USD business account in Thailand
A Thai company can hold US dollars in a foreign currency deposit (FCD) account at a Thai bank, in a USD account with a foreign provider that accepts Thai companies, or through a US company with its own account. Bank of Thailand rules let companies keep dollars received from abroad in an FCD account without limit, but receipts of USD 1 million or more must be repatriated within 360 days. This guide compares the options, rules, bank costs, documents and the legal limits on stablecoins.
- A foreign currency deposit (FCD) account at an authorized Thai bank can receive foreign currency from abroad, such as export revenue and service fees, without limit.
- Foreign currency received from abroad worth USD 1 million or more must be repatriated within 360 days of the export or transaction date, then sold to an authorized bank or kept in an FCD account.
- Thai banks must ask for supporting documents for transactions of USD 200,000 or more, unless the bank has completed its Know Your Business process on the customer.
- KBank charges 0.25% to deposit an inward remittance to a USD FCD account, with a minimum of USD 10 and a maximum of USD 25.
- Wise has temporarily stopped issuing currencies and account details for customers in Thailand, while Airwallex lists Thailand as a supported registration location.
- Since 1 April 2022, Thailand's SEC has barred digital asset businesses from supporting the use of digital assets as payment, and Helm's USDC and USDT features are not available to Thai companies.
USD business account options in Thailand: the short answer
A Thai company can hold and receive US dollars in three main ways: a foreign currency deposit (FCD) account at a Thai bank, a USD account with a provider outside Thailand that accepts Thai companies, or a US company with its own US account. An FCD account is an account in US dollars or another foreign currency, held at an authorized bank in Thailand in the company's own name. An authorized bank is a bank licensed to deal in foreign exchange in Thailand.
The Bank of Thailand (BOT), the central bank, sets the rules. Thai residents may deposit foreign currency received from abroad, such as revenues and service fees, into an FCD account without limit. The main obligation is repatriation: foreign currency received from abroad worth USD 1 million or more must be brought into Thailand within 360 days of the export or transaction date.
Each route serves a different need. Exporters of goods want buyers' dollars to arrive in full. Importers want dollars ready to pay suppliers abroad. Software, design and other service businesses want US clients to pay them as easily as they pay a US vendor. This guide covers the BOT rules, published bank costs, which foreign providers accept Thailand, the US company route, documents, the legal position of stablecoins, and where a Helm USD account in the company's own name fits. One point up front: Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission bars digital asset businesses from supporting the use of digital assets as payment, and Helm's USDC and USDT features are not available to Thai companies.
The options compared
The table compares the option types. It is not a ranking: many Thai trading companies keep an FCD account and add one other route.
| Option | Account name and location | How US payers pay it | Main rules and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCD account at a Thai bank | Company's own name, authorized bank in Thailand | International wire (SWIFT) through the bank's US correspondent | Deposits from abroad without limit; supporting documents for transactions of USD 200,000 or more unless the bank has completed its business checks |
| USD account with a foreign provider | Company's own name or a pooled account, held abroad | ACH, Fedwire or SWIFT, depending on the provider | Provider's country list decides eligibility; receipts of USD 1 million or more must be repatriated within 360 days |
| US company with a US account | A new US company's name, US bank or fintech | ACH and Fedwire as a US business | Separate company, US tax number and filings |
| Stablecoin wallet | Wallet address, not a bank account | USDC or USDT on a blockchain | Thai SEC bars digital asset businesses from supporting payment use |
Sources: Bank of Thailand, exchange control regulation; Securities and Exchange Commission, Thailand, press release No. 39/2022. As published on 29 October 2026.
How to choose: start from where the dollars come from and where they go. An exporter that sells worldwide by SWIFT wire is already served by an FCD account. A service business paid by US clients gains most from US account details, because a US client can then pay by ACH, the low-cost US domestic bank transfer system, instead of an international wire. Importers that buy in dollars want to hold dollars to avoid converting twice. A company planning its own US sales team or US contracts may justify a US company.
Fedwire is the Federal Reserve's same-day system for large US dollar payments. SWIFT is the international network banks use to send cross-border payments, and each bank on it is identified by an 8 or 11 character code. Our guide to SWIFT, ACH and Fedwire compares the three.
