Dateline: Airwallex and OpenTable, partnership, 21 October 2026

Airwallex, the cross-border payments and business account company, and OpenTable announced on 21 October 2026 that restaurants in the US and Canada can use Airwallex to accept deposits and prepaid Experiences booked through OpenTable, with Australia and Mexico planned for later in 2026. Fintechbits compared the Airwallex OpenTable release with OpenTable’s March 2025 FreedomPay announcement, which covered the same deposits and prepaid Experiences when OpenTable counted more than 60,000 restaurants; OpenTable now cites more than 70,000, and neither release says what processing costs a restaurant. A restaurant comparing providers would start with that number, so its absence makes the choice harder to judge.

What the Airwallex OpenTable deal covers

The Airwallex OpenTable partnership makes Airwallex a payment provider inside OpenTable for eligible transactions: reservation deposits and prepaid Experiences, the ticketed dinners and set menus diners pay for in advance. Restaurants can switch it on directly in OpenTable, according to the joint release on BusinessWire.

OpenTable’s argument for prepayment is no-shows. The release cites OpenTable data from 2025 showing prepaid Experiences cut no-shows by 45% and late cancellations by 66% compared with Experiences that were not prepaid. Restaurants that can take money upfront lose less to empty tables.

“By bringing Airwallex to OpenTable, we are giving restaurants more choice in how they manage payments while bringing our global infrastructure to one of the world’s leading restaurant platforms,” said Philipp Reichardt, VP of Enterprise at Airwallex. Robin Chiang, chief growth officer at OpenTable, called Airwallex’s global footprint “a strong addition to OpenTable’s payments ecosystem.”

Airwallex OpenTable in context: a second processor, not the first

In March 2025 OpenTable signed FreedomPay to handle card holds, no-show fees, deposits and prepaid Experiences, aimed at hotel restaurants and groups. The Airwallex OpenTable deal adds another provider for the same transaction types rather than opening a new product line.

OpenTable’s network has grown in the 19 months between the two deals. The FreedomPay release described OpenTable as helping more than 60,000 restaurants fill 1.8 billion seats a year. The Airwallex release puts those figures at more than 70,000 restaurants and 2 billion seats. OpenTable also sits inside Booking Holdings, an ownership detail Fintechbits noted when Navan added OpenTable bookings to its travel assistant in August.

For Airwallex, the deal is distribution into hospitality. The company says it serves more than 675,000 businesses and holds more than 85 licences. Fintechbits covered its $320 million Series H at an $11 billion valuation in June, when it reported $1.3 billion in annualised revenue as of March 2026.

Fintechbits analysis

Fintechbits analysis

Why the Airwallex OpenTable deal is about cross-border reach, not restaurants

Taken alone, a deposit processor for reservations is a small deal. Deposits and prepaid Experiences are a modest slice of what a restaurant takes in, and most of the bill is still paid at the table through whatever point-of-sale system the restaurant already uses.

The useful part for Airwallex is the international rollout. Airwallex is built for multi-currency acceptance and has licences across North and Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Australia, where Airwallex was founded, and Mexico are the named next markets. If the Airwallex OpenTable integration goes live there on schedule, Airwallex becomes the obvious option for restaurant groups operating across borders, which FreedomPay’s hotel focus does not target in the same way.

The weak spot is economics. Neither the Airwallex nor the FreedomPay release says what a restaurant pays, how payouts are timed, or whether OpenTable takes a share. Restaurant operators tend to pick a processor on rates and how fast money lands in their account. Until Airwallex and OpenTable publish those terms, an operator has little to go on beyond the brand names.

Fintechbits’ view is that the Airwallex OpenTable deal is sensible but modest. It gives Airwallex a foothold with restaurant groups that may later want its accounts and cards, and it gives OpenTable a second supplier so it is not dependent on one processor. Whether it becomes more than that depends on the international launch.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Airwallex OpenTable partnership let restaurants do?

Restaurants on OpenTable can use Airwallex to accept reservation deposits and payments for prepaid Experiences. The service launched in the US and Canada, and restaurants activate it inside OpenTable.

Where is the Airwallex OpenTable integration available?

It is available in the US and Canada at launch. The release says the partners plan to expand internationally later in 2026, starting with Australia and Mexico.

How does the Airwallex OpenTable deal compare with OpenTable’s earlier payments partnerships?

Fintechbits found OpenTable signed FreedomPay for the same deposits and prepaid Experiences in March 2025, when it counted more than 60,000 restaurants. OpenTable now cites more than 70,000, and neither release discloses what processing costs a restaurant.

What to Watch Next

The test is the Australia and Mexico launch, which the release places later in 2026. If Airwallex goes live in both before the end of 2026 and OpenTable publishes restaurant pricing for the option, the partnership becomes a real alternative for multi-country restaurant groups. If neither happens, it stays a backup processor in two markets.

Why this matters

Fintechbits compared the Airwallex OpenTable release with OpenTable’s March 2025 FreedomPay deal for the same deposits and prepaid Experiences, finding OpenTable’s network grew from more than 60,000 to more than 70,000 restaurants while neither release disclosed pricing. Airwallex gains hospitality distribution in the US and Canada, with Australia and Mexico next. OpenTable data shows prepaid Experiences cut no-shows by 45%. The open question is cost, which decides whether restaurants switch.

Primary sources

businesswire.com | PRESS RELEASE | https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261021247287/en/

globenewswire.com (OpenTable and FreedomPay, March 2025) | PRESS RELEASE | https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/25/3048795/0/en/OpenTable-and-FreedomPay-Announce-Strategic-Partnership-to-Enhance-Dining-and-Payment-Experience.html

airwallex.com | COMPANY WEBSITE | https://www.airwallex.com/en-us/airwallex-opentable-partnership