How to receive USD in Ukraine
To receive US dollars in Ukraine, give the payer the details of a foreign currency account at a Ukrainian bank, which payers fund by SWIFT wire, or, for service income, an account abroad in your name, which US payers can fund by ACH. National Bank of Ukraine rules treat goods and services differently: goods exports run against a settlement deadline supervised by your Ukrainian bank, while services other than transportation are exempt. This guide covers the rules, routes, payer details, arrival times, published fees and platform options.
- A Ukrainian business can receive US dollars into a foreign currency account at a Ukrainian bank by SWIFT, or, for service income, into an account abroad in its own name, which Ukraine's 2018 Currency Law allows without an individual NBU license.
- Exports of goods carry a 180-day settlement deadline under NBU Resolution No. 18 of 24 February 2022, which the Ukrainian bank servicing the contract supervises.
- For listed agricultural goods such as wheat, corn, barley and sunflower seeds, the deadline was cut to 90 days from 11 November 2023, and exporters must ensure receipt of the proceeds in their Ukrainian bank accounts.
- Following NBU Resolutions No. 2 and No. 3 of 13 January 2026, all exports of services except transportation are exempt from settlement deadlines.
- Wise lists Ukraine among addresses that cannot get USD account details, and Airwallex does not list Ukraine as an eligible registration country.
- Payoneer's published fees list 1% (minimum $1) to receive into a non-local-currency receiving account and 1.2% to 4% to withdraw to a bank account.
How to receive USD in Ukraine: the short answer
IT companies, agencies and exporters of grain, oilseeds, metals and manufactured goods in Ukraine are paid in US dollars by clients abroad. Each needs to tell the payer where to send the money, and in Ukraine the answer depends on what is being sold.
There are three main routes. A foreign currency account at a Ukrainian bank receives an international wire by SWIFT, the network banks use to send cross-border payments. An account abroad in the company's own name, or US account details from a provider that accepts Ukrainian businesses, lets a US client pay by ACH, the low-cost US domestic bank transfer system. And payment platforms collect from clients into a platform balance, which you then withdraw to a Ukrainian bank.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the central bank, draws a sharp line between goods and services. Exports of goods are subject to settlement deadlines that the company's Ukrainian bank supervises, and for some agricultural goods the proceeds must reach a Ukrainian bank account. Exports of services, other than transportation, are exempt from settlement deadlines, and Ukrainian companies may receive funds from foreign sources into accounts abroad. So a goods exporter and an IT company should set up their collections differently. For the account side of the question, see our guide to a USD business account in Ukraine. NBU rules change often during martial law, so confirm each point with your bank before you act.
NBU rules on money received from abroad
Ukraine's Currency Law No. 2473-VIII of 2018 set the framework, and since February 2022 NBU Board Resolution No. 18, On the Operation of the Banking System Under Martial Law, has added wartime restrictions. The table sets out the rules that matter to a business paid from abroad, as reported by law firms, the NBU and business associations.
| Who is paid | Rule as reported | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Exporter of goods (general) | Settlement deadline of 180 days under Resolution No. 18; the 365-day deadline under the Currency Law also exists, and a June 2025 analysis concluded that the 0.3% daily penalty applies only to the 365-day period | The bank supervising the contract expects the proceeds within the deadline |
| Exporter of listed agricultural goods (wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, sunflower seeds and certain oils) | Deadline cut from 180 to 90 days from 11 November 2023; exporters must ensure receipt of the proceeds in their Ukrainian bank accounts | Proceeds must land in Ukraine; an account abroad cannot hold them |
| Any goods exporter closing supervision | From 21 February 2024, a bank may end supervision on the credit of funds from a non-resident only if the funds arrive in foreign currency, not hryvnia | Invoice and collect in dollars or another foreign currency |
| Service exporter (IT, agency, consulting) | After NBU Resolutions No. 2 and No. 3 of 13 January 2026, all services except transportation are exempt from settlement deadlines | No deadline on service fees |
| Company using an account abroad | No individual NBU license needed since the 2018 Currency Law; companies may receive funds from foreign sources into it; statistical reporting to the NBU applies | Service fees can be collected abroad, subject to reporting |
| Sale of dollars for hryvnia | The NBU scrapped the rule requiring exporters to sell 30% of foreign currency earnings from 20 June 2019 | Dollars can be kept as dollars; confirm with your bank that no new sale rule applies |
Sources: KMP, settlement deadlines of 180 or 365 days (20 June 2025); American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (14 November 2023); UkrAgroConsult on NBU Resolution No. 24 (21 February 2024); PwC Ukraine (19 January 2026); Kinstellar via Mondaq (August 2026); UNIAN (19 June 2019). As published on 29 October 2026. The NBU changes these rules by resolution; confirm the current position with your bank.
