USD to GEL for business payments
A foreign business paying a supplier in Georgia can pay US dollars into the supplier's dollar account or convert to Georgian lari (GEL). Georgia's currency regime is open, but the lari is the only legal means of payment inside the country, so a payment for something that must be settled in lari is converted on arrival.
- The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) states that it has a floating exchange rate regime, under which the exchange rate is determined by market demand and supply, and calls it optimal for Georgia with inflation targeting and free capital mobility.
- The lari is the only legal means of payment in Georgia, so payments for goods and services inside the country are generally settled in lari even when a company holds dollars.
- Where a payer outside Georgia pays in foreign currency for a service that must be settled in lari, the receiving Georgian institution converts the funds into lari on receipt, according to Andersen Georgia.
- Georgian banks, including TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia, open business accounts in US dollars, euros and pounds as well as lari, for residents and non-residents.
- The sources we checked describe no export proceeds deadline or contract registration in Georgia of the kind found in some neighboring countries.
The Georgian lari at a glance
The Georgian lari (GEL) is issued by the National Bank of Georgia (NBG). The NBG states that, under its monetary policy framework, it has a floating exchange rate regime, meaning the exchange rate is determined by macroeconomic fundamentals and market demand and supply. It calls the floating rate optimal for Georgia: with inflation targeting and free capital mobility, a floating exchange rate is necessary. For a buyer, a lari invoice therefore carries exchange rate risk until it is paid.
| Item | Georgian lari |
|---|---|
| Currency code | GEL |
| Issuer | National Bank of Georgia |
| Exchange rate regime (NBG wording) | Floating; rate set by market demand and supply |
| Legal tender | The lari is the only legal means of payment in Georgia |
| Foreign currency holdings | No controls on foreign exchange transactions; no NBG limit on foreign currency held |
| Export proceeds | No deadline or contract registration in the sources checked |
| Bank accounts | USD, EUR, GBP and lari accounts at Georgian banks |
Sources: NBG, Optimal Exchange Rate Policy; Andersen Georgia; Healy Consultants, Georgian corporate bank accounts. Checked on 29 October 2026.
Georgian currency rules that affect your payment
Georgia's currency regime is liberal compared with most of the former Soviet Union. A consultancy guide to Georgian corporate banking states that Georgia imposes no controls on foreign exchange transactions and that the NBG sets no limit on the amount of foreign currency residents and non-residents may hold. Two rules still shape a payment.
- The lari is the only legal tender. According to Andersen Georgia, the lari is the only legal means of payment in Georgia, so payments for goods and services inside the country are generally settled in lari. Your Georgian agent, forwarder or subsidiary pays local costs in lari even if it holds dollars.
- Some receipts are converted on arrival. Andersen also notes that where a payer outside Georgia pays in foreign currency for a service that must be settled in lari, the receiving Georgian institution converts the funds into lari on receipt. Ask the supplier whether your purchase falls into that group before you send dollars.
Stablecoins are not an alternative. The NBG's published answer is that payments with virtual assets are prohibited except in cases set by an NBG legal act. For the receiving side, see our guide to USD business accounts in Georgia.
How a payment reaches a Georgian supplier
A payment from abroad reaches a Georgian supplier by SWIFT, the network banks use for cross-border payments, through the Georgian bank's correspondent. Georgian banks, including TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia, open business accounts in US dollars, euros and pounds as well as lari, so ask the supplier which account matches the invoice currency.
| You send | To | Supplier receives |
|---|---|---|
| USD by SWIFT | The supplier's dollar account | USD, held or converted when it chooses |
| USD by SWIFT | The supplier's lari account | GEL, converted by its bank on arrival |
| USD for a service that must be settled in lari | Any account | GEL, converted by the receiving institution on receipt |
| GEL, converted before sending | The supplier's lari account | The exact lari amount |
Sources: Andersen Georgia; Healy Consultants. Checked on 29 October 2026.
Collect the supplier's registered name exactly as on the account, the account number for the invoice currency, and the bank's name and SWIFT code, then confirm the code with our SWIFT code lookup. For a first payment to a new supplier, a small test payment confirms the route.
What converting USD to GEL costs
A dollar to lari conversion costs the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buying and selling prices at that moment, plus the margin your provider or bank adds, plus the fee for the payment. If the supplier's bank converts a dollar wire on arrival, it applies its own rate, and you cannot see the margin in advance. Paying dollars to a dollar account leaves the conversion decision with the supplier; paying lari fixes the amount the supplier receives but gives you the exchange rate risk under a floating regime. Ask for the rate before you confirm each conversion.
Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank. Its US dollar account services are provided by Bridge Building, Inc. (NMLS ID 2450917), a licensed money transmitter, with customer funds held at Lead Bank. A Helm account holds dollars in your company's own name and sends international payments to suppliers by SWIFT, or by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before you send.
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.
Pay a Georgian supplier in USD or GEL?
- Pay USD to a dollar account when the supplier invoices in dollars and the purchase is not something that must be settled in lari. Georgian companies can hold dollars without limit.
- Pay GEL for local services and anything that must be settled in lari, because the lari is the only legal means of payment in Georgia.
- Never pay in stablecoins. The NBG's published answer is that payments with virtual assets are prohibited except in cases it sets.
Companies in Georgia holding stablecoins they own lawfully can read our guide to converting USDT to USD in Georgia.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
Is the Georgian lari floating?
Yes. The National Bank of Georgia states that it has a floating exchange rate regime, under which the rate is determined by market demand and supply, and that a floating rate is optimal for Georgia.
Does Georgia have currency controls?
A consultancy guide to Georgian banking states that Georgia imposes no controls on foreign exchange transactions and that the NBG sets no limit on foreign currency held by residents and non-residents.
Can I pay a Georgian supplier in US dollars?
Yes, into its dollar account, unless the purchase must be settled in lari. The lari is the only legal means of payment in Georgia, and foreign currency paid for a service that must be settled in lari is converted on receipt.
Do Georgian banks offer dollar accounts?
Yes. Georgian banks, including TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia, open business accounts in US dollars, euros and pounds as well as lari, for residents and non-residents.
Can I pay a Georgian supplier in USDT?
No. The National Bank of Georgia's published answer is that payments with virtual assets are prohibited except in cases set by an NBG legal act.
What does Helm charge to pay a supplier in Georgia?
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.
References
- National Bank of Georgia: Optimal Exchange Rate Policy
- National Bank of Georgia: FAQ on virtual assets and virtual asset service providers
- Andersen Georgia: lari as the only legal means of payment and virtual assets
- Healy Consultants: Georgian corporate bank accounts in 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.