How to pay Chinese suppliers from the UAE
A UAE company pays a Chinese supplier by sending US dollars by SWIFT from its own USD account to the supplier's company account in China or Hong Kong, or yuan where its bank offers it. The UAE does not ration foreign currency for imports, so the rules that matter are customs, the attestation of import invoices of AED 10,000 or more for the local market, and the supplier's bank checks in China. This guide covers the routes, published bank charges, documents and the rules on hawala and stablecoins.
- Import invoices of AED 10,000 or more must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs for AED 150 each, under Cabinet Resolution No. 38 of 2022, with goods brought into free zones exempt, as reported.
- The People's Bank of China designated Agricultural Bank of China, Dubai Branch, as the yuan clearing bank for the UAE in December 2016.
- The Central Bank of the UAE and the People's Bank of China renewed their currency swap in November 2023 at AED 18 billion for five years.
- Emirates NBD's business schedule lists outward foreign currency transfers at up to AED 78.80 at a branch and free to AED 52.50 online depending on the package, with correspondent charges extra.
- Anyone carrying on hawala in the UAE must hold a hawala provider certificate from the Central Bank, and licensed financial institutions must not accept unregistered UAE hawala providers as customers.
- Outside the DIFC and ADGM, the CBUAE Payment Token Services Regulation restricts businesses from accepting USD stablecoins as payment for goods and services.
How to pay a Chinese supplier from the UAE: the short answer
A UAE business, whether licensed on the mainland or in a free zone, pays a Chinese supplier in three stages. It agrees the price and payment terms, it pays by bank transfer from an account in the company's own name to the supplier's company account, and it clears the goods through UAE customs with documents that match the payment. The payment is usually a SWIFT transfer in US dollars. 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 is:
- Agree the price, the payment terms and the Incoterm with the supplier, and get a proforma invoice. An Incoterm is a standard trade term, such as FOB or CIF, that sets who pays freight and insurance. A proforma invoice is the supplier's priced quotation for the order.
- Pay the deposit by SWIFT from your company's USD account, quoting the proforma invoice number in the payment reference.
- Pay the balance against a copy of the bill of lading, or through a letter of credit or a documentary collection.
- Clear the goods with a customs declaration. For goods entering the local market with an invoice of AED 10,000 or more, have the commercial invoice attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Keep the payment confirmations with the invoice, bill of lading and declaration for your records and VAT filings.
Many UAE companies are trading companies that buy from China and re-export to the Gulf, Africa and South Asia. This guide covers the UAE side of each step. For the supplier's side, see our guide on how to pay suppliers in China.
UAE rules: customs, invoice attestation and free zones
The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar, and none of the sources cited here require central bank approval or a foreign exchange form for each supplier payment. A UAE company can hold dollars in a USD account and pay suppliers from it, subject to its bank's own checks. The rules that apply to an import from China sit with customs and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Attestation of import invoices
Under Cabinet Resolution No. 38 of 2022, commercial invoices for imports valued at AED 10,000 or more must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). As reported by Khaleej Times in January 2023, the rule took effect on 1 February 2023. Attestation is electronic: the importer uploads the invoice, receives a reference number linked to customs, and pays AED 150 per invoice. The fee can be paid within 14 days of the customs declaration, and the penalty for not complying is AED 500 per invoice.
| Point | What applies |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Cabinet Resolution No. 38 of 2022 on fees for certifying invoices and certificates of origin |
| Effective date | 1 February 2023 |
| Invoices covered | Import invoices of AED 10,000 or more |
| Fee | AED 150 per commercial invoice |
| Deadline | Within 14 days of the declaration of goods |
| Penalty | AED 500 per invoice |
| Exempt | Invoices under AED 10,000, personal imports, goods from GCC countries, goods brought into free zones, transit goods, B2C e-commerce, and diplomatic, police, military, charity and international organization goods |
Source: Khaleej Times, New UAE rule: attestation mandatory for import invoices worth Dh10,000 and above (18 January 2023), as published on 29 October 2026. Confirm the current fee and exemptions with MoFA or your customs broker.
Free zone or mainland
A free zone company, licensed by an authority such as the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), often imports from China into the free zone and re-exports. Goods brought into a free zone are exempt from invoice attestation. When the same goods later move into the UAE mainland market, the mainland importer's customs declaration and the attestation rule apply. A mainland company, licensed by the economic department of an emirate, imports directly for the local market. Plan the paperwork around where the goods will finally be sold.
