# Moving from Mercury to Align: getting paid as your own company

Mercury only serves US-formed companies and holds only dollars. Align opens named USD accounts for companies registered elsewhere, plus EUR, GBP and AED. Move customers in groups with new contracts and invoices, run both accounts, and close Mercury only if you wind down the US company.

By Pavel Skalin, Founder & CEO, Align · Updated 2 November 2026 · 3 min read · https://alignlabs.dev/guides/switch-from-mercury

## Key takeaways

1. Mercury only opens accounts for companies formed in the US or a US territory, and holds only US dollars, in fiat. Founders outside the US often formed a US company just to use it.
2. Align opens named USD accounts in the name of a company registered elsewhere, with ACH and wire details on request, plus EUR, GBP and AED. That's the reason most companies look at switching.
3. If you keep the US company, you may keep Mercury for its US operations and use Align for everything else. Align has no cards, bill pay integrations or accounting sync.
4. Run both accounts in parallel, announce new details safely, and download your records before you close anything or wind up a US entity.

## The short answer

As of October 2026, Mercury opens accounts only for companies formed and registered in the US or a US territory, and holds only US dollars, in fiat. Founders based elsewhere often formed a US company just to get one. If you'd rather be paid in your own company's name, or you need EUR, GBP or AED accounts, or customers pay you in stablecoins, Align is built for that: named USD accounts for companies outside the US, with ACH and wire details on request, plus EUR, GBP and AED.

Whether you close the Mercury account depends on whether you keep the US company. Either way, move customers one group at a time, run both accounts in parallel, and close nothing until the last payment has arrived.

## When it's worth switching, and when it isn't

**Switch, or add Align, if:**

- you want to invoice and get paid as the company you registered at home, not as a US entity
- you need named EUR, GBP or AED accounts as well as USD
- customers pay in USDC or USDT, or your treasury holds stablecoins

**Keep Mercury if:**

- the US company has real US operations and you're keeping it
- you rely on Mercury's cards, bill pay and accounting integrations, which Align doesn't offer
- you want free ACH and domestic wires at published prices: Align quotes pricing on request

The [Align vs Mercury comparison](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/align-vs-mercury) and [Mercury alternatives](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/mercury-alternatives) set out the details.

## Before you switch: open the account in the right company's name

Apply as the company you want to be paid as, with its own documents: certificate of incorporation, articles, a register of shareholders and directors, proof of address, ID for everyone who owns 25% or more, and evidence of where its money comes from. The [KYB documents guide](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/business-account-kyb-documents) has the full list. The review takes 1 to 5 business days. Then request US account details for ACH and wires, which Align's US banking partner reviews separately.

## Move customers, contracts and invoices together

Changing the company that gets paid is more than changing bank details. If customers have contracts with your US company, a switch to the non-US company may need new contracts or an assignment, and new invoices in the new company's name. Agree this with your accountant and lawyer first, then:

- move customers in groups, starting with those on new contracts
- put only the new company and its details on their invoices
- keep a list of who pays which company and account

## Tell customers your new details safely

A message about new bank details is the classic invoice fraud, so make yours easy to verify:

- send it from an address customers already know, and say it on a call where you can
- attach an account confirmation letter: AlignPay produces one for each account, naming your company as the holder
- invite customers to confirm by phone on a number they already have
- give your company's exact legal name, so their bank's name check shows a match where one runs

For what US payers need from you, see [how to get paid by US customers without a US entity](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/get-paid-by-us-customers-without-us-entity).

## Close the old account last, if at all

If you're winding down the US company, wait until nothing has arrived in Mercury for a few weeks, download every statement and export your accountant needs for the US company's final filings, and move the balance before closing. Wind up the company itself only on professional advice.

## How Align compares

| | Mercury, as of October 2026 | Align |
|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Companies formed and registered in the US or a US territory | Companies based outside the US; not companies based in the UAE |
| Currencies | USD only | USD, EUR, GBP and AED |
| Balance held as | US dollars | USDC or USDT, or EURC for euros |
| Cards, bill pay and integrations | Yes | Not offered |
| Pricing | Published, with a $0 plan | Quoted on request |

## Sources

- Mercury, [Eligibility and requirements for opening a Mercury account](https://support.mercury.com/hc/en-us/articles/28770467511060-Eligibility-and-requirements-for-opening-a-Mercury-account) (October 2026)
- Mercury, [Receiving non-USD payments](https://support.mercury.com/hc/en-us/articles/34750478414740-Receiving-non-USD-payments) and [Banking for crypto companies](https://mercury.com/crypto) (October 2026)
- Mercury, [Pricing](https://mercury.com/pricing) (October 2026)
- Align, [Align vs Mercury](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/align-vs-mercury) and [How to get a USD account as a non-US company](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/usd-account-for-non-us-company)

## Common questions

### Can I move my Mercury account to my non-US company?

No. Mercury requires a company formed and registered in the US or a US territory, so the account belongs to your US company. To bank the non-US company, open an account in its own name, such as a named USD account with Align, and move your customers to the new details.

### Do I need to close my US company to switch?

No, and closing a US company is a legal and tax decision of its own: take advice before you do it. Many founders keep the US company and its Mercury account for US activity while paying and getting paid through the non-US company.

### Will US customers be able to pay my new account by ACH?

Yes, once ACH and wire access is approved. Align gives a US account number and routing number in your company's name, but access is requested separately and reviewed by Align's US banking partner, which can decline or set limits. Until then, customers can pay by SWIFT.

### How long does switching take?

Align's review takes 1 to 5 business days once your documents are complete, then the US banking partner reviews ACH and wire access. Plan on a month or more to move customers, longer if you're winding down a US entity.

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This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and providers' terms change; check the sources linked above and take advice on your own situation.

## Related guides

- [Align vs Mercury: business accounts for companies outside the US](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/align-vs-mercury)
- [Mercury alternatives for founders outside the US or in its restricted countries](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/mercury-alternatives)
- [How to get paid by US customers without a US entity](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/get-paid-by-us-customers-without-us-entity)
- [How to get a USD account as a non-US company](https://alignlabs.dev/guides/usd-account-for-non-us-company)