How to receive USD in Tanzania
To receive US dollars in Tanzania, give the payer the SWIFT details of a USD account in your company's name at a Tanzanian bank; exporters must receive their proceeds there within 90 days under the Foreign Exchange Regulations 2022. Payments for trade are otherwise unrestricted, but an account outside Tanzania needs the Bank of Tanzania Governor's permission, and sales within Tanzania must be priced in shillings since March 2025. This guide covers the routes, the rules, what to give the payer, arrival times, published costs and platform options.
- Tanzanian businesses receive dollars mainly into a USD account at a Tanzanian bank, which foreign payers fund by SWIFT wire through the bank's US correspondent.
- Under GN 294 of 2022, export proceeds must be received within 90 days into an account at the exporter's own bank, and export documents must reach the bank within 7 days after customs procedures are completed.
- An exporter may sell foreign currency only to the bank where it holds its account, and a resident may not operate a bank account outside Tanzania unless the Governor permits it, apart from EAC or SADC securities accounts.
- Since 28 March 2025, goods and services within Tanzania must be priced and paid in shillings, so dollar invoices are for buyers abroad, not Tanzanian customers.
- Standard Chartered Tanzania's fees guide effective 1 March 2025 lists USD 25 for an incoming international telegraphic transfer, and Azania Bank's 2025 tariff lists USD 12 for an inward TT.
- Wise and Airwallex do not list Tanzania among supported countries, and Tanzania has no licensing framework for crypto businesses, although the BoT reported a completed regulatory concept in July 2026.
How to receive USD in Tanzania: the short answer
A Tanzanian business paid from abroad has three main ways to receive US dollars. The first, and the standard one, is a USD account at a Tanzanian bank, which the payer funds by an international wire. The second is a set of US account details, a routing number and account number, from a provider outside Tanzania, which a US payer funds as a domestic payment; for a resident this is an account abroad and needs the permission of the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania (BoT). The third is a payment platform, which usually converts the money to shillings before it reaches a Tanzanian account.
This guide is written for the businesses that are paid in dollars from outside Tanzania: exporters of gold, cashew nuts, coffee, tea, sesame and other goods; tour operators and lodges; software, design and consulting firms with foreign clients; and freelancers. Tanzania is open on payments for trade. The US International Trade Administration (ITA) describes current account payments and transfers as free of restrictions. The rules that matter sit elsewhere: where export proceeds must arrive and by when, where accounts may be held, and in which currency domestic deals may be priced.
The sections below cover each route, the BoT rules on money received from abroad, the exact details to give a payer, arrival times, published costs, platform options, stablecoins and where Helm fits. For the account side of the same question, see our guide to a USD business account in Tanzania.
The ways to receive US dollars in Tanzania
The table compares the routes. It is not a ranking. Most Tanzanian trading companies hold a shilling account and a USD account at the same Tanzanian bank.
| Route | How the payer pays | What arrives | Suits | Main rule to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD account at a Tanzanian bank | International wire by SWIFT, through the bank's US correspondent | US dollars in Tanzania | Exporters, tour operators and service firms | Export proceeds within 90 days at the exporter's own bank |
| Shilling account receiving dollars | SWIFT wire in USD | Shillings, converted at the bank's rate | Firms with only shilling costs | No dollar balance kept |
| US account details from a provider abroad | ACH or Fedwire, as a US domestic payment | US dollars, held abroad | Service firms with US clients | BoT Governor's permission to operate an account outside Tanzania |
| Payment platform balance | Through the platform or a marketplace | Dollars in the platform, then shillings on withdrawal | Freelancers and marketplace sellers | The platform's own country list |
Sources: PKF summary of the Foreign Exchange Regulations, 2022 (GN 294); ITA, Tanzania Country Commercial Guide, Trade Financing. 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. ACH is the low-cost US domestic bank transfer system. Fedwire is the Federal Reserve's real-time system for US dollar payments, used for large or urgent amounts. The EAC is the East African Community and SADC the Southern African Development Community, the two regional blocs Tanzania belongs to.
An exporter of goods paid by letter of credit or documentary collection needs its Tanzanian bank, because those instruments run bank to bank and the 2022 Regulations send export proceeds there. A service firm with US clients can also use its Tanzanian USD account; holding a dollar account abroad needs the Governor's permission first. A freelancer with small, frequent receipts may find a platform simplest, but should compare its conversion rate with the bank's.
Bank of Tanzania rules for money received from abroad
Two BoT instruments shape how a Tanzanian business receives dollars. The Foreign Exchange Regulations, 2022 were published as Government Notice (GN) No. 294 on 13 May 2022, replacing the 1998 Regulations. The Regulations on the Use of Foreign Currency, 2025 were published as GN No. 198 on 28 March 2025.
