USD to UYU for business payments
Paying a Uruguayan supplier rarely forces a conversion: Uruguay applies no foreign exchange controls, international transactions can be settled in US dollars, and local banks offer dollar accounts as a standard product. Convert US dollars to Uruguayan pesos (UYU) when the supplier invoices in pesos. This page covers the rules, what a Uruguayan bank needs to credit a payment, what conversion costs and how to choose between USD and UYU.
- The US International Trade Administration states that Uruguay applies no foreign exchange controls, has no foreign currency restrictions and allows international transactions to be completed in US dollars.
- BROU, the state-owned commercial bank, asks payers abroad for a 14 digit account number made of a 9 digit account and a 5 digit subaccount, with the SWIFT code BROUUYMMXXX.
- BROU sets a minimum of USD 100 or equivalent for incoming transfers, with limited exceptions, and its commission excludes charges of the sending, intermediary and correspondent banks.
- BROU lists correspondents for US dollars, euros and Swiss francs, so a payment from abroad to a BROU account is normally made in one of those currencies.
- BROU requires an invoice or other document showing the reason for outgoing transfers above USD 10,000.
The Uruguayan peso and the use of dollars
The Uruguayan peso (code UYU) is Uruguay's currency, and the Banco Central del Uruguay (BCU) is the central bank, which also supervises banks and, since 2026, virtual asset service providers, as the law firm ECIJA reports. The US dollar circulates widely alongside the peso in savings, prices and trade.
The US International Trade Administration's Country Commercial Guide for Uruguay states that Uruguay does not apply foreign exchange controls, that there are no foreign currency restrictions and that international transactions can be completed in US dollars. The same guide describes the banking system as generally sound and lists a government-owned commercial bank, Banco de la República Oriental del Uruguay (BROU), alongside private and foreign banks. For a foreign buyer, that means the question is commercial, not regulatory: which currency the supplier prices in, and which account it gives you.
| Item | Uruguay |
|---|---|
| Currency and code | Uruguayan peso, UYU |
| Central bank | Banco Central del Uruguay (BCU) |
| Exchange controls | None, according to the International Trade Administration |
| Settlement in US dollars | Allowed for international transactions |
| State-owned commercial bank | BROU; Citibank serves corporate clients only |
| Company tax number | RUT, issued by the DGI (Dirección General Impositiva) |
Sources: International Trade Administration, Uruguay trade financing; ECIJA (BCU supervision). As published on 29 October 2026.
What the rules mean for your payment
With no exchange controls, a Uruguayan supplier does not have to convert the dollars you pay it or bring proceeds home by a deadline, as suppliers in Argentina must under BCRA Communication A 8481 and suppliers in Honduras under Agreement 508-2026. The checks it meets come from its bank.
- Minimum amount. BROU sets a minimum of USD 100 or equivalent for transfers received, with limited exceptions. Small invoices are better grouped.
- Currency of the transfer. BROU lists correspondent banks for US dollars, euros and Swiss francs. A payment to a BROU account from abroad is therefore made in one of those currencies, and a peso amount is paid by converting inside Uruguay.
- Outgoing payments. For transfers abroad above USD 10,000, BROU requires an invoice or other document showing the reason. This affects your supplier when it pays its own suppliers, not your payment to it.
- Trade practice. The International Trade Administration notes that large importers use letters of credit and that importers usually prefer open account or documentary collections. A letter of credit is a bank's promise to pay once shipping documents are presented.
Details you need to pay a Uruguayan supplier
BROU publishes what a payer abroad must send for a company to receive a transfer. Other banks publish similar instructions; ask the supplier for its bank's exact format. Check the SWIFT code with our SWIFT code lookup.
| Detail | What BROU publishes |
|---|---|
| Account number | 14 digits: the 9 digit account and 5 digit subaccount, with leading zeros where needed |
| Beneficiary name | Must match the account holder |
| SWIFT code | BROUUYMMXXX, in full |
| Bank address | Piedras 369, Montevideo |
| Minimum amount received | USD 100 or equivalent, with limited exceptions |
| Currencies with BROU correspondents | US dollars, euros and Swiss francs |
Source: BROU, Transferencias con el exterior (companies). BROU does not publish commission amounts on this page. As published on 29 October 2026.
Add the supplier's RUT and the invoice number to the payment reference, so the supplier and its accountant can match the receipt. Treat any request to change bank details as a fraud risk and confirm it by phone with a contact you already know.
What converting USD to UYU costs
If you pay dollars into a dollar account, there is no conversion at all: the costs are your wire fee, any intermediary deductions and the supplier's bank commission. If you pay pesos, add the conversion: the mid-market rate plus the margin of whoever converts. BROU states that its commission does not include charges of the sending, intermediary or correspondent banks, so a wire sent with shared charges (SHA) can arrive short.
A SWIFT wire carries a charges code. OUR means the sender pays all charges, SHA means each side pays its own bank, and BEN means all charges come out of the amount. For an invoice that must be paid in full, agree OUR in the contract.
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, and shows the rate, fee and expected arrival before you confirm. See international payments and Helm pricing.
Pay in USD or in UYU?
| Situation | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier invoices in USD and has a dollar account | USD | No conversion at either end; no exchange controls apply |
| Supplier invoices in UYU | UYU, paid locally | The supplier receives the exact peso amount; you carry the exchange risk |
| Invoice below USD 100 | Group invoices | BROU's minimum for incoming transfers is USD 100 or equivalent |
| Supplier also pays you or others abroad in dollars | USD | It avoids converting twice |
Sources: International Trade Administration; BROU. As published on 29 October 2026.
Because dollars move freely and banks hold correspondents in USD, a dollar invoice paid into a dollar account is usually the simplest route to Uruguay. Uruguayan companies that sell to you and want US account details can read our guide to a USD business account in Uruguay.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
Does Uruguay have exchange controls?
No. The US International Trade Administration states that Uruguay does not apply foreign exchange controls, has no foreign currency restrictions and allows international transactions to be completed in US dollars.
Can I pay a Uruguayan supplier in US dollars?
Yes. Uruguayan banks offer dollar accounts, and international transactions can be settled in dollars. Ask the supplier for its dollar account details in its bank's format.
What account format does BROU use for transfers from abroad?
BROU asks for a 14 digit account number, made of the 9 digit account and the 5 digit subaccount with leading zeros, the beneficiary name matching the account holder and the SWIFT code BROUUYMMXXX.
Is there a minimum amount for transfers to Uruguay?
At BROU, yes: the minimum for a transfer received is USD 100 or equivalent, with limited exceptions. Other banks set their own rules.
Which currencies can be wired to a BROU account?
BROU lists correspondent banks for US dollars, euros and Swiss francs, so transfers from abroad are made in those currencies.
References
- International Trade Administration: Uruguay Country Commercial Guide, trade financing
- Banco de la República Oriental del Uruguay: Transferencias con el exterior (empresas)
- ECIJA: El Banco Central del Uruguay aprueba la reglamentación para los Proveedores de Servicios de Activos Virtuales (21 July 2026)
- Banco Central de la República Argentina: Communication A 8481, Exterior y Cambios (14 September 2026)
- Secretaría de Finanzas de Honduras: Acuerdo 508-2026 (export proceeds)
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.