A settlement deadline is the period within which a contract with a foreign buyer must be settled; the Ukrainian bank that services the contract supervises it until the money arrives. UAH is the Ukrainian hryvnia.
Where the proceeds must land
For goods, the safe course is to have the buyer pay the company's foreign currency account at the Ukrainian bank that supervises the contract. For the listed agricultural goods, the reported rule says so directly. For other goods, the sources reviewed for this guide describe supervision closing when foreign currency from the non-resident is credited, and do not describe proceeds collected into an account abroad closing it. A payment that first lands abroad and is then sent on by the exporter comes from the exporter, not the buyer. Ask the bank in writing before shipment if you plan any other route.
For services, the position is different. Because service exports other than transportation have no settlement deadline, and companies may receive funds from foreign sources into accounts abroad, an IT company or agency can collect fees abroad and bring to Ukraine what it needs. Money that lands in a Ukrainian bank first can leave Ukraine only for a purpose the NBU permits under Resolution No. 18, so the order of the flows matters.
The ways to receive US dollars in Ukraine
The table compares the routes. It is not a ranking, and many Ukrainian firms combine two of them.
| Route | How the payer pays | What arrives | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign currency account at a Ukrainian bank | SWIFT wire through a correspondent bank | US dollars, net of bank charges | Goods exporters (required for the listed agricultural goods), anyone who needs dollars in Ukraine |
| Account abroad or US account details in the company's name | ACH, Fedwire or SWIFT, depending on the provider | US dollars held abroad | IT companies, agencies and other service exporters |
| Payment platform balance | Through the platform, a marketplace or a payment request | US dollars in the platform, then a withdrawal to a Ukrainian bank | Freelancers registered as individual entrepreneurs |
| US company with a US account | ACH or Fedwire | US dollars in the US company's name | Groups that contract with US clients through a US entity |
Source: Helm Editorial Team, from the NBU rules and provider pages cited in this guide, as published on 29 October 2026.
Fedwire is the Federal Reserve's real-time system for US dollar payments, used for large or urgent amounts. A correspondent bank is a bank that holds an account for another bank and settles payments in its currency, usually in New York for US dollars. A US client usually prefers ACH for routine invoices, because its bank charges little or nothing for it, while an international wire costs the client a fee and may arrive short after correspondent deductions.
A US company is a separate entity with its own US filings, and funding it from Ukraine falls under the NBU restrictions above, so take advice first.
What to give the payer
Send each client one set of details, in writing, and ask its accounts team to save them as a vendor record. Incomplete details are the main reason wires are delayed or returned.
| Field | For a wire to a Ukrainian bank (SWIFT) | For US account details (ACH or Fedwire) |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Registered name exactly as in the Unified State Register, in Latin letters as on the account | Registered name exactly as on the account |
| Account number | The IBAN of the USD account (it begins with UA), not the hryvnia account | US account number |
| Bank identifier | Bank's full name, address and SWIFT code | Nine-digit routing number |
| Intermediary bank | The US correspondent your bank names for USD, with its SWIFT code | Not needed |
| Charges | OUR, so the full invoice amount arrives | Not applicable to ACH |
| Payment details | Contract number and date, and the invoice number | Invoice number |
Field list reflects standard SWIFT and US payment practice; confirm your bank's exact inbound instructions for USD. As published on 29 October 2026.
An IBAN is the International Bank Account Number, a standard format that identifies an account across borders. Ukrainian banks ask for documentary support for foreign currency receipts, usually the foreign economic contract, so quoting the contract number in the payment details lets the bank match the receipt without a query.
OUR, SHA and BEN are SWIFT charge codes. OUR means the sender pays all fees and the full amount arrives. SHA means the fees are shared, so intermediary banks can deduct theirs from the amount in transit. BEN means the receiver pays all fees. Agree OUR in the contract, or build the expected deductions into your price. Our guide on how to receive USD from overseas buyers shows a full invoice layout.
How long a USD payment takes to arrive
Arrival time depends mainly on the rail the client uses.
| Rail | Published timing | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| ACH to 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 | Client's bank cut-off and whether it sends Same Day ACH |
| Fedwire to US account details | Real-time gross settlement, final once processed; the Fedwire business day runs 9:00 p.m. ET the previous day to 7:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday | US holidays and the client's bank hours |
| SWIFT wire to a Ukrainian bank | Depends on the correspondent chain and the receiving bank's checks; PrivatBank states that SWIFT transfers are credited automatically where there are no signs of risk | Correspondent checks, missing contract details, US and Ukrainian holidays |
| Platform payment | Set by the platform | Platform's own payout schedule |
Sources: Nacha, significant majority of ACH payments settle in one business day or less (28 August 2023); Federal Reserve, About the Fedwire Funds Service. As published on 29 October 2026. PrivatBank, receiving SWIFT transfers. Payoneer's own page on withdrawing to Ukraine gives 1 to 3 working days for a withdrawal.
