USD business account in Argentina
An Argentine company can hold US dollars in a dollar account at a local bank or in a USD account abroad in its own name, but the Banco Central de la República Argentina (BCRA) still requires most companies to bring export and service proceeds into Argentina and sell them for pesos within set deadlines. Companies also still cannot buy dollars in the official market just to hold them. This guide sets out the BCRA rules in force on 29 October 2026, the account options, the documents banks ask for and where stablecoins sit.
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- Argentine banks offer US dollar accounts to companies, but companies still cannot buy dollars in the official exchange market to save them, and the BCRA president said on 18 May 2026 that lifting company restrictions is not a priority.
- Under the BCRA Exterior y Cambios rules, as updated by Communication A 8481 with effect from 15 September 2026, proceeds of services sold abroad must be brought in and settled for pesos within 20 business days of receipt.
- For goods sold to unrelated buyers, the general deadline to bring in export proceeds is 180 calendar days from shipment, with 365 days for leather goods, clothing, footwear and headwear and 30 days for grains and fuels.
- Since 14 April 2025, importers can pay for goods through the official exchange market from the date the goods are registered as entering Argentina, and small and medium-sized firms can pay from shipment.
- From 10 April 2026, a resident that sends its own dollars abroad must sign a sworn statement not to buy securities settled in foreign currency for the following 90 calendar days.
- Platforms that exchange or hold crypto assets for clients must register with the Comisión Nacional de Valores (CNV) as virtual asset service providers under Law 27,739 and General Resolution 1058, and the CNV regulates the providers, not the assets.
How an Argentine business can hold and receive US dollars
Argentina allows companies to keep money in US dollars. It controls how dollars enter and leave the country, and whether a company may keep the dollars it earns from exports. Those rules sit in the BCRA's consolidated text called Exterior y Cambios (foreign trade and exchange), which banks apply to every transaction. The official exchange market, called the Mercado Libre de Cambios (MLC), is the regulated market where banks and exchange houses buy and sell foreign currency for clients.
A business in Argentina has four practical ways to hold and receive US dollars:
- A dollar account at an Argentine bank. Banks offer current and savings accounts in US dollars to companies. A foreign buyer pays by SWIFT, the international network banks use to send cross-border payments, identified by an 8 or 11 character bank code.
- A USD account abroad held by the Argentine company. Some international providers open accounts with US routing and account numbers for companies registered outside the United States. Eligibility depends on each provider's country list.
- A US company with its own US bank account. Some founders form a US entity that contracts with US customers. This adds a second company, with its own tax and reporting duties.
- Stablecoins through a registered provider. USDC and USDT are crypto assets designed to track the US dollar. In Argentina, the platforms that exchange or hold them for clients are registered with the CNV.
Whatever the option, an Argentine company that exports goods or services must still bring in the proceeds and sell them for pesos, with limited exceptions. That obligation decides how useful each option is.
| Option | Account holder | How dollars arrive | Main rule to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar account at an Argentine bank | The Argentine company | SWIFT wire to the local bank | Export and service proceeds must be settled for pesos within the BCRA deadline unless an exception applies |
| USD account abroad in the company's name | The Argentine company | ACH, Fedwire or SWIFT, depending on the provider | Provider eligibility for Argentina; BCRA deadlines still run on export proceeds |
| US company route | A separate US entity | ACH, Fedwire or SWIFT | US formation, Employer Identification Number (EIN) and US tax filings, plus Argentine rules for the owners |
| Stablecoins (USDC, USDT) | Company or individual, through a provider | Blockchain transfer | Provider must be registered with the CNV; not a bank deposit |
Comparison of option types, not a ranking. Sources: BCRA Communications A 8226, A 8417 and A 8481; CNV General Resolution 1058, as published on 29 October 2026.
BCRA exchange rules for companies in 2026
Argentina relaxed its exchange controls in stages from April 2025, but most of the relief went to individuals. On 11 April 2025, BCRA Communication A 8226 let resident individuals buy dollars without a monthly cap from 14 April 2025. The same communication changed company rules for imports, services and dividends, but did not give companies the right to buy dollars to hold. On 18 May 2026, BCRA president Santiago Bausili said that removing exchange restrictions for companies is not among the bank's priorities, as reported by Infobae.
