Wise said it has been denied a US banking licence in a setback to the payments firm months after moving its main stock market listing across the pond. It already operates in the US but the licence would give it direct access to payment systems through the Federal Reserve and offer some financial services to customers. But Wise said the application was denied due to historical issues with its original application including relating to financial crime. "Preventing bad actors from using financial institutions like Wise is of the utmost importance to us." Some 12 million people and businesses used Wise services in the latest quarter to transfer money.