Send Money from the US to Guatemala for Business (2026)

Key takeaways

BAC Guatemala states that the IBAN is required for transfers to Guatemala, and Swift's IBAN Registry lists a 28-character Guatemalan IBAN.
Decree 94-2000 makes holding, transferring, collecting and paying in foreign currency free in Guatemala, including foreign currency accounts.
BAC Guatemala states that international transfers usually take 1 to 5 business days, depending on the countries, banks, currency and validations involved.
Guatemalan banks have been permitted to offer accounts in any foreign currency since May 2001, according to the International Trade Administration.
Monthly cash deposits of foreign currency over USD 3,000 carry extra requirements in Guatemala, including a sworn statement on the origin of the money.

Details to collect from a Guatemalan recipient

Guatemala uses the IBAN (International Bank Account Number), a standard format that identifies one account across borders. Swift's IBAN Registry lists Guatemala with a 28-character IBAN in which the first four characters after the country code and check digits identify the bank. BAC Guatemala states on its business page that the IBAN is required for transfers to Guatemala, and its receiving instructions list the account name, the account number and the beneficiary's complete address.

Detail	Format or example	Source
IBAN	28 characters starting GT	Swift IBAN Registry; BAC Guatemala
Beneficiary name	Final account name, as on the account	BAC Guatemala instructions
Complete address	Full street address of the beneficiary	BAC Guatemala instructions
Bank and SWIFT code	BAC Guatemala: Banco de América Central S.A., AMCNGTGT	BAC Guatemala instructions
Currency of the account	USD or GTQ	BAC accepts USD or EUR transfers
Reference	Invoice number and what the payment is for	Standard practice

Sources: Swift IBAN Registry; BAC Guatemala, international transfers; BAC Guatemala, receiving instructions. As published on 29 October 2026.

For euro payments, BAC Guatemala names Commerzbank AG (COBADEFFXXX) as the intermediary bank, which shows that each currency can travel through a different correspondent. Ask the supplier for its bank's instructions in the currency you will send.

Pay in quetzales or in US dollars?

Guatemala is open on currency. Article 1 of the Ley de Libre Negociación de Divisas, Decree 94-2000, makes the disposal, holding, contracting, remittance, transfer, purchase, sale, collection and payment of and with foreign currency free, including foreign currency deposits and accounts. Under the same law, parties may agree to be paid in foreign currency, although the quetzal remains the default currency. The International Trade Administration adds that Guatemalan banks have been permitted to offer accounts in any foreign currency since May 2001 and that there are no legal constraints on remittances or delays in acquiring foreign exchange.

So a Guatemalan supplier can receive and keep your dollars. BAC Guatemala warns that where a transfer involves a change of currency, exchange rates and purchase costs apply, which is the cost of sending dollars to a quetzal account.

Invoice	Account	Who converts
USD	USD account	Nobody
USD	Quetzal account	The supplier's bank, at its rate
GTQ	Quetzal account	You or your provider, before sending

Sources: Decreto 94-2000; International Trade Administration, Guatemala; BAC Guatemala. As published on 29 October 2026.

For quetzal values, see the USD to GTQ currency page, and for the Guatemalan side, USD business accounts in Guatemala.

Rails and arrival times

Payments from the United States reach Guatemala by SWIFT. BAC Guatemala states that international transfers usually take between 1 and 5 business days, depending on the destination country, the receiving bank, the currency and intermediate validations, and that cut-off times, regulatory checks and correspondent banks can also affect arrival. For the transit leg alone, Swift reports almost 100% of gpi payments credited within 24 hours.

Stage	Published timing or rule	Source
SWIFT transit	Almost 100% of gpi payments within 24 hours	Swift
End to end, international transfer	Usually 1 to 5 business days	BAC Guatemala
What extends it	Cut-off times, regulatory checks, correspondent banks	BAC Guatemala

Sources: Swift gpi; BAC Guatemala. As published on 29 October 2026.

Documents and checks

Guatemala has no exchange forms for incoming business payments, but its banks apply anti-money laundering rules. The International Trade Administration notes a 2010 regulation under which monthly cash deposits of foreign currency over USD 3,000 carry extra requirements, including a sworn statement that the money comes from legitimate activities. That rule concerns cash, not your wire, but it shows how Guatemalan banks document dollar flows: expect questions on large wires that arrive without a clear purpose. Put the invoice number and the goods or service in the reference and pay from the company named as buyer.

On the US side, every payment to a Guatemalan 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

BAC Guatemala states that intermediary banks may charge their own commissions and that the receiving bank may charge when crediting the funds. Ask the supplier for its bank's incoming fee. 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. 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 Guatemala are delayed or returned

Cause	Prevention
Account number sent without the IBAN	Ask for the 28-character IBAN
Name differs from the final account name	Use the name exactly as on the account
Beneficiary address missing	Give the complete address
Dollars sent to a quetzal account	Confirm the account currency
Intermediate validations on unclear payments	State the invoice and purpose

Sources: BAC Guatemala; BAC Guatemala instructions. As published on 29 October 2026.

Checklist before you send

Ask for the 28-character IBAN of the account in the currency you will send.
Use the final account name and the complete address.
Confirm the bank's SWIFT code, for BAC Guatemala AMCNGTGT.
Plan for 1 to 5 business days end to end, as BAC Guatemala states.
Send OUR for full-value invoices.

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Questions

Do I need an IBAN to send money to Guatemala?

Yes. BAC Guatemala states that the IBAN is required for transfers to Guatemala, and Swift's IBAN Registry lists a 28-character Guatemalan format.

Can a Guatemalan company receive US dollars?

Yes. Decree 94-2000 makes holding and receiving foreign currency free, and banks have been permitted to offer foreign currency accounts since May 2001.

How long does a wire to Guatemala take?

BAC Guatemala states that international transfers usually take 1 to 5 business days, depending on countries, banks, currency and validations.

What is BAC Guatemala's SWIFT code?

BAC Guatemala's receiving instructions give Banco de América Central S.A., SWIFT AMCNGTGT, Av. Petapa 38-39, zona 12, Guatemala.

Who pays fees on a wire to Guatemala?

It depends on the charge code. BAC Guatemala notes that intermediary banks may charge commissions and the receiving bank may charge when crediting funds.

References

HelmHelm is a business account for companies that trade internationally: USD, EUR and GBP accounts, international payments, collections and currency exchange, with a named account manager. Questions: [email protected].

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.

Sending business payments from the US to Guatemala