How to get a USD account as a non-US company

Start with the rail, not the provider

Dollar payments travel on different rails, and each needs different account details. The question to answer first is how your counterparties will pay you.

Same Day ACH accepts payments of up to $1 million each, rising to $10 million on 17 September 2027. FedNow raised its maximum transaction limit to $10 million in November 2025, though banks can set lower limits.

If your customers are US companies, they will want to pay by ACH or domestic wire. If they are banks or companies outside the US sending dollars, they will use SWIFT. Many businesses need both.

Option 1: form a US company

A US LLC or corporation with a US bank account gives you the full set of rails and the widest choice of banks and payment processors. It also gives you US tax filings and annual state fees.

• Formation. Stripe Atlas forms a Delaware LLC or C corporation for $500 one-time, then $100 a year for the registered agent, and applies for your employer identification number (EIN).
• EIN. If your principal place of business is outside the US, the IRS takes applications by phone (267-941-1099), fax or mail. Online applications are for businesses based in the US.
• Bank account. US banks typically ask for formation documents, the EIN, owners' passports and ownership percentages, and a physical business address. Mercury, for example, requires that your company is "formed and registered in the United States or a U.S. territory".

This route suits companies with US operations, US staff or plans to raise from US investors. It's a lot of overhead if all you need is to get paid in dollars.

Option 2: USD details from a multi-currency provider

Fintechs such as Wise, Airwallex and Payoneer give non-US companies US account details. Eligibility and features differ, so check each provider's current pages.

• Wise Business issues USD account details to businesses in many countries, but not to those based in, among others, Nigeria, Pakistan and Türkiye. As of October 2026 it lists no fee for receiving ACH (except for businesses based in Canada or the Netherlands) and 6.11 USD for receiving a wire or SWIFT payment.
• Airwallex offers US global accounts that receive ACH and Fedwire. It lists about 70 eligible jurisdictions; check that USD accounts are available for yours.
• Payoneer receiving accounts accept business payments only, and decline payments from a bank account in your own name, unless you're adding funds from your own bank.

Look at whose name is on the account. Some providers show their partner bank's details with your name as the beneficiary. Others hold your money in a pooled account and identify you by a reference. That affects what your customers see when they pay, and whether payee checks pass. See named vs pooled virtual IBANs.

Option 3: a named virtual account

A named virtual account is a US account number and routing number issued in your company's name through a partner bank. US customers pay it like any domestic supplier, by ACH or wire, and their statement shows your company as the payee.

Because a US partner bank provides the account, expect a second compliance review before ACH and wire access is switched on. Providers may also set limits or restrict some industries.

Option 4: a SWIFT USD account outside the US

A USD account at a bank in your own country, or a USD IBAN, receives SWIFT payments. It works well when your counterparties are outside the US. It works badly for US customers, who must send an international wire. Chase, for example, charges $40 per international USD wire sent online from its Performance Business Checking account, and intermediary banks can deduct their own fees on the way.

Which option fits

What providers will ask for

Expect a business verification (KYB) review: incorporation documents, a register of shareholders and directors, proof of business address, ID for each owner of 25% or more, and evidence of where your money comes from. For USD wire and SWIFT accounts, Align's banking partners also ask for recent financial statements and source-of-funds documents that support the volume you expect to move. The KYB documents guide has the full list.

Mistakes to avoid

• Giving US customers only SWIFT details when they pay by ACH. ACH needs a US routing number, so the customer can't send it and has to switch to an international wire.
• Mixing up routing numbers. Label the ACH and wire routing numbers separately on your invoice.
• Mismatched names. Invoice in the exact legal name on the account. A mismatch slows reconciliation and can stop a payment at the payer's bank.

How this works with Align

Align provides named USD virtual accounts in your company's name through its banking partners: a US account number and routing number for ACH and wires, and a named account for SWIFT. Dollars you receive land in your balance as USDC or USDT, and you can pay out in USD, EUR, GBP or AED. ACH and wire access isn't switched on automatically: you request it, and our US banking partner runs a second review after Align's KYB. The partner can decline or set limits.

Sources

• Nacha, Most ACH payments settle in one business day or less
• Nacha, Same Day ACH limit of $1 million and increase to $10 million
• Federal Reserve, About the Fedwire Funds Service
• FRB Services, FedNow transaction limit increase
• Swift, How long does a Swift payment take?
• Stripe, Atlas and How to get a US bank account
• IRS, Employer identification number
• Mercury, Eligibility requirements
• Wise, Can I get USD account details? and Receiving with USD details
• Airwallex, Eligible countries and market coverage
• Payoneer, Receiving accounts FAQ
• Chase, Performance Business Checking fees
• Align docs, USD ACH and wire onboarding and USD SWIFT and Fedwire onboarding