1. Export proceeds arrive at your own bank within 90 days
Under GN 294, as summarized by PKF, export proceeds must be received within 90 days into an account at the bank or financial institution the exporter banks with. The exporter must give its export documents to that bank within 7 days after customs procedures are completed. The PKF summary does not state what event starts the 90 days, so ask your bank how it monitors the period.
2. Export dollars are sold only to your bank
An exporter may sell its foreign currency only to the bank where it holds its account, and banks may not buy foreign currency from exporters whose accounts they do not hold. Shop for a better rate by negotiating with your own bank, or by moving your account, not by selling to another bank.
3. Accounts abroad need permission
A resident individual or entity, other than a bank, may not operate a bank account outside Tanzania unless it is used to settle securities in the EAC or SADC, or the Governor permits it. This applies to US account details held with a provider abroad.
4. Domestic deals are in shillings
The BoT's public notice of 2 May 2025 states that pricing and payment for all goods and services within the country must be in Tanzanian shillings, and that refusing payment in shillings is an offense. Dollar invoices are therefore for buyers abroad. A lodge or tour operator selling to foreign visitors should check with its adviser how the listed exceptions and the rules on visitors apply to it.
| Who is paid | Rule that applies | Practical step |
|---|---|---|
| Exporter of goods | Proceeds received within 90 days at the exporter's own bank; documents to the bank within 7 days of customs | Diary each deadline and quote the export reference on the invoice |
| Exporter selling dollars | Only to the bank holding the account | Negotiate the rate with your own bank |
| Service firm invoicing clients abroad | The 2025 shilling rule covers deals within Tanzania, not invoices to buyers abroad | Keep the contract and invoice for each receipt |
| Business selling within Tanzania | Price and invoice in shillings since 28 March 2025 | Do not issue dollar invoices to Tanzanian customers |
| Resident wanting a dollar account abroad | Governor's permission needed | Apply before opening the account |
Sources: PKF summary of the Foreign Exchange Regulations, 2022 (GN 294); Bank of Tanzania public notice on the Regulations on the Use of Foreign Currency, 2025 (2 May 2025). As published on 29 October 2026. Confirm current rules with your bank.
What to give the payer
Send the payer one set of details, in writing, and ask the payer's accounts team to save it as a vendor record.
| Field | For a wire to a Tanzanian bank (SWIFT) | For US account details (ACH or Fedwire) |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Company's registered name exactly as on the account | Company's registered name exactly as on the account |
| Account identifier | The USD account number, not the shilling account | US account number |
| Bank identifier | Bank's full name, branch and SWIFT code | Nine-digit routing number |
| Correspondent bank | The US bank that holds your bank's dollar account, its SWIFT code and your bank's account number there | Not needed |
| Charges | OUR, so the full amount arrives | Not applicable to ACH |
| Reference | Invoice number, and for exports the shipment reference | Invoice number |
Field list reflects standard SWIFT and US payment practice; confirm your bank's standard settlement instructions. As published on 29 October 2026.
A correspondent bank is a bank that holds an account for another bank and settles payments in its currency. The ITA lists the US correspondents of several Tanzanian banks. Banks change correspondents, so always confirm with your own bank.
| Tanzanian bank | US correspondent listed by the ITA |
|---|---|
| CRDB Bank | Citibank N.A. (New York) and HSBC Bank USA (New York) |
| NMB Bank | Citibank |
| National Bank of Commerce (NBC) | JP Morgan Chase Bank and Citibank |
| Absa Bank | JP Morgan Chase Bank |
Source: International Trade Administration, Tanzania Country Commercial Guide, Trade Financing (last published 14 December 2022). 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 and intermediary banks may deduct theirs in transit, and BEN means the receiver pays them all. Agree OUR in the contract for large invoices, so the amount credited matches the invoice and your export file. Our guide on how to receive USD from overseas buyers shows how to set these details out on an invoice.
How long a USD payment takes to arrive
Arrival time depends on the rail the payer uses, not only on your bank. For exporters it also matters for the 90 day rule: a payment that waits in a correspondent queue is not yet received.
| Rail | Published timing | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| SWIFT wire to a Tanzanian bank | Depends on the number of correspondent banks in the chain | Correspondent checks, missing details, Tanzanian and US holidays |
| ACH (US account details) | About 80% of ACH volume settles in one banking day or less; Same Day ACH accepts payments up to $1 million each | Payer's bank cut-off and whether it uses Same Day ACH |
| Fedwire (US account details) | Real-time gross settlement; final and irrevocable once processed; business day runs 9:00 p.m. ET the previous day to 7:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday | Payer's bank hours and US public holidays |
Sources: Nacha, "Significant majority of ACH payments settle in one business day or less" (28 August 2023) and Same Day ACH limit; Federal Reserve Financial Services, Fedwire Funds Service operating hours. As published on 29 October 2026.