The table summarizes the rules that matter most to a company receiving, holding or paying out US dollars, as they stand after Communication A 8417 of 9 April 2026 and Communication A 8481 of 14 September 2026, which updated the consolidated text with effect from 15 September 2026.
| Activity | Rule for companies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Buying dollars to hold or save | Not permitted in the official market for companies; surplus cash stays in pesos or in investments that do not involve buying dollars | A 8226; Infobae report of 19 May 2026 |
| Receiving payment for services sold abroad | Bring in and settle for pesos within 20 business days of receipt or crediting abroad | A 8481, point 2.2.1 |
| Receiving payment for goods sold abroad | Bring in within the deadline for the product and buyer (see next section), then settle within 20 business days of collection | A 8481 |
| Paying for imported goods | Access to the official market from customs entry registration; for small and medium-sized firms, from shipment | A 8226 |
| Advance payments for capital goods | Up to 30% of FOB value in advance; advances, sight payments and commercial debt together up to 80% of FOB value | A 8226 |
| Paying for services from unrelated suppliers | From the date the service is provided or accrued | A 8226 |
| Paying for services from related companies abroad | 90 calendar days after the service is provided or accrued | A 8226; A 8481 |
| Dividends to non-resident shareholders | Allowed for profits from audited annual statements of fiscal years starting on or after 1 January 2025 | A 8226 |
| Sending the company's own dollars abroad | Sworn statement not to buy securities settled in foreign currency for 90 calendar days, from 10 April 2026 | A 8417, point 7.2 |
Sources: BCRA Communications A 8226 (11 April 2025), A 8417 (9 April 2026) and A 8481 (14 September 2026); Infobae, 19 May 2026. As published on 29 October 2026. FOB (free on board) value is the price of goods loaded for shipment, before freight and insurance.
Two exceptions in the consolidated text are worth knowing. First, companies registered under the knowledge economy promotion regime of Decree 679/22, such as qualifying software and professional services firms, may keep part of their service export proceeds in a special foreign currency account, subject to a certificate, listed service codes and a cap linked to growth in exports since 2021. Second, point 2.7 allows foreign currency held in local accounts to be exempt from settlement when the funds are used at the same time for a payment that would itself qualify for market access, within the limits the text sets. Ask your bank's foreign trade desk before relying on either.
Export proceeds: the deadlines that apply
The obligation to bring export proceeds into Argentina and sell them in the official market comes from Decree 609/2019, which remains in force. The BCRA sets the deadlines. Communication A 8481 regrouped them by product and by whether the buyer is related to the exporter. A related buyer is a company in the same group, for example a subsidiary abroad.
| Goods and buyer | Deadline to bring in proceeds, from shipment |
|---|---|
| Grains, cereals and oilseeds, and fuels (tariff chapter 27), with exclusions | 30 calendar days |
| Ores (chapter 26) and precious stones and metals (chapter 71), any buyer, with exclusions | 60 calendar days |
| Other goods sold to a related buyer | 60 calendar days, extendable in some cases for exporters below the turnover threshold |
| Leather goods, clothing, footwear and headwear (chapters 42, 61, 62, 64 and 65) and nuclear reactor parts (8401.40.00), unrelated buyer | 365 calendar days |
| Goods exported under the Exporta Simple regime | 365 calendar days |
| All other goods, unrelated buyer | 180 calendar days |
Sources: BCRA Communication A 8481 (14 September 2026), as summarized by Allende & Brea on 15 September 2026; BCRA Communication A 8417 (9 April 2026). As published on 29 October 2026.
Once the money is collected, the exporter has 20 business days to bring it in and settle it. For related-party sales, the extension mechanism applies to exporters whose goods exports in the previous calendar year did not exceed US$200 million, for goods cleared from 1 January 2026; the earlier threshold was US$50 million.
A US buyer can pay the exporter's dollar account at a local bank or an account abroad, but the deadline runs from shipment either way. For a fuller view of how buyers pay, see our guide on how to receive USD from overseas buyers.
