Key takeaways
- AlignPay holds your money in two Global Accounts: a USD Global Account, held as USDC and USDT, and a EUR Global Account, held as EURC.
- Payments to your named accounts land in a Global Account: US dollars in USD, euros in EUR, and pounds and dirhams converted into USD.
- You can exchange between USD and EUR in Convert, and pay out by bank in USD, EUR, GBP or AED, or send stablecoins to a wallet. When you send stablecoins, Align pays the network fee.
- Outside the screens where you send or receive crypto, AlignPay shows your money in dollars and euros, not tokens and networks.
The short answer
Your AlignPay balance sits in two Global Accounts. The USD Global Account is held as USDC and USDT, the two largest dollar stablecoins. The EUR Global Account is held as EURC, Circle's euro stablecoin. Money your customers pay into your named accounts lands in one of them, and you pay suppliers, staff and yourself from them, by bank or to wallets.
Most of the app speaks in dollars and euros. Tokens and networks appear only where you choose to send or receive crypto.
What lands where
| You're paid in | Through | Lands in |
|---|---|---|
| US dollars | Your US account number and routing number (ACH and wires), or SWIFT | USD Global Account |
| Euros | Your EUR IBAN (SEPA and SEPA Instant) | EUR Global Account |
| Pounds | Your UK account details (Faster Payments) | Converted to USD, in your USD Global Account |
| Dirhams | Your AED IBAN (UAEFTS and the Instant Payment Platform) | Converted to USD, in your USD Global Account |
| USDC, USDT or EURC | Your account's address on a supported network | The Global Account of its currency |
Receive shows each of your accounts with where it lands, such as "GBP account · to USD". Businesses with a bank balance at Align also see those balances, which stay in their own currency.
Paying from a Global Account
- To a bank account, in USD, EUR, GBP or AED. Pick the Global Account to pay from, and the payment is converted as part of sending it; any rate between currencies is shown before you confirm.
- To a wallet, in USDC, USDT or EURC, on the network your recipient uses. When you send from your balance, Align pays the network fee for you, so you don't need to hold ETH, SOL or TRX.
- To a wallet on another network, Align moves it across for you, with the fee shown first.
Payments to someone else can be shared with them through a status link; see letting a supplier track your payment.
Exchanging between USD and EUR
Open Convert to exchange between your USD and EUR Global Accounts. The exchange is quoted first, with the rate and Align's fee, and runs where your money already is: you don't need to move it anywhere first. On your statement, an exchange shows the debit, the credit and the fee as separate lines.
Earn on your USD balance
Earn lets your USD balance earn up to 8% a year, added as it accrues, with yield provided by Jupiter. Rates change over time and aren't guaranteed, and your balance isn't a bank deposit or covered by deposit insurance. Lending protocols carry their own risks, set out in where a business can earn yield on USDC.
Why stablecoins underneath
Holding dollars and euros as stablecoins means money can move between your account, wallets and bank rails at any hour, and suppliers or customers who use stablecoins can be paid or pay you directly. USDC and EURC are issued by Circle; USDT by Tether. See USDT vs USDC and EURC vs USDC.
Sources
- Align, Virtual accounts, Swap and Stablecoin fee tracker
Common questions
- Is a Global Account a bank account?
- No. Your Global Account balance is held in stablecoins in your business's own account, not as a bank deposit, and isn't covered by deposit insurance. Your named account details, such as a US account number or an IBAN, are provided through Align's banking partners and route payments into it.
- Where do euros I receive go?
- Into your EUR Global Account, held as EURC. Since 30 October 2026, every new EUR account opens to EURC. Some EUR accounts opened earlier convert euros to USD instead; Receive shows which one you have.
- What does exchanging between USD and EUR cost?
- The exchange is quoted before you confirm, with the rate and Align's fee shown separately. Your statement records the rate and the fee as their own line.
- Can my balance earn anything?
- Align offers Earn on your USD balance, provided by Jupiter: up to 8% a year, with rates that change and aren't guaranteed. See the guide to earning yield on USDC for how it works and the risks.
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.