Bank of Thailand rules on foreign currency
The BOT publishes a summary of its exchange control regulation. Four parts matter to a company holding US dollars.
Repatriation
Under section 2.1, a person receiving foreign currency from abroad worth USD 1 million or more must repatriate it within 360 days from the export date or the transaction date. Repatriated funds may then be sold to an authorized bank or deposited in an FCD account. Foreign currency received from abroad may also be used to pay obligations to non-residents without first being brought home.
FCD accounts
Under section 5.1, FCD accounts may receive foreign currency from abroad, such as revenues, service fees and foreign investment, without limit, as well as foreign currency bought, exchanged or borrowed from authorized banks and received from other residents. Cash deposits of foreign banknotes are allowed up to the amount brought in or obtained from authorized banks, or up to USD 15,000 per day per person.
Payments abroad and documents
Payments for goods and services are allowed up to the amount of the obligation. Under section 7, banks must ask for supporting documents for transactions of USD 200,000 or more, except where the bank has completed its Know Your Business (KYB) process on the customer.
| Activity | Rule as published by the BOT |
|---|---|
| Receiving foreign currency from abroad of USD 1 million or more | Repatriate within 360 days of the export or transaction date |
| Using foreign currency received abroad | May be used to pay obligations to non-residents without first being repatriated |
| Depositing foreign currency from abroad into an FCD account | Without limit |
| Depositing foreign banknotes into an FCD account | Up to the amount brought in or bought, or USD 15,000 per day per person |
| Paying for goods and services abroad | Allowed up to the amount of the obligation |
| Supporting documents | Required for transactions of USD 200,000 or more, unless the bank has completed KYB |
| Carrying foreign banknotes out of or into Thailand above USD 15,000 | Customs declaration required |
Source: Bank of Thailand, exchange control regulation (sections 2.1, 2.2.1, 5.1, 7 and 8.2). As published on 29 October 2026. Check current BOT notifications before acting.
For most exporters below USD 1 million per receipt, the practical effect is that dollars can be kept in an FCD account and converted when the company chooses. Larger receipts held abroad have a 360-day clock. Keep the sales contract, invoice and shipping documents for each receipt, because the bank asks for them on larger payments.
What Thai banks charge on incoming dollars
Thai banks publish their charges for crediting an inward remittance to an FCD account. Kasikornbank (KBank) is one example.
| Item | Published charge (KBank) | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Inward remittance deposited to a USD FCD account | 0.25% of the amount, minimum USD 10, maximum USD 25 | The Thai company receiving |
| Commission in lieu of exchange | None on this deposit | Not applicable |
| Intermediary bank deductions | Taken in transit on wires sent with shared or beneficiary charges | Whoever the charges code assigns |
Source: KBank, fees for FCD deposit and withdrawal. As published on 29 October 2026. Other banks set their own charges.
On a USD 20,000 wire, 0.25% would be USD 50, so the USD 25 maximum applies. The larger cost is often intermediary bank deductions. A SWIFT wire carries a charges code: OUR means the sender pays all charges, SHA means each side pays its own bank, and BEN means all charges come out of the amount. Ask buyers to send with OUR when an invoice must be paid in full. For the reverse flow, our guide on how to pay suppliers in Thailand covers the details foreign buyers collect and the PromptPay, SMART and BAHTNET rails.
Foreign USD account providers and Thailand
Eligibility is set by each provider and changes over time. The table records what each provider states on its own pages.
| Provider | What its own pages state for Thailand |
|---|---|
| Wise | Thailand is listed among countries where money can be held, but Wise has temporarily stopped issuing currencies and account details for customers in Thailand |
| Airwallex | Thailand is on its list of supported registration locations, onboarded through its Singapore entity |
| Mercury | Accepts only companies formed and registered in the United States or a US territory |
Sources: the providers' own pages, linked below. As published on 29 October 2026.
Before you apply, check three points. First, whether the US details are in your company's own name or belong to a pooled account in the provider's name. Second, which rails the details accept: ACH only, or also Fedwire and SWIFT. Third, how dollars return to Thailand, because receipts of USD 1 million or more must be repatriated within 360 days. Airwallex states that being on its list does not guarantee approval. Provider pages used: Wise on where you can hold money, Airwallex eligible countries and Mercury eligibility.
