How to lower FX costs on Amazon with Airwallex

Amazon shows your rising sales, then quietly shaves 1–3% off every cross-currency payout. This guide unpacks exactly where FX leaks occur and how to lower FX costs on Amazon with Airwallex in four fast moves.

The hidden FX drain on every Amazon payout

Every time you sell on Amazon across borders, you face a silent profit killer: double currency conversions. These happen when you convert currencies twice – once to your home currency and once to the currency of your providers – causing your business to lose portions of your well-earned cash with every transaction.

Amazon's default conversion tool charges fees that scale with your volume. If your cross-currency proceeds are less than $500,000, you're paying 1.5% on every conversion. Even high-volume sellers with over $10m in proceeds still face a 0.75% fee. These percentages might seem small, but they compound across thousands of transactions.

The real damage happens when you combine Amazon's conversion fees with payment processing. First, Amazon takes their cut when converting customer payments to your preferred currency. Then, when you pay international suppliers or manage inventory purchases, your bank hits you with another round of conversion fees. This double hit can slash your margins by 2–3% on every international transaction.

Making matters worse, 2025 brings new challenges for Amazon sellers. The simplicity of selling across borders comes at an increasingly expensive price, with FX fees eating deeper into already tight margins.

Why FX and 2025 tariffs slash your Amazon margins

The FX drain on Amazon sellers gets worse when you factor in 2025's new trade landscape. Over 70% of Amazon sellers rely on Chinese suppliers, and they're now facing a brutal combination of currency conversion costs and import taxes.

Tariffs can raise your import costs by 10–25%, directly impacting your bottom line. When you import products from China to stock in FBA warehouses, you're not just paying for the goods – you're paying tariffs on top of your already expensive FX conversions. Every currency exchange compounds the cost pressure.

The math is devastating for sellers sourcing internationally. You pay FX fees to convert Amazon payouts to your home currency, then more fees to pay suppliers in their currency. Add tariffs to the equation, and your actual product cost skyrockets. Airwallex charges just 0.5–1% above the interbank rate on foreign exchange fees, compared to the traditional double-conversion trap that costs you 2–3% minimum.

Without smart FX management, these combined costs create a margin squeeze that forces sellers to either raise prices and lose competitive edge, or absorb the costs and watch profits evaporate.

Four ways Airwallex slashes FX costs for Amazon sellers

Airwallex gives you the tools to bypass Amazon's expensive currency conversions and keep more of your international sales revenue. Here's how to implement each cost-cutting strategy.

Open local Amazon receiving accounts in 20+ currencies

With Airwallex, you can create Global Accounts in over 20 currencies located in 10+ countries. This means Amazon can pay you directly in EUR, GBP, USD, or other major currencies without forcing any conversion.

Instead of accepting Amazon's default currency conversion at 1.5% or more, you receive payouts in the original sale currency. Your German Amazon store pays euros directly into your EUR Global Account. Your UK store pays pounds into your GBP account. Zero conversion, zero fees at this stage.

Stop double currency conversion

The real savings kick in when you pay suppliers. Stopping double conversion saves you a minimum of 2–3% compared to standard rates. If you're receiving USD from Amazon.com and paying Chinese suppliers, you can hold those dollars and convert directly to CNY when rates favor you.

This single move eliminates the wasteful USD → home currency → CNY double hop that traditional banking forces on you.

Use like-for-like settlement at just 1%

Like-for-like settlement through the platform offers 14+ major currencies into its multi-currency wallet at a 1% fee. This beats forcing everything through your home currency and paying conversion fees twice.

Like-for-like settlement ensures the currency you receive is exactly what lands in your account – no hidden conversions, no surprise fees. You maintain complete control over when and how to exchange currencies.

Lock in rates with scheduled conversions

Currency volatility can destroy your pricing strategy overnight. The platform lets you lock in FX rates in advance with scheduled conversions (availability varies by region). When you know you'll need to pay a supplier in 60 days, you can secure today's rate and eliminate the risk of currency swings.

This feature transforms FX from a constant worry into a predictable cost you can build into your pricing.

Seller results: US$40,000 saved and hours reclaimed

Real Amazon sellers are already banking these savings. Dalstrong, a premium kitchen knife seller, saved $40,000 annually on Amazon collection costs alone by switching to Airwallex. They also cut their FX transaction time from six to two hours weekly.

The savings compound across different business models. Kester Black, an Australian eCommerce company, saves C$24,000 yearly from currency conversion fees on global expenses. They process up to 1,000 daily transactions through the platform without the excessive fees their previous solution imposed.

For businesses managing complex international operations, the time savings matter as much as the money. Flightpath, a Canadian jet charter company, saves 4+ hours weekly on global transfers while benefiting from same-day settlement when collecting multiple currencies. Their finance team, previously buried in payment tracking that consumed half a day weekly, now focuses on strategic work.

These aren't isolated wins. Dalstrong avoided a 2.5% FX fee entirely by using multi-currency accounts. That percentage might sound small, but on millions in Amazon sales, it funds entire product lines.

Airwallex vs Amazon Seller Wallet vs banks

Amazon Seller Wallet offers competitive exchange rates and lets you convert funds from USD to 20+ currencies without hidden fees. It's free to create an account, and transfers from USD to major currencies typically arrive the next business day. But you're still locked into Amazon's ecosystem.

Airwallex gives you more flexibility. While WorldFirst charges up to 0.6% for major currency conversions, the platform offers 0.4% for major currencies. More importantly, it provides 90% same-day fund arrival to over 150 countries, with nearly 65% arriving instantly.

