs for smaller partners.
• Depend on predictable settlement times to manage tight cash flow and maintain smooth operations.

If a platform cannot pay local businesses quickly and through their preferred channels, they may instead choose to work with competitors who can. With 34% of travel firms globally planning to adopt alternative and local payment methods to stay competitive, payout flexibility is becoming more of a necessity than an added bonus.

Supporting international multi-currency payouts alongside traditional FX providers

Fire’s strength lies in flexible payouts and API-driven automation, which naturally serves as a compatible enhancement to the broad coverage offered by traditional FX providers. By combining multi-currency payouts through local payment rails with API-first automation, Fire brings efficiency, speed, and control to payout processes. In addition, we provide live currency conversion and SWIFT collections, offering a complete suite of FX services.

Customers are provided with euro and sterling accounts, providing direct access to EU and UK markets. Real-time FX between these currencies allows instant conversion, 24/7, helping platforms manage currency exposure and settlements smoothly.

Traditional FX providers continue to play a valuable role, especially for less common currencies or broader currency pairings. Fire’s multi-currency payout service supports local payments in 12 currencies in addition to euro and sterling, including US, Canadian, Singapore and Hong Kong Dollars, reducing the need for multiple payment partners, streamlining operations, and ensuring payouts reach recipients quickly and predictably.

This combination of flexibility, automation, and local reach is why leading businesses trust Fire to manage disbursements and operational payments at scale, delivering reliable multi-currency payouts without the complexity and constraints of traditional FX services.

Some common travel payout use cases with Fire

Fire enables travel platforms to manage a variety of payout flows efficiently, ensuring partners are paid quickly, predictably, and in their local currencies. By handling both operational and partner-focused payments, our solution reduces complexity and keeps platforms running smoothly.

Supplier payouts
Hotels, accommodation providers, destination management companies (DMCs), and tour or transport operators rely on timely payments. Using local payment rails and predictable settlement improves supplier satisfaction and retention.

Commission payments
Resellers, affiliate networks, independent travel agents, and referral partners benefit from automated payouts, which reduce manual reconciliation and support scalable growth.

Operational payments
Platforms also need to manage operational costs such as licensing and compliance fees, insurance premiums, and local service contracts (cleaning, maintenance, or repairs). Reliable, localised payments simplify day-to-day operations and ensure smooth platform functioning.

How Fire compares to traditional FX providers

Travel platforms often need to balance multiple payout priorities, from speed and automation to local reach and cost clarity. The table below highlights how Fire can address gaps and offer advantages over traditional FX providers for these businesses.

Feature		Traditional FX providers
Local payout methods	✅ Yes – supports domestic payment rails in key markets	❌ No – often rely on SWIFT only
API automation	✅ Yes – full API control for automated payouts	⚠️ Partial – some manual processes required
Settlement speed	✅ Quick – typically same-day	⚠️ Slower – often 1–3 business days
Reconciliation	✅ Yes – real-time, automated reporting	⚠️ Partial – can be delayed or manual
Cost transparency	✅ Yes – clear and competitive	⚠️ Partial – fees can be unpredictable in some cases

Taking control of your international multi-currency payouts

Flexible, localised payouts are essential for travel platforms looking to streamline operations, satisfy partners, and scale efficiently. By combining multi-currency support, API-driven automation, and access to local payment rails, platforms can pay suppliers, agents, and partners quickly, predictably, and cost-effectively. Fire’s approach complements existing FX providers, giving platforms the control and efficiency they need to keep operations running smoothly and partners satisfied.

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Looking to simplify your payouts? Discover how Fire can help your travel platform automate and optimise payments across multiple currencies and markets, and contact our team today.

FAQs

What are international multi-currency payouts?

These are cross-border payments made in multiple currencies, typically sent to partners or suppliers in their local bank account and currency.

Why do travel platforms need payout flexibility?

Travel partners – from tour guides to property owners – have varying preferences for payment speed, currency, and settlement timing. Offering flexible payout options helps build trust and enables platforms to scale more efficiently.

Can I use both FX aggregators and payout partners like Fire?

Yes. Many platforms rely on FX aggregators for broad currency coverage while using more agile partners to deliver faster, localised payouts to suppliers and partners.

How do same-day payouts work for international suppliers?

By leveraging local payment rails and pre-funded accounts, providers like Fire can process cross-border payouts faster than those relying solely on SWIFT transfers, often completing payments within the same day, depending on the region.

What’s the benefit of using regional payment rails?

Regional payment rails, such as SEPA, Faster Payments or ACH, can lower costs, speed up transactions, and provide greater transparency compared with transfers that rely solely on the global SWIFT network.