Best USD business account for non US company

Four ways a non-US company can hold US dollars

A company registered in Mexico, Brazil, Hong Kong or the UAE that sells to US buyers or pays suppliers in dollars needs somewhere to receive and hold USD. There are four routes, and each gives something different.

Source: Helm Editorial Team, as published on 21 October 2026.

ACH is the US network for batch bank transfers, which US companies use for most supplier payments. Fedwire is the Federal Reserve's same-day wire system. SWIFT is the global messaging network for international wires. A US buyer can pay a US routing and account number by ACH, the same way it pays domestic suppliers, while a payment to a dollar account abroad must go by SWIFT, with fees that can reduce the amount received. Our guide to SWIFT, ACH and Fedwire explains the differences.

Which providers accept companies registered outside the US

This is the deciding question. The table shows what each provider publishes about companies registered in selected countries, as recorded by the BCC Trade Banking Index. "Not published" means the provider's pages do not say, so ask before you apply.

Source: BCC Trade Banking Index 2026, "Who can open an account", facts read by BCC on 21 October 2026; Airwallex row confirmed against Airwallex eligible countries and territories. BCC is a Helm group company.

For Wise, check its own eligibility page, which lists the countries where customers can hold money with Wise; Mexico was not on that list on 21 October 2026. Airwallex's own list states that businesses registered in Brazil and Mexico are onboarded to its United States entity, and that it cannot process applications from countries not on the list. "Founder yes, entity no" means Mercury accepts founders from that country but only for a US-formed company. Enhanced due diligence means the provider applies extra checks to companies from that country rather than refusing them. The Index notes that Slash's Global USD account serves companies from 100+ countries without a US entity but does not publish the country list.

USD fees as published

Once eligibility is settled, compare what it costs to receive and send dollars. The figures below are taken from each provider's own pricing page for its US-facing account.

Source: each provider's own pricing page (Wise Business, Airwallex, Aspire, Mercury, Payoneer, Slash), as published on 21 October 2026.

Mercury's page also explains the charge codes on its international wires: SHA is free to the sender but may leave intermediary fees for the recipient, while OUR costs a flat $15 so that intermediary fees are charged back to Mercury. If your US buyers pay by ACH, the incoming fee is often zero; if they pay by wire, check the incoming wire fee, such as 6.11 USD at Wise.

What US banks and their partners require

Whether you apply to a US bank or to a fintech that works through one, the same federal rules apply to the account. Three requirements matter most for a foreign company.

Beneficial owners. Under FinCEN's customer due diligence rule, financial institutions must identify and verify the identity of any individual who owns 25% or more of a legal entity customer, and an individual who controls it. FinCEN is the US Treasury bureau that enforces anti-money laundering rules. Expect to provide an ownership chart down to the individuals, with ID for each.

A US tax number, when asked. An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is the US federal tax number for a business. The IRS instructions for Form SS-4 state that applicants with no legal residence, principal place of business or principal office in the US may call 267-941-1099 to obtain one, and that the IRS issues EINs by telephone only to international applicants. Applicants outside the US can also fax Form SS-4 to 304-707-9471. A US subsidiary needs one, and the BCC Trade Banking Index records that Mercury asks for an EIN at onboarding.

Form W-8BEN-E. The IRS states that foreign entities use this form to document their status for purposes of chapter 3 and chapter 4, the US withholding rules. A US bank or payer may request it when the account is opened.

Source: FinCEN customer due diligence rule, IRS Form SS-4 instructions and IRS Form W-8BEN-E page, as published on 21 October 2026.

Independent scores for access and overall

The BCC Trade Banking Index scores access and onboarding from 0 to 5: 5 needs companies from 100+ countries, a published country list, opening within three days and a named person to call. It also scores protection: 5 for a bank with deposit protection, 3 for a licensed non-bank with a named custodian, 0 for no license of its own and no named partner. Disclosure: Buckingham Capital Consulting (BCC), which publishes the Index, is a Helm group company.

Source: BCC Trade Banking Index 2026, facts read by BCC on 21 October 2026.

The Index's own answer for businesses outside the UK, US and EU is that access decides it, and it names 3S Money, Shield, Conduit, Slash, Payoneer, Currenxie and XTransfer as providers that open accounts for companies registered in Latin America, Asia and Africa without a US or UK entity. Several of these score lower on protection, which is the trade-off to weigh.

Risks to check before you move your dollars

• Deposit or not. FDIC insurance covers deposits at an FDIC-insured bank up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category. Many USD accounts for foreign companies are offered by non-banks that hold funds at partner banks; read the provider's statement on where your funds sit and whether pass-through coverage applies.
• Stablecoin balances. The FDIC lists crypto assets among products it does not insure. The Index records that Slash's Global USD balances are held in USDSL, its own stablecoin, and are not FDIC insured. A stablecoin is a digital token designed to hold a steady value against a currency such as the dollar.
• Account name. Ask whether the US details are in your company's own name or belong to a pooled account in the provider's name, and how incoming payments are matched to your company.
• Holds and closures. A payment far larger than the volumes you declared can trigger a review. Keep a second account so collections can continue if one is held.
• Country rule changes. Providers change their lists. Wise's Index profile notes that USD details are not available to businesses with addresses in Nigeria, Pakistan, Türkiye, China or the UAE.
• Tax position. A US subsidiary is a separate US company with its own tax identity. Take local and US tax advice before choosing that route.

Which USD account fits which company

Source: Helm Editorial Team, from the BCC Trade Banking Index access table and providers' pricing pages, as published on 21 October 2026.

Helm is one more option for trading companies outside the US. It is a financial technology company, not a bank; accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. It provides USD account details in the company's own name, with a routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT, alongside EUR and GBP details. It accepts collections from buyers abroad held in USD or converted, and lets companies receive, send and convert USDC and USDT to USD inside the account. A named account manager answers review questions in writing within one business day. Helm was not scored in the 2026 edition of the Index. See fees agreed with your account manager, USD global accounts and digital dollars.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check the country list. Find the provider's published list of accepted countries of registration and restricted industries. If your country is not listed, ask before applying.
2. Prepare the document set. Gather the documents in the table above, with translations where they are not in English.
3. Describe the trade precisely. State your goods, your main buyers' and suppliers' countries, and monthly volumes in and out.
4. Confirm the details you will receive. Check that the routing and account number are in your company's name and which rails they accept.
5. Test before you switch. Ask one US buyer to send a small ACH payment and one to send a wire, and compare the amounts received.
6. Update invoices and notify buyers in writing. Keep the old account open until no payments arrive there.

Exporters in Mexico and Brazil can find local rails and documentation in our Mexico and Brazil guides.

Questions

References

1. Buckingham Capital Consulting: Global Trade Banking Index 2026
2. Airwallex: eligible countries and territories for business registration
3. FinCEN: Customer Due Diligence final rule
4. IRS: Instructions for Form SS-4
5. IRS: About Form W-8BEN-E
6. FDIC: Deposit Insurance At A Glance
7. FDIC: Financial products that are not insured by the FDIC
8. Mercury: pricing

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.