How to pay Chinese suppliers from Ukraine
To pay a Chinese supplier from Ukraine, send US dollars or another foreign currency by SWIFT from your company's account at a Ukrainian bank against the import contract and invoice; NBU martial law rules permit payments for imports of goods, services and works that took place after 23 February 2021, as reported by Chambers and Partners. If you pay before the goods arrive, the bank supervises the contract until they do, under a 365-day settlement deadline set under the Currency Law with a penalty of 0.3% a day for breaches. This guide covers the rules, the routes, published bank fees, the documents and the risks of informal routes.
- NBU Board Resolution No. 18 of 24 February 2022 introduced a moratorium on cross-border currency transfers during martial law, and the NBU has since added exceptions, including payments for imports that took place after 23 February 2021.
- Ukraine's Currency Law framework sets a 365-day settlement deadline for export and import operations, and a June 2025 legal analysis citing a Supreme Court ruling of 13 March 2025 concluded that the 0.3% daily penalty applies only to that 365-day period.
- NBU Resolution No. 67 of 14 May 2019 lists transactions exempt from the 365-day deadline, including imports under state defense contracts and imports of goods for making aerospace and aviation equipment.
- Under NBU Resolution No. 90 of 10 August 2026, payments abroad with hryvnia corporate cards are limited to UAH 400,000 a month, while foreign currency corporate cards have no amount limit, as reported by dev.ua.
- OTP Bank Ukraine's published tariff package for international business charges 0.15% for an outgoing SWIFT payment in foreign currency, with minimum and maximum amounts that depend on the charge option.
- China's foreign exchange rules expect the payer and the beneficiary to be the parties to the contract, so a payment sent by an agent or a related company can be queried by the supplier's bank.
How to pay a Chinese supplier from Ukraine: the short answer
A Ukrainian business pays a Chinese supplier through the Ukrainian bank that services the import contract. The bank checks the contract and invoice, sends the payment by SWIFT, and, if the money leaves before the goods arrive, supervises the contract until the goods are imported. SWIFT is the international messaging network banks use for cross-border payments, and each bank has an 8 or 11 character SWIFT code.
The usual sequence for an order from China is:
- Sign a contract with the supplier that states the price, currency, payment terms and Incoterm, and get an invoice. An Incoterm is a standard trade term, such as FOB or CIF, that sets who pays freight and insurance.
- Give the contract and invoice to your bank, which checks that the payment is permitted under the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) martial law rules.
- Pay the deposit by SWIFT in dollars, euros or another currency, from your foreign currency account or with currency the bank buys for you.
- Pay the balance when the supplier sends a copy of the bill of lading, or pay through a letter of credit or documentary collection.
- Clear the goods through customs and give the bank the customs declaration, so it can close supervision of the contract within the deadline.
NBU rules change often during martial law, so confirm each point with your bank before you sign. This guide covers the Ukrainian side of each step. For the supplier's side, such as how Chinese factories invoice and how to pay a Hong Kong account, see our general guide on how to pay suppliers in China.
NBU martial law rules on paying for imports
NBU Board Resolution No. 18 of 24 February 2022, On the Operation of the Banking System Under Martial Law, introduced wartime currency restrictions, including a moratorium on cross-border currency transfers. The NBU has since widened the list of permitted transfers by amendment. Payments for imports are among the permitted ones, and the points below are the ones an importer meets most often.
| Activity | Position as reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Paying for imported goods, services and works | Restrictions lifted where the import took place after 23 February 2021 | Chambers and Partners, August 2025 |
| Buying foreign currency to pay a supplier | The bank takes into account the company's foreign currency balances on current and deposit accounts, and unfinished swaps, before selling it more | NBU Resolution No. 24 of 20 February 2024 (UkrAgroConsult) |
| Paying abroad with a hryvnia corporate card | Up to UAH 400,000 a month | NBU Resolution No. 90 of 10 August 2026 (dev.ua) |
| Paying abroad with a foreign currency corporate card | No amount limit | NBU Resolution No. 90 (dev.ua) |
| Transfers to the company's own account abroad | Subject to the moratorium and its listed exceptions | Resolution No. 18; Kinstellar, August 2026 |
Sources: Chambers and Partners, Ukraine continuously eases currency transfer rules (August 2025); UkrAgroConsult (21 February 2024); dev.ua (11 August 2026); Kinstellar via Mondaq (August 2026). As published on 29 October 2026. Amounts and conditions change by NBU resolution; confirm with your bank.