Real-time gross settlement means each payment is settled individually as it is processed, rather than in batches. For a SWIFT wire, the best way to avoid delay is to give complete details the first time, quote the invoice number, and ask the payer for the SWIFT confirmation, which carries a reference your bank can use to trace the payment if it does not arrive.
What it costs: published fees
Receiving dollars has three cost layers: the payer's bank fee, any correspondent deduction on the way, and your own bank's or provider's charges. Conversion adds a fourth whenever dollars become shillings. The table shows charges that two Tanzanian banks and one platform publish. Other banks set their own tariffs, so ask yours for its current fees guide.
| Provider and item | Published charge |
|---|---|
| Standard Chartered Tanzania: incoming international telegraphic transfer | USD 25 |
| Standard Chartered Tanzania: incoming local telegraphic transfer | Free |
| Standard Chartered Tanzania: foreign currency cash withdrawal | 2.0% of value, minimum USD 20 |
| Azania Bank: inward telegraphic transfer | USD 12 |
| Azania Bank: business current account ledger fee | USD 10.80 a month |
| Azania Bank: foreign currency cash withdrawal at the counter | 0.59%, maximum USD 75 |
| Payoneer: receiving into a non-local-currency receiving account | 1%, minimum $1 |
| Payoneer: withdrawal to a local bank account | 1.2% to 4% |
| Payoneer: annual account fee | $29.95, only if the account receives less than $6,000 in 12 consecutive months |
Sources: Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania, Fees and Charges Guide (effective 1 March 2025), which states its standard prices include 10% excise duty and 18% VAT; Azania Bank, Fees and Charges 2025, which states charges exclude VAT unless stated; Payoneer fees page (updated 1 January 2026). As published on 29 October 2026. Platform conversion rates include a margin over the mid-market rate, which is a separate cost.
The table shows why the route matters for larger amounts. A flat inward charge of USD 12 or USD 25 is the same on a $1,000 receipt as on a $100,000 one, while a 1% platform fee on $10,000 is $100. Conversion is usually the largest cost of all. Because an exporter may sell dollars only to its own bank, ask the bank for its rate before you convert, and keep dollars you will need for imports in the USD account.
Payoneer, Wise and other platforms in Tanzania
Platforms and fintechs, financial technology companies that are not banks, are common for agencies and freelancers. Each one sets its own country list and its own rules. The table records what each provider's own page states.
| Provider | What its own page states for Tanzania | Point to check |
|---|---|---|
| Wise | Tanzania is not on the list of countries where customers can hold money | Not available for holding balances |
| Airwallex | Tanzania is not on its list of supported business registration locations | Not available to Tanzanian companies |
| WorldFirst | Its Africa offering is available across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Morocco; Tanzania is not named | Not named for Tanzania |
| Payoneer | Fees published globally; they depend on sender and recipient locations | Fees shown at registration and in the account |
| Mercury | Accepts only companies formed and registered in the United States or a US territory | Needs a US company, which needs BoT approval to fund |
Sources: Wise country list; Airwallex eligible countries; WorldFirst Africa; Payoneer fees page; Mercury eligibility. As published on 29 October 2026.
Before choosing a platform, ask four questions. Are the account details in your company's own name, or in the platform's name with a reference? Which rails do they accept? Can you hold dollars, or are they converted on withdrawal? And is the balance an account outside Tanzania that needs the Governor's permission?
Freelancers and sole traders
Tanzanian freelancers can hold personal USD accounts at Tanzanian banks, and the same 2022 Regulations apply to accounts abroad. Keep each client contract and invoice, because the bank may ask for them when a large payment arrives.
Stablecoins
Some foreign clients offer to pay in USDC or USDT, digital tokens designed to hold a steady value of one US dollar. Tanzania's position rests on sources that do not fully agree. The BoT cautioned the public against virtual currency in a notice of 12 November 2019, stating that the shilling is the only legal tender. In December 2024 the High Court held that trading cryptocurrency is not illegal, as summarized by Bowmans, which notes there is no framework for licensing crypto businesses. Since 1 July 2024, a 3% withholding tax applies to payments by digital asset exchange platforms to residents. The Citizen reported on 30 July 2026 that the BoT has completed a regulatory concept for virtual assets, including stablecoins. Export proceeds must still reach your Tanzanian bank within 90 days whatever form the buyer pays in, so take advice before accepting stablecoins.