Foreign USD accounts: who accepts Argentine companies
For an Argentine company, the first question is whether a provider accepts companies registered in Argentina at all. Check the provider's own eligibility page.
| Provider | What its own page says | What it means for an Argentine company |
|---|---|---|
| Airwallex | A business must be registered in a supported country or territory; Argentina is not on the list | Not available to a company registered in Argentina |
| Wise | Argentina is on the list of countries where customers can hold money in a Wise account | Confirm business account features and USD account details with Wise |
Sources: Airwallex Help Centre, Eligible Countries and Territories; Wise Help Centre, where can I open a Wise balance. As published on 29 October 2026.
Some US fintech accounts accept only companies formed in the United States, which leads to the US company route. It works for businesses that sell mainly to US customers and want a US contracting entity. It requires forming the entity in a US state, obtaining an EIN from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and identifying the company's beneficial owners to the US bank. It does not change the Argentine rules for the Argentine company or its owners. Our exporters page covers how exporters in other markets set this up.
Documents banks and providers ask for
Banks in Argentina identify a company through its CUIT, the tax identification code issued by the national tax agency, ARCA. A local account is also identified by its CBU, the uniform bank code that identifies each Argentine bank account for domestic transfers. A foreign buyer paying by SWIFT needs the bank's SWIFT code, the account number and the bank's US correspondent details, which your bank provides.
| Stage | Typical documents |
|---|---|
| Opening a dollar account at an Argentine bank | Registered bylaws and any amendments; CUIT; minutes appointing directors and signatories; identity documents of signatories; beneficial ownership declaration; proof of address; recent financial statements |
| Opening a USD account abroad | Certificate of registration and bylaws, with translation if asked; CUIT; identity documents and proof of address of directors and main owners; description of the business, customers and expected volumes |
| Each export of goods | Export customs declaration; commercial invoice; transport document such as the bill of lading; sales contract or purchase order |
| Each export of services | Contract or engagement letter; invoice; the service code your bank uses to register the receipt |
| Paying an import | Commercial invoice; customs entry registration or, for small and medium-sized firms, shipping document; supplier bank details |
Typical checklist; requirements vary by bank and provider. As published on 29 October 2026.
Keep the export declaration, invoice and payment reference together for each sale, so the bank can match the payment to the export when it settles the proceeds.
Freelancers and individual exporters
The rules are different for individuals. Communication A 8417 exempted individuals from the obligation to settle proceeds of service exports, across all service types, and of goods exports, provided the money is credited to a foreign currency account in their own name at a local bank and the transaction is tax neutral. The exemption does not cover individuals acting on behalf of a company.
Communication A 8481 widened the service exemption for individuals further: it removed the closed list of eligible services and the annual cap of US$36,000 that applied before, together with its sworn statement. Banks record these receipts with a registration that moves no pesos, under concept code A22, and may not charge a commission for it.
For a freelancer, the practical route is a US dollar account at an Argentine bank in their own name. Once the business is a company, such as a sociedad anónima (SA), the company rules apply.
Where stablecoins sit legally in Argentina
Argentina regulates the businesses that deal in crypto assets rather than the assets themselves. Law 27,739 created a registry of virtual asset service providers, known in Spanish as PSAV. The CNV, Argentina's securities regulator, set the rules for them in General Resolution 1058, published in the Official Gazette on 14 March 2025.
According to the government's announcement, the rules cover registration, cybersecurity, custody of client assets, segregation of accounts, anti-money laundering controls, risk disclosures, capital requirements and an annual audit. Providers already on the registry had to comply by 1 July 2025 for individuals, 1 August 2025 for Argentine companies and 1 September 2025 for foreign companies. The CNV states that providers that do not meet the requirements cannot operate in Argentina. The CNV regulates the providers, not the virtual assets, except where an asset is a publicly offered security.
For a company: use only a provider on the CNV registry. A stablecoin balance is a crypto asset held with a provider, not a bank deposit. And the BCRA settlement obligation attaches to the export, so take advice before accepting stablecoins as payment for goods or services sold abroad.
Where a Helm USD account fits
Helm serves companies registered in Argentina. A Helm account gives the company USD account details in its own name, with a US routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT. ACH is the low-cost US domestic bank transfer system and Fedwire is the Federal Reserve's same-day system for large payments, so a US buyer pays the invoice as it would a domestic supplier.
The account fits the BCRA rules in this way:
- Collecting from US buyers. The buyer pays the Helm account by ACH or Fedwire. The company then transfers the proceeds to its Argentine bank to bring them in and settle within the deadline for that export.
