How to receive USD in Bangladesh
To receive US dollars in Bangladesh, a business is paid into its account at an authorized dealer bank in Bangladesh, by SWIFT wire or through a channel Bangladesh Bank allows, and keeps a permitted share in an Export Retention Quota (ERQ) account. Export proceeds must arrive within four months, and Bangladesh Bank treats keeping them abroad outside authorized accounts as a breach of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act. This guide covers the routes, the 2026 rules, what to give the payer, arrival times, published costs and freelancer channels.
- A Bangladeshi business receives US dollars through an authorized dealer (AD) bank in Bangladesh, by SWIFT wire, through an approved online payment gateway, or through a licensed mobile financial service or payment service provider.
- Bangladesh Bank's consolidated export circular of 30 July 2026 sets the period for repatriating export proceeds at four months and requires the encashable portion to be converted to taka by the following business day.
- The same circular states that retaining export proceeds abroad, other than in authorized accounts, contravenes Section 5(1)(e)(i) of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947.
- As reported in July 2026, ICT freelancers may keep up to 50% of export earnings in an ERQ account, other service exporters up to 30%, and goods exporters with high import content up to 15%.
- Service export receipts through online payment gateway service providers are limited to $10,000 per transaction, and inward service remittances up to $20,000 may be credited without Form C.
- Helm does not currently provide USD account details to companies based in Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Bank does not permit transactions to obtain virtual assets.
How to receive USD in Bangladesh: the short answer
A business in Bangladesh paid from abroad receives US dollars through an authorized dealer (AD) bank, a bank licensed by Bangladesh Bank to deal in foreign exchange. The payer sends a SWIFT wire to the business's account at that bank, or pays through a channel Bangladesh Bank allows, such as an approved online payment gateway. The AD bank credits the share the business may keep in dollars to its Export Retention Quota (ERQ) account and converts the rest to taka.
Bangladesh's rules are stricter than those in most markets covered in our guides. Bangladesh Bank sets them in circulars issued under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 (FER Act). They decide how fast export proceeds must arrive, how much may stay in dollars, which documents the bank needs, and which channels freelancers may use. They also treat keeping export proceeds abroad, outside authorized accounts, as a breach of the Act. That rule shapes every route in this guide, including online accounts from providers abroad.
This guide is written for the businesses that are paid in dollars from outside Bangladesh: garment, leather, jute and frozen food exporters; software and IT-enabled services (ITES) firms; agencies and consultancies with clients in the United States and Europe; and freelancers who invoice foreign clients. The sections below cover the routes, the 2026 rules, the ERQ limits, the exact details to give a payer, arrival times, published costs, freelancer channels and the position on crypto. For the account side of the same question, see our guide to a USD business account in Bangladesh.
The ways to receive US dollars in Bangladesh
The table compares the routes. It is not a ranking: for a business based in Bangladesh, the AD bank is the anchor, and every other route must settle through it within Bangladesh Bank's rules.
| Route | How the payer pays | What arrives | Suits | Main rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Export proceeds to the AD bank named on the EXP form | SWIFT wire, letter of credit or documentary collection | Dollars; the retained share to the ERQ account and the rest converted to taka | Exporters of goods | Within four months of shipment; documents to the AD within 14 days |
| Service remittance to an AD bank | SWIFT wire | Dollars, encashed on receipt of online Form C; retained share to the ERQ account | Software firms, agencies, consultancies | Up to $20,000 may be credited without Form C |
| Online payment gateway service provider (OPGSP) | Through the platform | Settled to Bangladesh through an AD bank | Freelancers and small service exporters | Up to $10,000 per transaction |
| Mobile financial service or payment service provider | Through the licensed provider | Proceeds handled by the provider under Bangladesh Bank's conditions | Small e-commerce exports of goods | Goods up to $1,000 without an EXP form, subject to conditions |
| Account with a provider abroad | ACH, Fedwire or SWIFT | Dollars held abroad | Limited by provider eligibility | Export proceeds kept abroad outside authorized accounts breach the FER Act |
Sources: Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026; FE Circular No. 43 of 5 November 2025. As published on 29 October 2026.
SWIFT is the international network banks use to send cross-border payments, identified by an 8 or 11 character bank code. The EXP form is the export declaration that links a shipment to the AD bank that must receive its proceeds. Form C is the form used to declare the purpose of an inward service remittance. An OPGSP is an internationally recognized payment platform that Bangladesh Bank allows ADs to work with for small service export receipts.
How to choose
An exporter of goods has little choice: proceeds go to the AD bank named on the EXP form. A service firm can be paid by SWIFT wire to its AD bank, which is usually cheapest for large invoices, or through an OPGSP when clients prefer to pay on a platform. A freelancer with many small receipts may find a gateway simplest, but should check the conversion rate it gives when it settles to taka.