UAH is the Ukrainian hryvnia. The corporate card rule matters for small orders, such as samples or purchases on a marketplace, where a supplier accepts cards: a card linked to a foreign currency account has no monthly cap, while a hryvnia card stops at UAH 400,000 a month. Larger orders go by SWIFT transfer against the contract.
The rule on buying currency matters for timing. A company that already holds dollars should expect its bank to ask about them before selling it more, so use the dollars you hold for the deposit and buy only what the balance needs.
Settlement deadlines when you pay before delivery
When a Ukrainian importer pays a supplier before the goods arrive, the bank that services the contract supervises it until the goods are imported. The deadline for that is the settlement deadline. Ask your bank which deadline applies to each contract before you pay the deposit.
| Period | Legal basis | Penalty for a breach |
|---|---|---|
| 365 days | Currency Law, applied by NBU Resolution No. 5 of 2 January 2019 | 0.3% for each day of delay, under Part 5 of Article 13 of the Currency Law |
| 180 days | NBU Resolution No. 18 of 24 February 2022, under the NBU's martial law powers | The June 2025 analysis concluded that the Article 13 penalty does not apply to it |
| Exempt transactions | NBU Resolution No. 67 of 14 May 2019 | The 365-day deadline does not apply |
Sources: KMP, Settlement deadlines under export-import contracts for which a penalty shall be imposed in case of violation, 180 or 365 days (20 June 2025), citing Supreme Court case No. 560/19941/23 of 13 March 2025; National Bank of Ukraine release on Resolution No. 67 (May 2019). As published on 29 October 2026. Confirm the deadline for each contract with your bank.
The exemptions under Resolution No. 67 are narrow for a trading company. They include imports of goods under state defense contracts, imports of goods used to make aerospace and aviation equipment, and certain medical imports under Ministry of Health agreements. A general importer buying from China should plan on the deadline applying.
Two practical points follow. First, match the payment schedule to the production schedule: a large deposit for an order that takes months to produce and ship uses up part of the deadline before the goods leave China. Second, pay the balance against a copy of the bill of lading rather than before shipment, so most of the money leaves Ukraine only when the goods are on their way. If a supplier fails to ship, contact your bank before the deadline, not after it.
How the money reaches a Chinese supplier
Most Chinese suppliers invoice in US dollars, and many sell through a Hong Kong trading company with a Hong Kong bank account. A Ukrainian importer pays in one of the ways below. Whichever route you use, the beneficiary should be the company named as seller in the contract your bank holds.
| Route | How you pay | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| USD to a Hong Kong or mainland China account | SWIFT transfer from your foreign currency account at a Ukrainian bank | The seller in the contract is the beneficiary; the bank supervises any advance payment |
| Euros | SWIFT transfer in EUR | Confirm the supplier's account accepts euros |
| Chinese yuan (CNY) | Ask your bank whether it can send yuan and at what rate | Compare the total cost with the dollar route |
| Letter of credit | Your bank issues the credit; the supplier is paid against documents | Documents must match the credit exactly |
| Documentary collection | Banks release the shipping documents to you against payment | The supplier carries more risk than under a credit |
| Foreign currency corporate card | Card payment to a supplier or marketplace that accepts cards | Suits samples and small orders; no amount limit under Resolution No. 90 |
| Company account abroad | SWIFT transfer from an account in the company's name outside Ukraine, funded by foreign customers | Funding it from Ukraine is subject to the moratorium; statistical reporting to the NBU |
Routes as described in this guide; supplier-side checks from PNC Bank; corporate card limits from dev.ua (11 August 2026); accounts abroad from Kinstellar via Mondaq (August 2026). As published on 29 October 2026.
A letter of credit (LC) is a bank's written promise to pay the seller when it presents documents that comply with the credit. A documentary collection sends the shipping documents through the banks, and you receive them only after you pay or accept a bill of exchange.
What the supplier's bank checks
China manages foreign exchange through the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). As summarized by PNC Bank, a Chinese company must be on SAFE's list of companies with goods trade foreign exchange business, and the supplier's bank verifies each receipt using documents such as the contract, invoice and customs declaration. The remitter and the beneficiary must be the parties to the contract. A payment from a company that is not on the contract can be held while the supplier's bank asks questions.
Accounts abroad
Ukraine's Currency Law No. 2473-VIII of 2018 abolished the need for an individual NBU license to open an account abroad, and Kinstellar summarized in August 2026 that Ukrainian companies are generally free to use foreign accounts for business, including receiving funds from foreign sources. Service exporters, such as IT companies, often collect from foreign clients abroad and pay suppliers from there. The account must be in the same company's name as the import contract, and the company files the statistical reports the NBU requires on accounts abroad.
