How to Pay Remote Teams in 2025: The Smartest Way to Simplify Global Payroll

Hiring talent globally is easier than ever. But paying them? Not so much. Small business owners, freelancers, and growing teams are running into the same issue: traditional cross-border payments are slow, expensive, and confusing.

In fact, a recent report showed that one-third of cross-border payments still take more than one business day to settle [1]. Only 38.3% of B2B payment providers globally offer upfront transparency on cost and speed [2]. And between 35% to 50% of SMEs now rely on fintech platforms rather than banks for cross-border payments [3].

In this article, we’ll explore the best ways to pay international team members in 2025, how businesses are adapting, and what smarter banking tools can do to help.

The Hidden Challenges of Paying a Remote Team

Building a distributed team can unlock talent, save costs, and support business growth. But behind the scenes, managing international payments can quickly become a logistical headache.

Currency conversion fees eat into budgets. Transfer delays frustrate workers waiting to get paid. Payment visibility is often lacking. And compliance with international tax and employment laws adds further complexity.

Without a modern solution, even paying a small group of overseas freelancers can become a time-consuming and costly process.

Despite the rise of digital banking, many global payments remain slow and opaque. Traditional bank transfers via SWIFT are still common, but they often take several days and involve multiple intermediary fees.

These inefficiencies make it harder for small businesses to manage cash flow, keep remote teams happy, and scale confidently.

It’s no surprise that so many SMEs are switching to alternative financial providers.

The Best Ways to Pay Remote Teams in 2025

Businesses now have more tools than ever - but each option has pros and cons.

• International Bank Transfers (SWIFT): Still widely used for larger B2B payments. However, they are slow (2–5 days), expensive (£15–£50 per transaction), and often lack fee transparency. Globally, the average cost of sending remittances was 6.62% of the amount sent as of Q2 2024 [4].
• Bulk Payment Platforms: Fintech platforms enable batch payments to multiple recipients in one go, saving admin time and reducing per-transfer costs. They’re ideal for freelancer-heavy teams.
• Prepaid Cards: Provide remote workers with instant access to funds, but lack scalability and may pose compliance challenges.
• Digital Wallets: Fast, transparent, and user-friendly for international contractors. Freelancers increasingly prefer wallets for their ease and flexibility, but they can have limited accessibility and may involve fees or delays when withdrawing funds.
• Cryptocurrency: Used in niche cases or regions with unstable banking infrastructure. Speedy and low-cost, but risky due to price volatility and regulatory uncertainty.

What Makes a Better Way to Pay?

The right payment solution must go beyond speed. To serve growing teams, it needs to deliver:

• Fast settlement times - same-day or instant where possible
• Transparent pricing - no hidden conversion fees or surprise charges
• Simple admin - easy onboarding and built-in tracking
• Regulatory confidence - compliance with UK, EU, and international laws.

How Amaiz Makes Global Payroll Easy

Amaiz is designed for businesses paying international teams. It removes friction from global payroll, making it faster, clearer, and more affordable.

With Amaiz, you get:

• International payments with full FX visibility
• SEPA, SWIFT, and FPS support for broad reach
• Batch payment tools for efficient salary runs
• No hidden charges — just fair, transparent pricing
• Payment cards, both virtual and plastic

Whether you’re managing a single contractor or a team across five countries, Amaiz gives you the confidence to grow.

To review the platform from the inside, you can register for a demo account. Read more about the demo account here. If you’d like to check more details about batch payments, check here.

Ready to Modernise Your Global Payroll?

Start your smarter payroll journey with Amaiz today - faster payments, multiple payout options, and zero headaches.

Learn more: www.amaiz.com

Because growing businesses deserve better tools.

1. European Central Bank, 2024 https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2025/html/ecb.sp250401~9e1ee05e88.en.htm.
2. Financial Stability Board, 2024 https://www.fsb.org/uploads/P211024-3.pdf
3. McKinsey & Company, 2023. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/banking-matters/how-banks-can-win-back-lower-value-cross-border-payments-business.
4. World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide - Issue 51, September 2024 https://remittanceprices.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/rpw_main_report_and_annex_q324.pdf.