Bangladesh Bank rules for money received from abroad
On 30 July 2026 Bangladesh Bank issued FEPD-1 Circular No. 26, a consolidated circular on foreign exchange regulations for export trade. It was issued under Section 20(3) of the FER Act and repeals earlier export instructions. The rules below come from that circular, unless noted.
| Rule | What it says | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Repatriation period | Export proceeds must be repatriated within four months; failure without authorization exposes the exporter to action under the FER Act | Part-A, 8(1) |
| Raw jute and jute goods | Up to 360 days against an irrevocable confirmed letter of credit or on open account | Part-A, 8(2) |
| Shipping documents | Documents and the EXP form must reach the AD within 14 days of shipment | Part-A, 19(4) |
| Conversion | The encashable portion is converted to taka by the following business day, unless exempted | Part-A, 19(3) |
| Service remittances | Encashed on receipt of online Form C; up to $20,000 may be credited without Form C | Part-H, 2(c) |
| Proceeds kept abroad | Retaining export proceeds abroad, other than in authorized accounts, contravenes Section 5(1)(e)(i) of the FER Act | Part-H, 5 |
| Platform receipts | Service export receipts through OPGSPs are limited to $10,000 per transaction | Part-I, 3(b) |
| Small e-commerce exports | Licensed mobile financial service and payment service providers may handle proceeds for goods up to $1,000 without an EXP form, subject to conditions | FE Circular No. 43 of 5 November 2025 |
Sources: Bangladesh Bank, FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026; Bangladesh Bank, FE Circular No. 43 of 5 November 2025. As published on 29 October 2026.
How much you can keep in dollars
Bangladesh Bank revised the ERQ limits in July 2026.
| Exporter type | Share that may be kept in an ERQ account |
|---|---|
| ICT freelancers | Up to 50% of export earnings |
| Other service exporters | Up to 30% |
| Exporters of goods with high import content | Up to 15% of the repatriated FOB value, raised from 7.5% |
| Receipts through OPGSPs | Credited to the ERQ account up to the permissible limit; the rest converted to taka |
Sources: The Financial Express and Prothom Alo, 22 July 2026; The Daily Ittefaq, 22 July 2026; Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26, Part-I, 3(e). As published on 29 October 2026. Confirm your category and limit with your AD.
FOB, free on board, is the value of goods loaded at the port of shipment, excluding freight and insurance to the destination. As reported by Prothom Alo on 22 July 2026, retained ERQ funds can be used for international software subscriptions, cloud services, online advertising and other foreign expenses, and banks may issue dual-currency Freelancer Cards.
What to give the payer
Most delays come from incomplete details, and in Bangladesh a payment that cannot be matched to an EXP form or a service contract can also delay the conversion and the ERQ credit. Send the payer one set of details, in writing.
| Field | What to give | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Company's registered name, exactly as on the AD bank account | A mismatch causes queries along the chain |
| Account number | The account the AD bank names for export or service receipts | The bank credits the ERQ share and converts the rest |
| Bank and SWIFT code | The AD bank's full name, branch and SWIFT code | Identifies the receiving bank |
| Correspondent bank | The AD bank's US correspondent and its SWIFT code, as the bank instructs | Dollar wires settle through it |
| Reference for goods | Invoice number and EXP form number | Lets the AD match proceeds to the shipment |
| Reference for services | Invoice number and a short purpose, for example software development services | Supports the Form C purpose declaration |
| Charges | OUR, so the full amount arrives | A short payment leaves an unpaid balance against the EXP form |
Sources: Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026; standard SWIFT practice. Field list compiled by the Helm Editorial Team. As published on 29 October 2026.
OUR, SHA and BEN are SWIFT charge codes. OUR means the sender pays all fees so the full amount arrives. SHA means fees are shared, so intermediary banks may deduct theirs in transit. BEN means the receiver pays them all. For exports of goods, a deduction in transit leaves a gap between the invoice and the amount realized against the EXP form, which the AD will ask you to explain.
Our guide on how to receive USD from overseas buyers covers how to set out payment details on an invoice, and our guide for foreign buyers on how to pay suppliers in Bangladesh shows the same process from the payer's side.
How long a USD payment takes to arrive
A dollar payment to Bangladesh has two clocks: the time the money takes to reach the AD bank, and the time the bank takes to credit and convert it.
| Stage | Published timing | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| Payer's bank to its US correspondent, if the payer is in the US | Fedwire business day runs 9:00 p.m. ET the previous day to 7:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday | Payer's bank cut-off and US public holidays |
| SWIFT leg to the AD bank in Bangladesh | Depends on the number of correspondent banks in the chain | Correspondent checks, missing details, Bangladeshi and US holidays |
| Conversion of the encashable portion | By the following business day | Whether the bank can match the payment to the EXP form or Form C |
| Shipping documents to the AD (goods) | Within 14 days of shipment | The exporter's own process |
| Export proceeds deadline | Within four months | Payment terms agreed with the buyer |
Sources: Federal Reserve Financial Services, Fedwire Funds Service operating hours; Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026. As published on 29 October 2026.
