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Wise Profit Falls as U.S. Primary Listing Plans Advance

Heavy hiring plus marketing outlays cut underlying profit in pursuit of a larger U.S. footprint.

Overview

  • Underlying pre-tax profit fell 17% to £122 million in the first half as revenue rose 11% to £658 million.
  • The company reaffirmed plans to switch its primary listing to New York in Q2 2026 and estimated about £35 million in one-off costs, with a UK headquarters and a secondary London listing retained.
  • Headcount grew by more than 1,000 in the half and administrative expenses are now projected at around £1 billion for the year, with marketing spend up 59% to £57 million and technology investment up 18% to £144 million.
  • Wise disclosed a $4.2 million penalty tied to anti-money-laundering findings from a routine U.S. examination.
  • Management is seeking a U.S. national trust bank charter to enable direct dollar settlement with the Federal Reserve.