What it costs: published bank fees
Each Ukrainian bank publishes its own tariffs, usually as packages for business clients. The table shows one bank's published package for businesses that pay abroad, as an example of the items to budget for.
| Item | Published charge |
|---|---|
| Outgoing SWIFT payment in USD or EUR | 0.15% of the amount |
| Minimum and maximum per payment | Two published ranges depending on the charge option: minimum $15 and maximum $110, or minimum $35 and maximum $130 (the same figures in euros for EUR payments) |
| Monthly package fee | UAH 849, charged only in months with account movement |
| Who the package is for | Resident legal entities and individual entrepreneurs with a current account |
Source: OTP Bank Ukraine, Tariff Package 5, International, as published on 29 October 2026. Other banks set their own fees; services outside the package follow the bank's standard tariffs.
On a $40,000 order paid as a $12,000 deposit and a $28,000 balance, 0.15% comes to $18 and $42, inside both published ranges. Three costs sit outside the tariff: the commission and rate when the bank buys currency for you with hryvnia, correspondent bank charges on the way to China, and the supplier's own bank charge.
Send SWIFT payments with the charge code OUR, which means you pay all transfer fees and the supplier receives the full invoice amount. SHA shares the fees, so intermediary deductions come out of the amount, and BEN puts all fees on the supplier. Our guide to SWIFT fees under OUR, SHA and BEN explains the difference. A payment that arrives short delays shipment while the supplier queries the gap.
Documents that tie the payment to customs
Your bank, customs and the supplier's bank each match the same facts: the supplier's name, the contract and invoice numbers, the value and the goods. Keep them identical across every document.
| Stage | Document | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Before paying | Import contract stating the price, currency, payment terms and delivery terms; invoice | Supplier and importer |
| Each payment | Payment order in foreign currency quoting the contract and invoice; currency purchase application if the bank buys currency; SWIFT confirmation | Importer and bank |
| After shipment | Bill of lading, rail or road consignment note; final commercial invoice; packing list; certificate of origin where needed | Carrier and supplier |
| Clearance | Customs declaration for the import | Importer or its customs broker |
| Closing supervision | Customs declaration given to the bank within the settlement deadline | Importer |
Typical sequence compiled by the Helm Editorial Team; requirements vary by bank and product. As published on 29 October 2026.
A bill of lading is the document the shipping line issues when it receives the goods. Ask the supplier for a copy before you pay the balance, and check that the shipper, consignee and goods match the contract. If the final invoice value differs from the contract, sign an addendum before payment, because the bank checks the payment against the contract it holds.
Agents, related companies and stablecoins: what goes wrong
Some importers pay through an agent who collects hryvnia in Ukraine and pays the supplier from an account abroad, or through a related company abroad, or in stablecoins. The facts below are what an importer should weigh before using these routes.
- The bank cannot close supervision. A payment made by someone else does not appear against your contract at your bank, so the bank's records and the customs declaration do not match.
- The supplier's bank may query it. China's rules expect the payer to be the party on the contract. A transfer from an agent or a sister company is a payment from a third party.
- There is no trace. A SWIFT transfer from your own account carries a reference and can be traced through the banks. Hryvnia handed to an agent cannot.
- The stablecoin position is not settled here. We could not confirm from a primary source, on 29 October 2026, the legal status in force for virtual assets in Ukraine or how NBU currency rules treat a stablecoin payment to a foreign supplier. Before paying in USDC or USDT, get written advice from Ukrainian counsel on whether it counts as a cross-border transfer under Resolution No. 18 and how it is recorded for tax.
The customs side does not change with the payment route: the goods still need a customs declaration to clear.
Where Helm fits
Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank. Accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. A Helm account gives your company USD account details in its own name, with a US routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT payments, alongside EUR and GBP details. Helm can serve businesses in Ukraine.
- Pay suppliers from collections abroad. IT companies, agencies and other businesses paid by foreign clients can receive dollars into the account and send international payments by SWIFT to the supplier's account in China or Hong Kong, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before sending.
- Hold dollars for the balance. Keep the balance payment in USD so it is not converted on the day it falls due.
- Finance the balance. Trade finance, such as supplier finance and working capital, is arranged case by case.
- Stablecoins, subject to advice. Helm accounts can receive USDC and USDT and convert them to USD, subject to the Ukrainian advice above.