Ask the payer for the SWIFT confirmation on every wire. It carries the UETR (Unique End-to-end Transaction Reference), the tracking code your AD bank can use to trace a payment that has left but not arrived. For goods, agree payment terms that leave a margin inside the four-month window, because a payment that arrives late creates an overdue EXP form.
What it costs, and the export incentives
Each AD bank publishes a schedule of charges, and platforms publish their own fees. The table shows examples. Other banks set their own charges, so ask yours for its current schedule.
| Provider and item | Published charge |
|---|---|
| Prime Bank: collection of clean inward instruments | Nil to 0.15%; Tk. 500 if there is only an exchange gain |
| Prime Bank: export bill collection commission | Up to 0.15%; Tk. 500 if there is only an exchange gain |
| Prime Bank: return or cancellation of an inward transfer | BDT 1,500 plus SWIFT and correspondent charges |
| Payoneer: receiving into a receiving account not in your local currency | 1%, minimum $1 |
| Payoneer: withdrawal with currency conversion | 1.2% to 4% |
| Payoneer: annual account fee | $29.95, only if the account receives less than $6,000 in 12 consecutive months |
Sources: Prime Bank, schedule of charges for trade services, 1 July to 31 December 2026; Payoneer fees page (last updated 1 January 2026). As published on 29 October 2026.
A clean inward instrument is a payment that arrives without shipping documents attached, such as a wire for services. Conversion is usually the largest cost: the AD converts the encashable portion at its own buying rate, so compare it with the rates other banks quote on the same day.
Cash incentives on exports
Bangladesh pays cash incentives on some exports, which can change the effective value of a dollar received. As reported by The Financial Express on 12 January 2026, Bangladesh Bank's circular for the 2025-2026 fiscal year set the incentive for software and ITES exports at 6%, and for individual freelancers in these sectors at 2.5%, for shipments between 1 January and 30 June 2026. Applications must be audited by external auditors. Ask your AD for the circular that applies to the current fiscal year before you price contracts on the basis of an incentive.
| Item | Rate reported for January to June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Software and ITES exports | 6% |
| Individual freelancers in software and ITES | 2.5% |
| Condition | Applications audited by external auditors |
Source: The Financial Express, 43 products to get cash incentives for exports (12 January 2026). As published on 29 October 2026.
Freelancers, platforms and providers abroad
Freelancers have the most channels in Bangladesh. They may receive through OPGSPs, up to $10,000 per transaction, and through mobile financial service providers and payment service providers working with ADs. As reported in July 2026, they may support receipts with electronic evidence, such as platform statements and emails, instead of conventional export documents, and keep up to 50% of earnings in an ERQ account.
Providers abroad set their own eligibility, and Bangladesh Bank's rule on proceeds kept abroad applies whichever provider is used. The table records what each provider's own page states, as published on 29 October 2026.
| Provider | What its own page states for Bangladesh | Point to check |
|---|---|---|
| Wise | Bangladesh is on the list of addresses that cannot get USD account details, for personal and business profiles; a US business with an address in Bangladesh also cannot get them | Not available for USD details |
| Airwallex | Bangladesh is not on its list of supported business registration locations | Not available to Bangladeshi companies |
| WorldFirst | Its South Asia pages address businesses in Pakistan and Bangladesh and describe local receiving account details in more than 15 currencies, including USD | How funds settle to your AD bank |
| Payoneer | Fees published globally; they depend on locations, payment method and currencies | Whether receipts fit the $10,000 per transaction platform limit |
| nsave | A free USD account for individual freelancers that receives ACH transfers at no fee, with transfers to Bangladeshi bank accounts | Written for individuals, not companies |
Sources: Wise on USD account details; Airwallex eligible countries; WorldFirst South Asia; Payoneer fees page; nsave Bangladesh (29 May 2026). As published on 29 October 2026.
Before using any provider, check three points: whether the details are in your company's own name or a pooled account; whether the provider settles to Bangladesh through an AD bank, so the receipt counts as repatriated and can be credited to your ERQ account; and whether your receipts fit the per-transaction limit for platform receipts. A freelancer who forms a company should move client payments into accounts in the company's name.
Crypto and stablecoins
Some foreign clients offer to pay in USDC or USDT, digital tokens designed to hold a steady value of one US dollar. Bangladesh Bank's position is restrictive. As reported by The Financial Express in September 2022, it stated that the FER Act's definition of currency does not recognize virtual currencies, that it does not permit transactions to obtain virtual assets, and it warned businesses against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency and keeping them abroad. A May 2026 column in The Financial Express reports no change. A Bangladeshi business should not accept stablecoins for exports and should take legal advice before any transaction involving them.