USD or yuan: choosing the payment currency
Most Chinese factories quote in US dollars, and the dirham's peg to the dollar means a UAE company that pays in dollars carries little exchange rate risk. The yuan is not pegged to the dirham, so a yuan price moves against it.
Paying in yuan is possible through banks that offer it. In December 2016 the People's Bank of China designated Agricultural Bank of China, Dubai Branch, as the clearing bank for yuan transactions in the UAE. A clearing bank settles yuan payments for other banks in the market. In November 2023 the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the People's Bank of China renewed their currency swap agreement with a nominal value of AED 18 billion for five years, aimed at making trade settlement between the two countries more efficient. The two central banks also signed a memorandum of understanding on central bank digital currency, including support for Project mBridge, a multi-central bank platform for cross-border payments.
| Point | Pay in USD | Pay in yuan |
|---|---|---|
| What most suppliers quote | USD is the usual invoice currency for export orders | Some suppliers accept or prefer yuan; ask |
| Exchange rate risk for a UAE company | Low, because the dirham is pegged to the dollar | Yuan moves against the dirham |
| Conversion | None if you hold USD from sales | Convert AED or USD to yuan at your bank's rate |
| Clearing in the UAE | Through your bank's US dollar correspondent | Agricultural Bank of China, Dubai Branch, is the designated yuan clearing bank |
| Central bank arrangements | Not applicable | CBUAE and PBoC currency swap, renewed November 2023 for five years |
Sources: Finance Magnates report of the People's Bank of China designation (9 December 2016); Arab News report of the CBUAE and PBoC swap renewal (28 November 2023). As published on 29 October 2026.
Whether your own bank sends yuan, and at what rate, varies by bank. Paying in yuan saves the supplier a conversion, not you. Compare the yuan price at your bank's rate with the dollar price before you choose.
How the money reaches a Chinese supplier
Many Chinese factories invoice through a Hong Kong trading company with a Hong Kong bank account, and others give a mainland account. Whichever route you use, the beneficiary should be the company named on the proforma invoice and the contract.
| Supplier asks for | How you pay from the UAE | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| USD to a Hong Kong company account | SWIFT transfer in USD from your USD account | The Hong Kong company is the seller on the invoice and contract |
| USD to a mainland China account | SWIFT transfer in USD | The supplier's bank checks the contract and invoice before it credits the funds |
| Yuan (CNY) to a mainland account | Ask your bank whether it sends yuan and at what rate | Compare the yuan quote 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 or acceptance | The supplier carries more risk than under a credit |
Routes as described in this guide; supplier-side checks from PNC Bank's summary of China's goods trade foreign exchange rules. As published on 29 October 2026.
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 banks cannot handle foreign exchange for companies that are not on it. The supplier's bank checks each receipt for a genuine trade background, using documents such as the contract, invoice and customs declaration. The same summary states that the remitter and the beneficiary must be the parties to the contract. A payment from a related company in the UAE that is not on the contract can be held while the supplier's bank asks questions.
This matters for UAE groups that run a mainland company and a free zone company side by side. Pay from the company that signed the contract and appears on the invoice.
Deposit, balance and letters of credit
Many factories ask for a deposit when the order is confirmed and the balance before the goods ship, against a copy of the bill of lading. A bill of lading is the document the shipping line issues when it receives the goods.
| Term | How it works | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit before production | You pay part of the order when it is confirmed | Limit the deposit with a new supplier |
| Balance against bill of lading copy | You pay the rest once the goods have shipped | Pay the same beneficiary and quote the same invoice |
| Letter of credit | Your bank promises to pay the supplier when it presents documents that match the credit | Bank commission and SWIFT charges apply; discrepancies delay payment |
| Documentary collection | Banks exchange the shipping documents for your payment or acceptance, without a bank promise | The supplier carries more risk than under a credit |
Terms as described in this guide. 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's terms. It protects you against paying for goods that were never shipped, but it does not check quality. A supplier that has not traded with you before may ask for an LC on the first order and accept deposit and balance on later orders. Book a pre-shipment inspection before you release the balance on a large order. Emirates NBD's schedule lists AED 105 in SWIFT charges to issue a trade LC and AED 78.80 for each amendment, on top of the bank's trade tariff for commission.
