financeb2bUK business banking, explained without the sales pitch.
Set three things and see what a Gemba account would cost you, against what your own bank charges today. Every Gemba figure here comes from their published schedule.
Every business type opens for a different reason.
One set of account details per client employer.
Keep each client’s funds separate with virtual IBANs, collect by Direct Debit and pay staff abroad from the same login — without opening a bank account per client.
Client money, cleanly separated and reconciled.
Per-client virtual IBANs under one account, with a Xero feed and webhooks so the statements line up with your practice ledger instead of being retyped.
Pay suppliers in their currency, at a published margin.
Hold euros and dollars natively, convert when the rate suits you, and know the cost in advance — 0.65% on major currencies, published, not quoted per deal.
Take marketplace payouts without a forced conversion.
Receive into a balance in the currency you were paid in, hold it, and convert on your own timing rather than on the marketplace’s.
16 currencies. Local rails where it counts.
Eight of them below, with the network each payment actually travels on. A local rail means your counterparty sees a domestic payment, not an international one.
| Code | Currency | Local rails | FX vs mid |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP | Pound Sterling | FPS · BACS · CHAPS | — |
| EUR | Euro | SEPA SCT · Inst · TARGET2 | 0.65% |
| USD | US Dollar | SWIFT MT103 · Fedwire | 0.65% |
| CHF | Swiss Franc | SIC · SWIFT | 0.65% |
| CAD | Canadian Dollar | SWIFT · EFT | 0.65% |
| AUD | Australian Dollar | NPP · SWIFT | 0.65–0.80% |
| JPY | Japanese Yen | Zengin · SWIFT | 0.65–0.80% |
| SGD | Singapore Dollar | FAST · SWIFT | 0.65–0.80% |
Gemba publishes one margin per tier rather than per currency: 0.65% on major currencies, 0.80% on minor, spot on soft and exotic. Where a currency is not named in a tier, both figures are shown. Source: Gemba corporate fee schedule, checked 20 October 2026.
What the market is doing today.
Updated from live market data, not retyped. The margin below is Gemba’s published 0.65% on major currencies — what you would actually receive.
We write for the finance team, not the marketing team.
Every figure on this site is traceable to a published source, and we say where the product is the wrong answer. That is the only reason the numbers above are worth anything.
Gemba suits some businesses. Not all of them.
A strong fit if you…
- Pay or get paid in euros or dollars — often enough that the margin matters
- Need to keep client or entity funds apart — virtual IBANs do this under one account
- Want UK and European rails in one place — FPS, BACS, CHAPS, SEPA and SWIFT
- Want the price before you commit — the fee schedule is published, not quoted per deal
Look elsewhere if you…
- Need FSCS protection — Gemba is a payment institution, not a bank. Funds are safeguarded, which is not the same cover
- Only want to convert currency — Wise is usually cheaper than 0.65% if you do not need the account
- Need lending — no overdraft, no business credit card
- Handle cash or cheques — there is nowhere to pay them in
Prefer to check the provider first? Look at Gemba directly Opens Gemba’s own site. We are paid if you open an account afterwards.
What actually happens after you apply.
You apply online
Company registration number, country of incorporation, a business email and a mobile number. No branch visit and no UK address needed.
Gemba runs its checks
Directors and beneficial owners are verified. A straightforward company clears faster than a layered holding structure, and you may get a follow-up email.
Your details are issued
A UK sort code and account number, plus virtual IBANs for segregating funds. Cards can be added physically or virtually.
We do not quote a turnaround time. Gemba has not given us one we could stand behind, and how long the checks take depends on your ownership structure.
Have these ready
Reviewing your application is free. A rejection costs you time, so ask us first if you are unsure you qualify.
Ready when your finance team is.
Work out the cost in half a minute. If Gemba is the wrong answer for you, our comparison says so and points at who fits better.