USD to BOB for business payments
Bolivia ended its fixed rate of 6.96 bolivianos per dollar on 29 June 2026, so converting US dollars to bolivianos (BOB) now happens at a rate the Banco Central de Bolivia recalculates every day from banks' dollar purchases. For a foreign buyer, that changes both the price of pesos-for-dollars and what your supplier can do with dollars you send. This page covers the new regime, the rules and limits a Bolivian supplier faces, the details to collect, costs and how to choose the payment currency.
- Bolivia moved from a fixed rate of 6.96 bolivianos per dollar, in place since 2011, to a flexible exchange rate regime on 29 June 2026, under Ministerial Resolution 245.
- Under BCB Board Resolution 142/2026, the official rate is the volume-weighted median of dollar purchases by banks from clients and the BCB, published each day at 23:30 and applied the next day.
- The Banco Central de Bolivia states that the boliviano is the only legal tender in Bolivia.
- As reported by El Deber in April 2026, many Bolivian banks did not open new dollar accounts and some limited movements on existing ones to $100 a week.
- Under ASFI bands reported in April 2026, Bolivian banks may charge 5% to 10% on transfers abroad above USD 1,000, which affects suppliers that pay their own suppliers from Bolivia.
The boliviano and the 2026 flexible rate
The boliviano (code BOB) is issued by the Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB), which states in its press release CP 35/2024 that the boliviano is the only legal tender in Bolivia. From 2011 the rate was fixed at 6.96 bolivianos per dollar. In December 2025, Supreme Decree 5503 instructed the BCB to move to a new regime, as Correo del Sur reported. Ministerial Resolution 245 of 26 June 2026 established a flexible exchange rate regime, which took effect on 29 June 2026 with a reference rate of 9.73 bolivianos per dollar, according to Los Tiempos.
The BCB's Board Resolution 142/2026 of 24 September 2026 sets how the official rate (tipo de cambio oficial, TCO) is now calculated: each business day, as the volume-weighted median of the dollars that multiple banks, SME banks and the public bank buy from their clients and from the BCB, excluding deals between banks. Banks report to ASFI, the banking supervisor, by 17:30; the BCB publishes the rate at 23:30 and it applies the next day, and Friday's rate applies on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The regulation makes the TCO the reference for private companies as well as the public sector.
| Item | Bolivia |
|---|---|
| Currency and code | Boliviano, BOB |
| Issuer | Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB); the boliviano is the only legal tender |
| Exchange rate | Flexible regime since 29 June 2026; fixed at 6.96 from 2011 until then |
| Official rate | TCO, calculated daily from banks' dollar purchases; published 23:30, applies next day |
| Bank supervisor | ASFI (Autoridad de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero) |
| Tax on financial transactions | ITF eliminated by Law 1717 in April 2026 |
Sources: BCB Board Resolution 142/2026; Los Tiempos, 29 June 2026; BCB CP 35/2024; Red Uno via Bolivian Thoughts. As published on 29 October 2026.
What a Bolivian supplier can do with your dollars
The end of the peg was designed to bring dollars back into the banking system, but in 2026 Bolivian suppliers still face practical limits. As El Deber reported in April 2026, many institutions did not allow new dollar accounts; where they did, the opening deposit was $5,000 to $10,000; and movements on existing dollar accounts could be limited to $100 a week or every two weeks.
- Sending dollars on. Resolution ASFI/299/2026, as eju.tv reported on 9 April 2026, set bands for bank commissions on transfers abroad: only the international correspondent's cost up to USD 1,000, and 5% to 10% above that. A supplier that receives your dollars into a Bolivian bank and later pays its own suppliers abroad bears that cost.
- Gold exporters. As Bloomberg Línea reported on 15 October 2026, a decree requires gold exporters to show that at least 80% of their income is deposited in national financial entities. The report describes no general rule of this kind for other exporters.
- Conversion rate. The rate at which a bank buys dollars now tracks the market through the daily TCO rather than a fixed 6.96, so a price in bolivianos agreed weeks before payment can be worth a different number of dollars on the day.