What it costs: published bank charges
UAE banks publish schedules of charges by account package. The table shows Emirates NBD's business banking charges for the transfers in this guide. They include VAT.
| Charge | Proprietor | Prime | Preferred | Prestige | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outward foreign currency transfer, online | Free | AED 52.50 | AED 52.50 | AED 42 | AED 31.50 |
| Outward foreign currency transfer, branch | AED 78.75 | AED 78.80 | AED 78.80 | AED 78.80 | AED 78.80 |
| Trade LC issuance, SWIFT charges | AED 105 | AED 105 | AED 105 | AED 105 | AED 105 |
| Trade LC amendment, SWIFT charges | AED 78.80 | AED 78.80 | AED 78.80 | AED 78.80 | AED 78.80 |
| Inward remittance credited to the account | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Source: Emirates NBD, Business Banking Schedule of Charges, as published on 29 October 2026. Additional fees may be levied by the correspondent bank. Other banks set their own charges.
On a US$40,000 order paid as a deposit and a balance online, two transfers on the Prime package cost AED 105 in bank charges. Three costs sit outside the schedule. The first is the bank's exchange rate if you buy dollars with dirhams; compare it with the peg. The second is correspondent bank charges deducted on the way to China. The third is the supplier's own bank charge.
Charge codes
Every SWIFT payment carries a charge code. OUR means you pay all transfer fees and the supplier receives the full invoice amount. SHA shares the fees, so intermediary banks can deduct theirs from the amount. BEN puts all fees on the supplier. A payment that arrives short delays shipment while the supplier queries the gap. Agree in the contract who bears bank charges, and check the supplier bank's code with our SWIFT code lookup before the first payment.
Documents that tie the payment to customs
Your bank, UAE customs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the supplier's bank each match the same facts: the supplier's name, the invoice number, the goods and the value. Keep them identical across every document.
| Stage | Document | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Before ordering | Proforma invoice and contract naming the supplier's company and its bank account | Supplier and buyer |
| Each payment | Payment instruction quoting the invoice number; SWIFT confirmation | Importer and bank |
| After shipment | Bill of lading or air waybill, commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin where required | Carrier and supplier |
| Clearance | Customs declaration lodged by the importer or its broker | Importer's customs broker |
| Within 14 days of the declaration | MoFA attestation of the commercial invoice, if AED 10,000 or more and not exempt | Importer, online |
Source: Khaleej Times report of Cabinet Resolution No. 38 of 2022 for attestation; typical sequence otherwise. Requirements vary by emirate, free zone and product. As published on 29 October 2026.
If the final invoice value differs from the proforma, pay and attest against the final commercial invoice, and keep both. If the supplier changes its bank details, confirm the change by telephone on a number you already hold before you pay.
Hawala, cash and stablecoins: what the rules say
Some UAE traders pay Chinese suppliers through a hawala dealer, a money changer or a stablecoin trader rather than by bank transfer. Hawala is a money transfer system that settles through a network of dealers rather than through bank accounts. The facts below are what a business should weigh before using these routes.
- Hawala needs a Central Bank certificate. Hawala is regulated by the Registered Hawala Providers Regulation, issued by the CBUAE in 2019. Anyone carrying on hawala in the UAE must hold a hawala provider certificate from the Central Bank. Under CBUAE guidance of August 2021, licensed financial institutions must not accept unregistered UAE hawala providers as customers and must report them.
- The supplier's bank may query it. China's rules expect the payer to be the party on the contract. A payment from a dealer's account is a payment from a third party.
- Your records do not match. Your invoice, customs declaration and attestation name the supplier, but your bank statement shows a payment to someone else.
- Stablecoins are restricted as payment. Outside the DIFC and ADGM, the CBUAE Payment Token Services Regulation (Circular No. 2/2024) restricts businesses in the UAE from accepting USD stablecoins as payment for goods and services. The DIFC is the Dubai International Financial Centre and ADGM is Abu Dhabi Global Market, the two financial free zones with their own regulators.
- The China side has its own position. In November 2025 the People's Bank of China reaffirmed that virtual currency business activities are illegal in mainland China and said stablecoins carry risks including illegal cross-border transfers, as reported by The Block.
