How Wise's Referral Program Works: A Complete Guide to Earning Rewards

I spent months promoting Wise to friends and family, and finally hit the threshold to claim my first referral bonus. The process turned out to be surprisingly straightforward, and the rewards? Well worth the effort.

What You Need to Know About Wise Referral Rewards

The referral program operates on a simple cycle, though the exact reward varies by account. In my case, I earned 115 USD equivalent for every three qualifying referrals.

Here's how it breaks down: you need three friends to each transfer over 300 USD through Wise. In return, they get a pretty sweet deal too—a fee-free transfer up to 600 USD. It's one of those rare win-win situations where everyone benefits.

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The key milestone happens when your referred friends complete their qualifying transfers. You'll receive an email with the subject line "Nice! Your friend just sent money with Wise." But here's the catch—you won't get paid immediately.

The Review and Payout Process

Wise takes up to 30 days to review your referral activity before releasing the reward. Once approved, you'll get another email titled "You've scored 115 USD for inviting friends." That's your green light to claim the money.

After receiving the approval email, log into your Wise account where you'll see the reward waiting. You'll need to manually enter your payout details, and this is where things get interesting.

Payout options vary by currency:

• GBP via Faster Payments: Just needs your name, sort code, and account number

• USD via ACH: Requires additional information like your address

• Direct to Wise balance: You can keep it in your Wise GBP account

I chose to send mine to my Revolut GBP account using the Faster Payments system. The process was quick—I filled out the form and received 84.88 GBP within minutes.

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My Referral Timeline: What to Expect

Real-world timing gives you a better sense of how this plays out:

• September 25, 2021: First friend signed up

• October 2, 2021: First qualifying transfer completed

• October 11, 2021: Second qualifying transfer completed

• February 4, 2022: Third qualifying transfer completed

From start to finish, the entire cycle took about four months. The waiting period for the third referral was the longest, but once all three friends completed their transfers, the review and payout moved quickly.

Making the Most of the Program

The referral program is genuinely cyclical—once you've claimed one reward, you can start working toward the next. The 300 USD threshold per person isn't particularly high, especially for people who regularly send money internationally for business, supporting family, or paying foreign expenses.

The key is finding friends or contacts who actually need international transfer services. Don't spam people who won't use it. Focus on those who genuinely transfer money across borders—they'll appreciate the fee-free transfer benefit, and you'll build up rewards naturally over time.

The beauty of this program lies in its sustainability. Unlike one-time promotional codes that expire or lose value, the referral structure rewards ongoing use and creates genuine value for everyone involved.