Where Helm fits, and where it does not
Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank. Accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. Helm does not currently provide USD account details to companies based in Bangladesh. Helm's USDC and USDT features are also not a route for Bangladeshi businesses while Bangladesh Bank does not permit transactions to obtain virtual assets. Businesses in Bangladesh should receive dollars through their AD bank and the channels Bangladesh Bank allows. Helm's general rules are on the eligibility page, and questions can go to Helm's contact page.
Where Helm can be useful is on the other side of the trade. A foreign buyer of Bangladeshi goods or services that holds a Helm account can pay its Bangladeshi supplier by SWIFT, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before sending, and quote the EXP form number so the supplier's AD can match the payment. Bangladeshi importers can read our guide on paying Chinese suppliers from Bangladesh.
Checklist for receiving USD in Bangladesh
- Confirm with your AD bank which account it credits for export and service receipts, and your ERQ category.
- Put the full SWIFT details, including the US correspondent, on every invoice.
- Quote the EXP form number on every export invoice and ask the buyer to quote it on the payment.
- Send shipping documents and the EXP form to the AD within 14 days of shipment.
- Diary the shipment date plus four months for every export.
- Submit online Form C for service receipts above $20,000.
- Keep platform receipts within $10,000 per transaction.
- Do not accept stablecoins for exports or keep proceeds abroad outside authorized accounts.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
How can a business in Bangladesh receive US dollars?
A Bangladeshi business receives US dollars through an authorized dealer bank in Bangladesh, by SWIFT wire or through a channel Bangladesh Bank allows, such as an approved online payment gateway. The bank credits the permitted share to the business's ERQ account and converts the rest to taka.
How long do Bangladeshi exporters have to bring proceeds home?
Bangladesh Bank's consolidated export circular of 30 July 2026 sets the repatriation period at four months. Raw jute and jute goods may have up to 360 days against an irrevocable confirmed letter of credit or on open account.
How much of my export earnings can I keep in dollars in Bangladesh?
As reported in July 2026, ICT freelancers may keep up to 50% of export earnings in an ERQ account, other service exporters up to 30%, and goods exporters with high import content up to 15% of the repatriated FOB value. The rest is converted to taka.
When do Bangladeshi service exporters need Form C?
Under Bangladesh Bank's July 2026 circular, service remittances are encashed on receipt of online Form C, and inward service remittances up to $20,000 may be credited without Form C. Form C declares the purpose of the remittance.
Can a Bangladeshi business keep export proceeds in a foreign account?
Bangladesh Bank's July 2026 circular states that retaining export proceeds abroad, other than in authorized accounts, contravenes Section 5(1)(e)(i) of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947. Proceeds must be repatriated through an authorized dealer within four months.
What is the limit for freelancers receiving through Payoneer or other gateways in Bangladesh?
Service export receipts through online payment gateway service providers are limited to $10,000 per transaction under Bangladesh Bank's July 2026 circular. Receipts are credited to the ERQ account up to the permitted limit and the rest is converted to taka.
Can I use Wise to receive USD in Bangladesh?
Wise lists Bangladesh among addresses that cannot get USD account details, for personal and business profiles, as published on 29 October 2026. It also states that a US business with an address in Bangladesh cannot get USD account details.
What cash incentive do software exporters get in Bangladesh?
As reported by The Financial Express in January 2026, Bangladesh Bank set a 6% cash incentive for software and ITES exports and 2.5% for individual freelancers in these sectors, for shipments from 1 January to 30 June 2026. Applications must be audited by external auditors; ask your bank for the current circular.
Can a Bangladeshi business accept USDT or USDC?
Bangladesh Bank stated in 2022 that virtual currencies are not recognized as currency under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act and that it does not permit transactions to obtain virtual assets. It warned businesses against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency.
Does Helm give Bangladeshi companies USD account details?
Helm does not currently provide USD account details to companies based in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi businesses should receive dollars through an authorized dealer bank and the channels Bangladesh Bank permits.
References
- Bangladesh Bank: FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026, consolidated circular on foreign exchange regulations, export trade transactions
- Bangladesh Bank: FE Circular No. 43 of 5 November 2025, small value export proceeds through MFSPs and PSPs (Bangladesh Trade Portal)
- Prothom Alo: Foreign transactions for freelancers made easier, what's changed? (22 July 2026)
- The Financial Express: BB streamlines foreign exchange rules to facilitate freelancers (22 July 2026)
- The Daily Ittefaq: BB doubles exporters' retention quota to 15 percent (22 July 2026)
- The Financial Express: 43 products to get cash incentives for exports (12 January 2026)
- The Financial Express: Central bank warns businesses against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency (16 September 2022)
- Federal Reserve Financial Services: Fedwire Funds Service operating hours
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.