Money that is already in Ukraine can move to an account abroad only for purposes the NBU permits, and the company files the statistical reports the NBU requires on accounts abroad. Confirm with the bank that supervises your import contract how a payment from an account abroad is recorded against it. Each account has a named account manager, and review questions are answered in writing within one business day. 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.
A checklist for paying a Chinese supplier from Ukraine
- Sign a contract that states the price, currency, payment terms and delivery terms, and give it to your bank.
- Ask your bank which settlement deadline applies before you pay a deposit.
- Match the deposit to the production schedule, and pay the balance against a copy of the bill of lading.
- Use dollars you already hold before asking the bank to buy more.
- Send each payment by SWIFT with charges set to OUR, quoting the contract and invoice numbers.
- Check the seller in the contract and the beneficiary of the payment are the same company.
- Use a foreign currency corporate card only for samples and small orders.
- Give the customs declaration to the bank promptly so it can close supervision of the contract.
For how other importers organize supplier payments, see the importers page.
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How do I pay a Chinese supplier from Ukraine?
Give the import contract and invoice to your Ukrainian bank and send the payment by SWIFT in dollars or another foreign currency to the supplier's account in China or Hong Kong. NBU martial law rules permit payments for imports that took place after 23 February 2021, as reported by Chambers and Partners.
Can a Ukrainian company pay a Chinese supplier in advance?
Yes, but the bank that services the contract then supervises it until the goods are imported. The Currency Law sets a 365-day settlement deadline, and a penalty of 0.3% a day applies to breaches of that deadline. Ask your bank which deadline applies before paying.
What is the settlement deadline for imports in Ukraine?
The deadline set under the Currency Law is 365 days, and NBU Resolution No. 18 also set a 180-day period under martial law powers. A June 2025 legal analysis citing a Supreme Court ruling of 13 March 2025 concluded that the 0.3% daily penalty applies only to the 365-day period.
Which import transactions are exempt from the 365-day deadline?
NBU Resolution No. 67 of 14 May 2019 exempts listed transactions, including imports of goods under state defense contracts, imports of goods used to make aerospace and aviation equipment, and certain medical imports under Ministry of Health agreements.
Can I pay a Chinese supplier with a corporate card from Ukraine?
Yes, within limits. Under NBU Resolution No. 90 of 10 August 2026, payments abroad with hryvnia corporate cards are limited to UAH 400,000 a month, while foreign currency corporate cards have no amount limit, as reported by dev.ua.
What do Ukrainian banks charge to send money to China?
Each bank publishes its own tariffs. OTP Bank Ukraine's International tariff package charges 0.15% for an outgoing SWIFT payment in foreign currency, with minimum and maximum amounts that depend on the charge option, and a monthly package fee of UAH 849.
Can a Ukrainian company pay suppliers from a bank account abroad?
Ukrainian companies may open accounts abroad without an individual NBU license under the 2018 Currency Law, and may receive funds from foreign sources into them. Sending money from Ukraine to that account is subject to the martial law moratorium and its exceptions, and the company must file the NBU's statistical reports.
Why will my bank ask about the dollars I already hold?
Under NBU Resolution No. 24 of 20 February 2024, when a company buys foreign currency its bank takes into account the company's foreign currency balances on current and deposit accounts. Use the dollars you hold before asking the bank to buy more.
Can I pay a Chinese supplier with USDT from Ukraine?
This guide does not state the position, because we could not confirm it from a primary source on 29 October 2026. Take written advice from Ukrainian counsel on how virtual asset and currency rules apply before paying in USDC or USDT.
Why does my Chinese supplier want payment to a Hong Kong account?
Many Chinese factories sell through a Hong Kong trading company that holds a Hong Kong bank account. Make sure the Hong Kong company is the seller in the contract your bank holds, so the payment and the import documents match.
References
- Chambers and Partners: Ukraine continuously eases currency transfer rules (August 2025)
- KMP: Settlement deadlines under export-import contracts for which a penalty shall be imposed in case of violation, 180 or 365 days (20 June 2025)
- National Bank of Ukraine: Settlement deadlines for a number of export and import transactions cancelled (Resolution No. 67, May 2019)
- dev.ua: NBU Resolution No. 90 of 10 August 2026 on currency restrictions (11 August 2026)
- UkrAgroConsult: NBU Resolution No. 24 of 20 February 2024 on business foreign currency purchases
- Kinstellar via Mondaq: Foreign bank accounts, when and how Ukrainian businesses report to the NBU (August 2026)
- OTP Bank Ukraine: Tariff Package 5, International
- PNC Bank: Navigating China's regulations on foreign exchange for goods trade
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.