- Paying suppliers abroad. Helm sends international payments by SWIFT and by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before sending.
- Stablecoins. The account can receive, send and convert USDC and USDT to USD inside the account.
- Trade finance. Supplier finance, receivables finance and working capital are arranged case by case.
Each company has a named account manager, and review questions are answered in writing within one business day. Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank, and accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens. Before routing export proceeds through any account outside Argentina, confirm the settlement steps with your Argentine bank. For the same questions in a neighboring market, see our guide to a USD business account in Chile.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
Can an Argentine company open a US dollar account?
Yes. Argentine banks offer current and savings accounts in US dollars to companies, and some international providers open USD accounts for companies registered in Argentina. What the BCRA controls is how the company obtains dollars and whether it must sell export proceeds for pesos.
Can Argentine companies buy dollars to save in 2026?
No. Since April 2025 resident individuals can buy dollars without a monthly cap, but companies still cannot buy dollars in the official exchange market to hold them. On 18 May 2026 the BCRA president said removing company restrictions is not a priority.
Do Argentine exporters have to sell their dollars for pesos?
Yes, in most cases. Decree 609/2019 and the BCRA Exterior y Cambios rules require companies to bring export proceeds into Argentina and settle them in the official market within set deadlines. Exceptions include qualifying knowledge economy firms and funds applied at the same time to a payment that qualifies for market access.
How long does an Argentine company have to settle service export proceeds?
Under the consolidated text updated by BCRA Communication A 8481, effective 15 September 2026, proceeds of services sold to non-residents must be brought in and settled within 20 business days of receipt or crediting abroad. Firms in the knowledge economy regime of Decree 679/22 can keep part of these proceeds in a special account, subject to conditions.
What is the deadline for goods export proceeds in Argentina?
For most goods sold to unrelated buyers, the proceeds must be brought in within 180 calendar days of shipment. The period is 365 days for leather goods, clothing, footwear and headwear and for Exporta Simple shipments, 60 days for related buyers and for ores and precious metals, and 30 days for grains and fuels.
Can an Argentine company use a USD account abroad?
Yes, if the provider accepts companies registered in Argentina. Airwallex does not list Argentina among eligible countries, while Wise lists Argentina among countries where customers can hold money. Export proceeds collected abroad are still subject to the BCRA deadline to bring them in and settle them.
Can Argentine freelancers keep dollars from foreign clients?
Yes. Under BCRA Communication A 8417, individuals do not have to sell service or goods export proceeds for pesos if the money is credited to a foreign currency account in their name at a local bank and the transaction is tax neutral. Communication A 8481 removed the earlier US$36,000 annual cap on the service exemption.
When can Argentine importers pay foreign suppliers?
Since 14 April 2025, importers can pay for goods through the official exchange market from the date the goods are registered as entering Argentina. Small and medium-sized firms can pay from shipment, and capital goods allow an advance of up to 30% of FOB value.
What is the 90-day restriction for companies?
From 10 April 2026, a resident that sends its own foreign currency abroad must sign a sworn statement not to buy securities settled in foreign currency for the following 90 calendar days. Companies that buy dollars in the official market are also barred for 90 days from the MEP and CCL securities markets, and the reverse.
Are stablecoins legal in Argentina?
Argentina regulates the providers that exchange or hold crypto assets, including stablecoins, rather than the assets themselves. Under Law 27,739 and CNV General Resolution 1058, providers must register with the CNV, and unregistered providers can be blocked by court order.
References
- Banco Central de la República Argentina: Communication A 8481, Exterior y Cambios (14 September 2026)
- Banco Central de la República Argentina: Communication A 8417 (9 April 2026)
- Banco Hipotecario: BCRA Communication A 8226, new exchange conditions from 14 April 2025
- Allende & Brea: BCRA eases collection of service exports and adjusts market access rules (A 8481)
- Infobae: BCRA confirms it will keep exchange restrictions for companies (19 May 2026)
- Government of Argentina: Regulation of virtual asset service providers (CNV General Resolution 1058)
- Airwallex Help Centre: Eligible countries and territories
- Wise Help Centre: Where can I open a Wise balance
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.