Real-time gross settlement means each payment settles individually as it is processed. Kyiv is usually 7 hours ahead of New York. For a SWIFT wire, ask the client for the SWIFT confirmation once it is sent, so your bank can trace the payment if it does not arrive. For a goods contract, the arrival date matters twice: it is also the date the bank uses to check the settlement deadline.
What it costs: published fees
A dollar receipt can carry three charges: the client's bank fee, correspondent deductions on the way, and your own bank's or provider's charge. The table shows charges that providers publish. Each Ukrainian bank sets its own business tariffs.
| Provider and item | Published charge |
|---|---|
| PrivatBank: SWIFT transfer credited to an individual's current account | Not charged |
| PrivatBank: SWIFT transfer credited to a payout card or internet card | 1% of the amount |
| Payoneer: receiving into a non-local-currency receiving account | 1%, minimum $1 |
| Payoneer: client pays a payment request by US ACH bank debit | 1% |
| Payoneer: withdrawal to a bank account in the local currency or another currency | 1.2% to 4% |
| Payoneer: annual account fee | $29.95, only if the account receives less than $6,000 in any 12 consecutive months |
Sources: PrivatBank, receiving SWIFT transfers; Payoneer fees page (last updated 1 January 2026). As published on 29 October 2026. PrivatBank states that intermediary banks may deduct their own commissions. Payoneer states that fees depend on sender and recipient locations, payment method and currencies.
Two costs sit outside every tariff. The first is the rate when dollars become hryvnia: a rate 1% below the market costs $100 on every $10,000 converted, more than most transfer fees. Compare the bank's rate with the NBU's official rate before you sell. The second is correspondent deductions on SHA wires, which can make a payment arrive short of the invoice and leave a gap the bank will ask about on a supervised goods contract.
Ask your bank for its inbound credit charge on a business USD account and its commission for selling dollars.
Payoneer, Wise and other platforms
Platforms are common among Ukrainian freelancers and small agencies, but several well-known providers do not serve Ukraine. The table records what each provider's own page states, as published on 29 October 2026. Lists change, so check again before applying.
| Provider | What its own page states | Point to check |
|---|---|---|
| Payoneer | Withdrawals to Ukrainian banks in hryvnia, dollars or euros, depending on the account connected; a sole proprietor or company current account takes USD and EUR; minimum withdrawal usually $50; withdrawal in 1 to 3 working days | Whether your bank accepts the incoming transfer to a business account, and the conversion rate if you withdraw to a hryvnia account |
| Wise | Ukraine is on its list of addresses that cannot get USD account details, for personal and business profiles | Not a route for US account details from Ukraine |
| Airwallex | Ukraine is not on its list of eligible registration countries; unlisted locations cannot be processed | Not available to a company registered in Ukraine |
| Mercury | Accepts only companies formed and registered in the United States or a US territory | Available only through a US company |
Sources: Payoneer, how to withdraw money from Payoneer to Ukraine; Wise, can I get USD account details; Airwallex eligible countries; Mercury eligibility. As published on 29 October 2026.
Payoneer's page notes that withdrawing dollars to a hryvnia account converts them at Payoneer's rate, which may differ from the bank's. To control conversion, withdraw to a USD account and sell at your bank.
Stablecoins
Some foreign clients offer to pay in USDC or USDT, digital tokens designed to hold a steady value of one US dollar. We could not confirm from a primary source, on 29 October 2026, how NBU currency rules treat a stablecoin receipt, including whether it counts as foreign currency for a goods settlement deadline. Take written advice from Ukrainian counsel before accepting stablecoins for any export, and never use them to settle a supervised goods contract.
Freelancers and FOPs
Many Ukrainian freelancers work as a FOP (fizychna osoba-pidpryiemets), a registered individual entrepreneur. A FOP can receive dollars into a foreign currency current account at a Ukrainian bank, or withdraw from a platform to it. Because most freelance work is a service, the service exemption from settlement deadlines applies, but the bank will still ask for the contract or a certificate of completed work behind each receipt. Payoneer's page states that FOP foreign currency income must be confirmed by a contract or a certificate of completed work.
Keep FOP income and personal money apart, because banks may ask about the origin of large or regular payments to a personal account. For individuals, NBU Resolution No. 90 raised several limits from 11 August 2026, as reported by dev.ua, including non-cash foreign currency purchases of up to UAH 200,000 a month and cash withdrawals from foreign currency accounts of up to UAH 200,000 a day.
A FOP that grows into an agency should incorporate and move client payments to an account in the company's name. Source for the limits: dev.ua, NBU Resolution No. 90 (11 August 2026).