Details you need to pay a Bolivian supplier
A payer abroad pays a Bolivian bank account by SWIFT through the bank's correspondent. Ask the supplier to confirm, before you pay, that its bank will credit and release a dollar transfer, because practice differed between banks during the shortage.
| Field | What to collect | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Company's registered name, exactly as on the account | Must match the account holder |
| Account number | The dollar account number, not the boliviano account, if you pay USD | Avoids a conversion at the bank's rate |
| Bank and SWIFT code | Bank's full name, address and SWIFT code | Routes the payment |
| Correspondent bank | The bank's US correspondent and its SWIFT code | Needed for a dollar wire |
| Tax number | NIT, issued by the Servicio de Impuestos Nacionales | Links the payment to the invoicing company |
| Reference | Invoice number and contract or shipment reference | Helps the supplier explain the inflow to its bank |
Sources: standard SWIFT practice; El Deber via Bolivian Thoughts. As published on 29 October 2026.
What converting USD to BOB costs
The cost of a conversion is the gap between your rate and the mid-market rate, plus the payment fee. With the TCO now set daily from banks' own purchases, compare any boliviano quote with the TCO the BCB published the evening before. On the supplier's side, Law 1717 eliminated the ITF, the tax that had applied to deposits, withdrawals and transfers in foreign currency, so incoming dollars no longer carry it.
Each Bolivian bank sets its own charge for crediting an incoming transfer; ask the supplier for its bank's tariff if you agree OUR charges.
Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens, and shows the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm each payment. See how Helm pricing works.
Helm pays suppliers by SWIFT and by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, confirmed by your account manager, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before you confirm. See Helm pricing.
Pay in USD or in BOB?
| Situation | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier has a dollar account it can use freely | USD | No conversion; dollars remain scarce and useful to the supplier |
| Supplier's bank limits dollar movements | Agree first; consider BOB | Dollars it cannot move are worth less to it |
| Supplier prices in bolivianos for local costs | BOB | It receives the exact amount; you carry the rate risk |
| Supplier asks you to pay a dollar account abroad | Verify by phone first | Legitimate requests exist, but changed bank details are a common fraud |
Sources: El Deber via Bolivian Thoughts; BCB Resolution 142/2026. As published on 29 October 2026.
Bolivian companies that sell to you and want to receive dollars outside the domestic system can read our guides on how to receive USD in Bolivia and to a USD business account in Bolivia.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
Is the boliviano still fixed at 6.96?
No. Bolivia moved to a flexible exchange rate regime on 29 June 2026, under Ministerial Resolution 245, ending the fixed rate of 6.96 bolivianos per dollar in place since 2011.
How is Bolivia's official exchange rate calculated now?
Under BCB Board Resolution 142/2026, the official rate is the volume-weighted median of dollar purchases by banks from clients and the BCB, excluding interbank deals. The BCB publishes it at 23:30 and it applies the next day.
Can a Bolivian supplier receive US dollars?
Yes, into a dollar account at a Bolivian bank, but El Deber reported in April 2026 that many banks did not open new dollar accounts and some limited movements on existing ones. Ask the supplier to confirm its bank's terms before you pay.
What do Bolivian banks charge to send dollars abroad?
Under ASFI bands reported in April 2026, transfers abroad of USD 1,000 or less carry only the correspondent's cost, and larger transfers 5% to 10%.
Is there still a tax on financial transactions in Bolivia?
No. Law 1717 eliminated the ITF in April 2026, which had applied to deposits, withdrawals and transfers in foreign currency.
References
- Banco Central de Bolivia: Board Resolution 142/2026, Regulation on Exchange Operations (24 September 2026)
- Los Tiempos: Rige el nuevo régimen de tipo de cambio flexible del dólar con Bs 9,73 (29 June 2026)
- Correo del Sur: Decreto Supremo instruye al BCB transitar a un nuevo régimen cambiario (17 December 2025)
- Banco Central de Bolivia: Press release CP 35/2024 (26 June 2024)
- El Deber via Bolivian Thoughts: Rigidity persists for dollar accounts and USDT is an alternative (14 April 2026)
- eju.tv: ASFI fija bandas tarifarias para giros y transferencias al exterior (9 April 2026)
- Red Uno via Bolivian Thoughts: The Financial Transactions Tax is eliminated (12 April 2026)
- Bloomberg Línea: Bolivia changes rules for exporting gold (15 October 2026)
This guide is general information for businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and timings were checked against the sources listed on the review date and may change.