Traditional financial providers often charge higher FX mark-ups than fintech alternatives. The average premium to send payments across borders hits 3.39%, devastating for high-volume Amazon sellers.

The real advantage of Airwallex shows in its integrated approach. You're not just getting better FX rates – you're getting a complete financial operations platform that handles collections, payouts, and expense management in one system.

Quick-start checklist: set up Airwallex for your Amazon store

Getting started with Airwallex takes less time than a single Amazon inventory reconciliation. Here's your action plan:

Week 1: Account Setup

• Open your Airwallex business account online

• Complete verification with your business documents

• Create Global Accounts in currencies matching your Amazon stores

Week 2: Amazon Integration

• Add your new Global Account details to each Amazon marketplace

• Set each store to pay out in its local currency (no conversion)

• Schedule your first batch transfer

  – you can set dates up to 120 days ahead for same-currency transfers

Week 3: Supplier Payments

• Upload your supplier list to Airwallex

• Set up recurring payments in supplier currencies

• Configure approval workflows for your team

Week 4: Optimization

• Review your first week's FX savings in the dashboard

• Set up scheduled conversions for predictable costs

• Activate Direct Billing cards

  in USD, EUR, GBP and 8 other currencies for zero conversion fees on business expenses

The platform handles the complexity behind the scenes. Your transfers arrive within one day using local payment rails in 120+ countries, beating traditional SWIFT timelines.

Level up your Amazon profits, not your FX costs

Every day you delay switching from Amazon's default currency converter costs real money. The combination of FX fees, double conversions, and 2025's tariff pressures creates a margin crisis that demands immediate action.

Airwallex transforms FX from a profit drain into a competitive advantage. Dalstrong's US$40,000 annual savings prove what's possible when you stop accepting expensive currency conversions as the cost of doing business. Add the 4+ hours saved weekly on payment operations, and you're not just saving money – you're buying back time to grow your Amazon business.

The math is simple: keep paying 2-3% on every international transaction, or cut it to under 1% with Airwallex. With tariffs already squeezing margins and competition intensifying, optimizing your FX costs isn't optional anymore. It's the difference between thriving and merely surviving as an Amazon seller in 2025.

Open your Airwallex account today and join the thousands of Amazon sellers who've already stopped letting FX fees eat their profits. Your future margins will thank you.

FAQ

What causes double currency conversion on Amazon and why does it matter?

Amazon may convert customer payments into your chosen payout currency, and later you convert again to pay suppliers in another currency. Two conversions mean two spreads and two sets of fees, which can add up; Airwallex explains that avoiding double conversion can save around 2–3% versus standard flows (see https://www.airwallex.com/us/blog/avoid-double-currency-conversion).

How does Airwallex help reduce Amazon FX fees?

Receive Amazon payouts in matching currencies via Global Accounts, hold balances, and convert once when needed. Airwallex states FX is typically 0.5–1% above the interbank rate, and the single-conversion approach avoids the extra costs of converting to a home currency and back (source: https://www.airwallex.com/us/blog/avoid-double-currency-conversion).

Which currencies can I receive Amazon payouts in with Global Accounts?

You can open local Global Accounts in 20+ currencies across 10+ countries to collect like for like (for example EUR, GBP, USD). See the supported currencies and payment types here: https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/900001759623-Which-currencies-can-I-get-a-Global-Account-in-and-what-payments-can-I-receive.

Is like-for-like settlement cheaper than converting to my home currency?

For 14+ major currencies, like-for-like settlement into a multi-currency wallet is available at a 1% fee, which helps avoid multiple conversions. Fees and availability can vary by region; check the latest details at https://www.airwallex.com/au/stripe-fee-calculator.

Can I lock in FX rates for future supplier payments?

Scheduled conversions let you secure an exchange rate in advance so you can plan costs and reduce volatility risk. Availability varies by region, so confirm in your account or with support before setting up a conversion schedule.

What real savings have Amazon sellers reported with Airwallex?

Case studies show measurable wins: Dalstrong reports US$40,000 saved annually on Amazon collection costs (https://www.airwallex.com/case-studies/dalstrong). Others, like Flightpath and Kester Black, report time savings of 4+ hours per week and conversion fee reductions of about C$24,000 per year respectively.

Citations

1. https://airwallex.com/us/blog/avoid-double-currency-conversion

2. https://www.e-comas.com/insights/best-currency-exchange-services-amazon-sellers/

3. https://ecomclips.com/blog/2025-tariff-shock-amazon-seller-can-still-survive/

4. https://goaura.com/blog/amazon-sellers-tariffs

5. https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/900001759623-Which-currencies-can-I-get-a-Global-Account-in-and-what-payments-can-I-receive

6. https://airwallex.com/au/stripe-fee-calculator

7. https://www.airwallex.com/case-studies/dalstrong

8. https://www.airwallex.com/case-studies/kester-black

9. https://www.airwallex.com/case-studies/flightpath

10. https://sell.amazon.com/tools/seller-wallet

11. https://www.airwallex.com/sg/blog/comparison-worldfirst-vs-airwallex

12. https://www.airwallex.com/au/blog/reducing-the-costs-of-cross-border-payments

13. https://www.airwallex.com/docs/payouts__create-a-batch-transfer

14. https://www.airwallex.com/docs/issuing__supported-regions-and-currencies

15. https://www.airwallex.com/ca/business-account/transfers/send-money-to-italy