Where a Helm account fits
Helm serves businesses in Ukraine. Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank, and accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. A Helm account gives your company USD account details in its own name: a routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT, so a US client pays you as it pays a domestic supplier. EUR details (IBAN, SEPA and SWIFT) and GBP details (sort code, Faster Payments and SWIFT) sit alongside.
- Service exporters. IT companies, agencies and consultancies can collect fees by ACH or Fedwire, hold them in USD or convert them, and send to their Ukrainian account what they need, subject to the NBU reporting on accounts abroad.
- Goods exporters: where Helm cannot hold the proceeds. Proceeds of the listed agricultural goods must be received in the exporter's Ukrainian bank account within 90 days, so a Helm account cannot be used to collect or hold them. For other goods under a settlement deadline, have the buyer pay your Ukrainian bank directly, unless your bank confirms in writing that another route closes supervision.
- Importers. International payments to suppliers go by SWIFT, or by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before you send. See our guide on paying Chinese suppliers from Ukraine.
- Stablecoins. Helm accounts can receive USDC and USDT and convert them to USD inside the account; given the open questions above, take Ukrainian advice before using that feature.
A named account manager answers review questions in writing within one business day, and trade 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 Ukraine
- Decide whether each contract is for goods or services; the rules differ.
- For goods, give the buyer your Ukrainian USD account and diary the settlement deadline: 180 days, or 90 days for the listed agricultural goods.
- Invoice goods in foreign currency, not hryvnia, so the bank can close supervision.
- Quote the contract number in the payment details and agree OUR charges.
- For services, decide whether to collect into an account abroad and file the NBU reports on it.
- Compare the bank's rate with the NBU official rate before you sell dollars.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
How can a Ukrainian company receive US dollars from abroad?
A Ukrainian company can receive US dollars into a foreign currency account at a Ukrainian bank, which payers fund by SWIFT wire. Service exporters may also collect into an account abroad in the company's name, which Ukraine's 2018 Currency Law allows without an individual NBU license, subject to statistical reporting to the NBU.
Can a Ukrainian exporter receive payment into a foreign bank account?
For services other than transportation, generally yes, because they are exempt from settlement deadlines and companies may receive funds from foreign sources into accounts abroad. For listed agricultural goods, exporters must ensure receipt of the proceeds in their Ukrainian bank accounts. For other goods, have the buyer pay your Ukrainian bank unless the bank confirms another route in writing.
What is the export settlement deadline in Ukraine?
NBU Resolution No. 18 of 24 February 2022 sets a 180-day settlement deadline for exports of goods during martial law. For listed agricultural goods it was cut to 90 days from 11 November 2023, and the 365-day deadline under the Currency Law also remains.
Do Ukrainian IT companies face settlement deadlines on payments from US clients?
No. Following NBU Resolutions No. 2 and No. 3 of 13 January 2026, PwC Ukraine reported that all exports of services except transportation are exempt from settlement deadlines. The bank will still ask for the contract behind each receipt.
Do Ukrainian exporters have to sell their dollars for hryvnia?
The NBU scrapped the requirement for exporters to sell 30% of their foreign currency earnings from 20 June 2019. Confirm with your bank that no new sale requirement applies to your contract before you rely on keeping dollars.
Can I get a US bank account number in Ukraine through Wise?
No. Wise lists Ukraine among the addresses that cannot get USD account details, for personal and business profiles. Airwallex does not list Ukraine as an eligible registration country either.
How do I withdraw from Payoneer to a Ukrainian bank?
Payoneer states that you can withdraw to a Ukrainian bank in hryvnia, dollars or euros, depending on the account you connect, usually with a minimum of $50 and in 1 to 3 working days. Its published fees list 1.2% to 4% for withdrawals to a bank account.
What details does a foreign client need to pay a Ukrainian bank account in dollars?
The client needs your registered name exactly as on the account, the IBAN of your USD account, the bank's name, address and SWIFT code, and the US correspondent bank your bank names. Ask the client to quote the contract number and invoice number and to use the OUR charge code.
Can a Ukrainian exporter accept USDT or USDC?
We could not confirm from a primary source how NBU currency rules treat a stablecoin receipt, including whether it closes a goods settlement deadline. Take written advice from Ukrainian counsel before accepting stablecoins for any export.
References
- KMP: Settlement deadlines under export-import contracts, 180 or 365 days (20 June 2025)
- American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine: settlement period for listed agricultural exports reduced to 90 days (14 November 2023)
- PwC Ukraine: The NBU continues easing currency restrictions (19 January 2026)
- Kinstellar via Mondaq: Foreign bank accounts, when and how Ukrainian businesses report to the NBU (August 2026)
- UkrAgroConsult: NBU Resolution No. 24 of 20 February 2024
- PrivatBank: Receiving SWIFT transfers
- Payoneer: Fees
- 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.