A SWIFT transfer from your own company account to the supplier's company account is the route that both sides' banks and regulators expect, and it gives you a record for customs, VAT and audit.
Where Helm fits, and a checklist
Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank. Accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. A Helm account gives a UAE company USD account details in its own name, with a US routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT payments, plus EUR and GBP details.
- Pay suppliers in USD. Send international payments by SWIFT from your company's own account to the supplier's USD account in China or Hong Kong, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before you send.
- Collect and pay in one currency. A trading company that collects dollars from buyers abroad can pay its Chinese suppliers from the same balance without converting.
- Finance the balance. Trade finance, such as supplier finance and working capital, is arranged case by case.
Customs, invoice attestation and VAT still apply in the UAE, whichever account pays the supplier. 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. For the wider picture of running a trading company in the UAE, see the UAE trading company guide.
Checklist
- Get a proforma invoice and agree the deposit, the balance trigger and who pays bank charges.
- Check that the beneficiary is the supplier's company and matches the invoice and contract.
- Pay from the UAE company that signed the contract.
- Send each payment by SWIFT, quoting the invoice number, on OUR terms if the supplier must receive the full amount.
- Use a letter of credit or an inspection for a large first order.
- Attest the commercial invoice within 14 days of the declaration if it is AED 10,000 or more and not exempt.
- Keep the SWIFT confirmations with the invoice, bill of lading, declaration and attestation for each order.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
How do I pay a Chinese supplier from the UAE?
Send US dollars by SWIFT from your company's USD account to the supplier's company account in China or Hong Kong, quoting the invoice number. Pay the balance against a copy of the bill of lading, or use a letter of credit or documentary collection.
Do I need central bank approval to pay a supplier in China from the UAE?
None of the sources cited here require central bank approval or an import form for each supplier payment. The rules that apply are customs declarations, the attestation of import invoices of AED 10,000 or more, and your bank's own checks.
Do I need to attest the commercial invoice for goods from China?
If the invoice is AED 10,000 or more and the goods enter the UAE local market, yes. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 38 of 2022 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests the invoice for AED 150, with the fee payable within 14 days of the declaration; goods brought into free zones are exempt.
Can I pay a Chinese supplier in yuan from the UAE?
It depends on your bank. The People's Bank of China designated Agricultural Bank of China, Dubai Branch, as the UAE's yuan clearing bank in 2016, and the two central banks renewed an AED 18 billion currency swap in 2023. Each bank decides whether it sends yuan and at what rate.
What do UAE banks charge to send money to China?
Each bank publishes its own schedule. Emirates NBD lists outward foreign currency transfers from free to AED 52.50 online and AED 78.75 to AED 78.80 at a branch, depending on the business package, with correspondent bank fees extra.
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 on the invoice and contract, so the payment and your customs documents match.
Is it legal to pay a Chinese supplier through hawala in the UAE?
Hawala is legal only through a provider that holds a hawala provider certificate from the CBUAE under the Registered Hawala Providers Regulation. A hawala payment still does not come from the contract party, so the supplier's bank in China may query it.
Can a UAE company pay a Chinese supplier in USDT?
Outside the DIFC and ADGM, the CBUAE Payment Token Services Regulation restricts businesses from accepting USD stablecoins as payment for goods. In China, the People's Bank of China reaffirmed in 2025 that virtual currency business activities are illegal, so a bank transfer is the route both sides expect.
Which UAE company should pay the supplier if we have a free zone and a mainland company?
Pay from the company that signed the contract and appears on the invoice. China's rules expect the payer to be the contract party, and the supplier's bank may hold a payment from a related company that is not on the contract.
References
- Khaleej Times: New UAE rule, attestation mandatory for import invoices worth Dh10,000 and above (18 January 2023)
- Finance Magnates: Chinese central bank designates yuan clearing bank in United Arab Emirates (9 December 2016)
- Arab News: CBUAE and People's Bank of China renew currency swap agreement, sign MoU (28 November 2023)
- Emirates NBD: Business Banking Schedule of Charges
- Khaleej Times: New guidance to registered hawala providers and licensed financial institutions (18 August 2021)
- Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook: Payment Token Services Regulation (Circular No. 2/2024)
- PNC Bank: Navigating China's regulations on foreign exchange for goods trade
- The Block: China's central bank reaffirms crypto ban, flags stablecoin risks (29 November 2025)
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.