Sending business payments from the US to Chile
A US company pays a Chilean supplier, contractor or subsidiary by SWIFT wire, in US dollars to a dollar account or in Chilean pesos converted before sending. You need the legal name, RUT, address and phone, bank and SWIFT code, account number and the account's currency.
- The RUT is the number that confirms a company is registered as a taxpayer with the SII, and every Chilean company must have one.
- BancoEstado, whose SWIFT code is BECHCLRM, tells senders abroad to give the beneficiary's full name, account number, address and phone number.
- Chile's foreign exchange rules are in the Banco Central de Chile's Compendio de Normas de Cambios Internacionales, addressed to the banks of the Formal Exchange Market.
- ChileAtiende tells BancoEstado customers that the sending bank may require proof of the origin of funds for amounts over US$10,000.
- Dollars sent to a peso account are converted by the Chilean bank at its own rate.
Details to collect from a Chilean recipient
The RUT (Rol Único Tributario) is the number that confirms a person or entity is registered as a taxpayer with the SII (Servicio de Impuestos Internos), Chile's tax authority. The SII states that all entities and companies must obtain one, and it appears on the supplier's invoices. BancoEstado's published list for senders abroad includes the address and phone number, details many US payers leave out.
| Detail | What to ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Full legal name (razón social) | Must match the account holder |
| RUT | As printed on the supplier's invoices | Links the payment to the taxpayer |
| Address and phone | Registered address and a phone number | BancoEstado lists both |
| Bank and SWIFT code | For example BECHCLRM for BancoEstado | Routes the payment |
| Account number and currency | CLP or USD account | Decides whether the bank converts |
| Reference | Invoice number and what the payment is for | Helps the bank classify the payment |
Sources: SII, obtaining a RUT; ChileAtiende, BancoEstado. As published on 29 October 2026.
Pay in pesos or in US dollars?
Chilean suppliers invoice in dollars or pesos. If the supplier has a dollar account, a dollar wire needs no conversion; if it has only a peso account, its bank converts at the rate it offers that day. A peso invoice moves the conversion and the exchange risk to you.
Chile publishes a reference rate for the dollar, the dólar observado, under its own regulation in the Banco Central de Chile's Compendio de Normas de Cambios Internacionales (CNCI). If a supplier prices in pesos by reference to the dólar observado, agree in writing which day's rate applies to your payment.
| Question | USD invoice | CLP invoice |
|---|---|---|
| Who converts | The supplier's bank, if paid into a peso account | You or your provider |
| Who carries exchange risk | The supplier | You |
| What to ask the supplier | Details of its USD account | Its CLP account and the exact peso amount |
Source: Banco Central de Chile, CNCI. As published on 29 October 2026.
For peso amounts, see the USD to CLP currency page.
Rails and arrival times
Payments from the United States reach Chile by SWIFT. Swift reports that almost 100% of gpi payments are credited within 24 hours. On the Chilean side, BancoEstado says funds are available within the times given by the sending bank, which makes your provider's cut-off and processing the deciding factor.
| Stage | What controls the timing |
|---|---|
| Payment leaves the US | Your provider's cut-off on a US business day |
| SWIFT transit | Correspondent banks and screening; almost 100% of gpi payments within 24 hours |
| Credit in Chile | A Chilean business day and any origin-of-funds questions |
| Conversion | Only if dollars reach a peso account |
Sources: Swift gpi; ChileAtiende (BancoEstado). As published on 29 October 2026.
Our guide on how to pay suppliers in Chile lists the remaining 2026 Chilean holidays, and the Chile country guide covers the corridor from the exporter's side.
Documents and reporting
The CNCI's general rules apply to the entities of the Formal Exchange Market (Mercado Cambiario Formal), the banks and other entities authorized to take part in it, and certain operations must be reported to the Banco Central or carried out through that market. Any reporting on your payment is handled in Chile by the supplier's bank and, where required, by the supplier. What helps them is a name that matches the account, a reference naming the invoice, and a payer that is the company named as buyer.
Large payments draw more questions. ChileAtiende tells BancoEstado customers that the sending bank may require proof of the origin of funds for amounts over US$10,000. Keep the invoice and purchase order ready.
On the US side, every payment to a Chilean company must pass sanctions screening: OFAC states that all US persons, including all US incorporated entities and their foreign branches, must comply with US sanctions, so the payer, the recipient and the recipient's bank are checked before the money moves.
Costs: Helm fees, intermediary deductions, SHA and OUR
BancoEstado tells its customers to check the cost of receiving directly with the correspondent bank, so the receiving charge depends on the route. Every SWIFT wire carries a charge code. OUR means the sender pays all charges, so the full amount should arrive. SHA means charges are shared: the sender pays its own provider, and intermediary banks may deduct their fees in transit. BEN means every charge comes out of the amount sent. Paying pesos moves the main cost into the exchange rate; compare the pesos the supplier receives, not the fee line alone. Helm international payments show the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm, and the account manager confirms the route for each corridor.
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. See how Helm pricing works.
Why payments to Chile are held or returned
| Cause | Prevention |
|---|---|
| Trading name instead of legal name | Use the razón social |
| Dollars sent to an unexpected peso account | Confirm the account currency |
| Missing address or phone | Include both, as BancoEstado lists |
| Origin-of-funds questions on large amounts | Have the invoice and purchase order ready |
| Deductions on SHA | Send OUR for full-value invoices |
Sources: ChileAtiende (BancoEstado); Banco Central de Chile. As published on 29 October 2026.
If a wire comes back, compare the returned amount with the amount sent before paying again: charges and conversion on the way out and back can make them differ.
Checklist before you send
- Collect the razón social, RUT, address, phone, bank, SWIFT code and account currency.
- Agree which day's dólar observado applies if the supplier prices in pesos.
- Have the invoice and purchase order ready for payments above US$10,000.
- Send OUR for invoices that must be paid in full.
- Share the MT103 and UETR on the day of payment.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
What details do I need to pay a Chilean company?
The legal name, RUT, address and phone, bank and SWIFT code, account number and account currency. BancoEstado lists name, account, address and phone for senders abroad.
What is a RUT in Chile?
The RUT (Rol Único Tributario) confirms that a person or company is registered as a taxpayer with the SII. All companies must obtain one.
Should I pay a Chilean supplier in pesos or dollars?
Either works. With dollars to a dollar account nobody converts; dollars to a peso account are converted by the supplier's bank; a peso invoice puts the exchange risk on you.
Will my bank ask for documents on a large payment to Chile?
It may. ChileAtiende notes that the sending bank may require proof of the origin of funds for amounts over US$10,000, so keep the invoice and purchase order ready.
How long does a wire to Chile take?
Swift reports almost 100% of gpi payments credited within 24 hours. BancoEstado says funds are available within the times given by the sending bank.
References
- Banco Central de Chile: Compendio de Normas de Cambios Internacionales
- Servicio de Impuestos Internos: Obtaining a RUT
- ChileAtiende: Sending and receiving foreign currency (BancoEstado)
- Swift: Fast, transparent and trackable payments (gpi)
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, OFAC: Who must comply with OFAC sanctions? (FAQ 11)
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.