Where a Helm account fits
Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank. Accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. Helm provides USD account details in your company's own name, with a US routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT payments, alongside EUR details (IBAN, SEPA and SWIFT) and GBP details (sort code, Faster Payments and SWIFT).
For a company resident in Tanzania, a Helm account is an account outside Tanzania, so the Governor's permission under the 2022 Regulations comes first. With that permission, it fits as follows:
- Service firms can give US clients domestic payment details, so a client pays by ACH as it would pay a US vendor, and move to the Tanzanian account what they need to spend in shillings.
- Exporters of goods must still receive proceeds at their Tanzanian bank within 90 days, so confirm with the bank how a payment routed through an account abroad would be recorded.
- Businesses that also import can pay suppliers by SWIFT or by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before sending. See our guide on paying Chinese suppliers from Tanzania.
- Stablecoins: Helm accounts can receive USDC and USDT and convert them to USD only where local law allows; given the BoT's 2019 notice and the absence of a licensing framework, take advice first.
Each account has a named account manager, and review questions are answered in writing within one business day. Trade finance, including receivables finance, is arranged case by case. 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.
Checklist for receiving USD in Tanzania
- Open a USD account at your Tanzanian bank in the company's registered name.
- Put the USD account number, SWIFT code and US correspondent on every invoice, never the shilling account.
- Agree OUR charges with payers for large invoices.
- Diary the 90 day deadline for export proceeds and give the bank export documents within 7 days of customs.
- Negotiate the conversion rate with your own bank, the only bank you may sell export dollars to.
- Invoice Tanzanian customers in shillings.
- Get the Governor's permission before holding a dollar account abroad.
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 Tanzania receive US dollars?
A Tanzanian business can receive US dollars into a USD account at a Tanzanian bank, which foreign payers fund by SWIFT wire through the bank's US correspondent. US account details from a provider abroad are possible only with the BoT Governor's permission, because a resident may not operate an account outside Tanzania without it.
How long do Tanzanian exporters have to receive export proceeds?
Under the Foreign Exchange Regulations 2022 (GN 294), export proceeds must be received within 90 days into an account at the exporter's own bank or financial institution. Export documents must be given to that bank within 7 days after customs procedures are completed.
Can a Tanzanian exporter sell dollars to any bank?
No. Under the 2022 Regulations, an exporter may sell foreign currency only to the bank where it holds its account, and banks may not buy foreign currency from exporters whose accounts they do not hold.
Can I invoice a Tanzanian customer in US dollars?
No. Since 28 March 2025, the Regulations on the Use of Foreign Currency require goods and services within Tanzania to be priced and paid in shillings, with listed exceptions. Dollar invoices are for buyers abroad.
What details does a foreign client need to pay my Tanzanian USD account?
The client needs your registered business name, the USD account number, your bank's full name, branch and SWIFT code, and the bank's US correspondent with its SWIFT code and your bank's account number there. Ask the client to quote your invoice number and to use the OUR charge code.
How much do Tanzanian banks charge to receive a USD transfer?
Each bank publishes its own fees guide. Standard Chartered Tanzania's guide effective 1 March 2025 lists USD 25 for an incoming international telegraphic transfer, and Azania Bank's 2025 tariff lists USD 12 for an inward TT.
Can I use Wise to receive USD in Tanzania?
Tanzania is not on Wise's list of countries where customers can hold money, and Airwallex does not list it as a supported registration location, as published on 29 October 2026. Payoneer publishes fees that depend on the sender and recipient location.
How fast does a USD payment reach Tanzania?
A SWIFT wire to a Tanzanian bank depends on the number of correspondent banks in the chain and on complete details. A US client paying US account details by ACH usually settles in one banking day or less, as Nacha reports for about 80% of ACH volume, and Fedwire settles in real time during its operating hours.
Can a Tanzanian business accept USDT or USDC from a client?
Tanzania has no licensing framework for crypto businesses. The BoT cautioned against virtual currency in 2019, while the High Court held in December 2024 that trading cryptocurrency is not illegal. Export proceeds must still reach the exporter's Tanzanian bank within 90 days, so take advice first.
References
- PKF: Tanzania Foreign Exchange Regulations, 2022 (GN 294)
- Bank of Tanzania: Public notice on the Regulations on the Use of Foreign Currency, 2025 (2 May 2025)
- International Trade Administration: Tanzania Country Commercial Guide, Trade Financing
- Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania: Fees and Charges Guide (effective 1 March 2025)
- Azania Bank: Fees and Charges 2025
- Afriwise (Bowmans): Tanzania, court's decision on virtual assets (13 May 2025)
- The Citizen: BoT completes regulatory concept framework for crypto regulation (30 July 2026)
- Nacha: Significant majority of ACH payments settle in one business day or less (28 August 2023)
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.