The US company route
Some Thai founders form a US company, usually a limited liability company (LLC) or a Delaware corporation, and open a US account in its name. Mercury, for example, requires the company to be formed and registered in the United States or a US territory and to have existing or planned US operations, and states that founders do not need to be US citizens or residents.
The US company needs an Employer Identification Number (EIN), the US federal tax number for a business. The IRS instructions for Form SS-4 state that applicants with no principal place of business in the US may call 267-941-1099, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday to Friday, and that only international applicants can receive an EIN by telephone. Applicants outside the US can also fax Form SS-4 to 304-707-9471.
The trade-off is structure. The US company is a separate legal entity with its own tax filings, and money it earns belongs to it, not to the Thai company. BOT repatriation rules continue to apply to foreign currency the Thai company itself receives from abroad. Take Thai and US tax advice before choosing this route.
Documents you need
Banks and providers ask for broadly the same company file. The list below is a typical checklist; each bank sets its own.
| Document | FCD account at a Thai bank | USD account with a foreign provider |
|---|---|---|
| Company affidavit (certificate of registration) from the Department of Business Development | Yes, recent | Yes, with an English translation if asked |
| Memorandum of association and articles | Yes | Usually |
| 13-digit tax identification number | Yes | Usually |
| Board resolution to open the account and name signatories | Yes | Usually |
| Identity documents of directors and signatories | Yes, Thai ID card or passport | Yes, passport or national ID |
| Shareholder list and details of owners of 25% or more | Yes | Yes, under US and provider rules |
| Proof of business address | Yes | Yes |
| Description of trade, counterparties and expected volumes | Yes, for the bank's KYB checks | Yes |
| Contracts and invoices for large payments | For transactions of USD 200,000 or more without completed KYB | Often, for the first large payments |
Typical requirements compiled by the Helm Editorial Team; the USD 200,000 figure is from the Bank of Thailand. As published on 29 October 2026.
KYB stands for Know Your Business: the checks a bank runs on a company's ownership, activity and counterparties. A completed KYB file means fewer document requests on later payments. Keep the company's English name the same on every document, because foreign providers compare it with the name on incoming payments.
Freelancers and sole proprietors
Thai freelancers can open a personal FCD account at a Thai bank and receive foreign currency from abroad into it without limit, under the same BOT rules. Cash deposits of foreign banknotes are limited to the amount brought in or bought, or USD 15,000 per day per person. Wise has temporarily stopped issuing currencies and account details for customers in Thailand, so check any provider's current position. A freelancer who registers a company should move client payments to an account in the company's name. For a neighboring market with different rules, see our guide to a USD business account in Vietnam.
Stablecoins in Thailand: USDC and USDT
Stablecoins are digital tokens designed to hold a steady value against a currency such as the US dollar. USDC and USDT are the two most widely used dollar stablecoins. Thailand allows them to be traded on regulated platforms but not used as a means of payment through digital asset businesses.
- Payment use. From 1 April 2022, Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) barred digital asset businesses from providing services or acting in any manner that supports or promotes the use of digital assets as a means of payment for goods and services. The SEC set the rule after discussion with the BOT.
- Trading. The SEC added USDC and USDT to its list of approved cryptocurrencies on 16 March 2025, as reported by the law firm Tilleke and Gibbins. Digital asset operators may use only approved cryptocurrencies as trading pairs, so the change lets licensed operators list USDC and USDT pairs.
| Question | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Can a Thai business accept USDT as payment? | Thai digital asset businesses may not support or promote the use of digital assets as a means of payment for goods and services |
| Are USDC and USDT approved in Thailand? | Yes, as approved cryptocurrencies for trading pairs on regulated operators from 16 March 2025 |
| Who regulates digital asset businesses? | The Securities and Exchange Commission, Thailand |
| Are stablecoins legal tender? | No. The baht is the currency of Thailand |
Sources: SEC Thailand, press release No. 39/2022; Tilleke and Gibbins, 10 March 2025. As published on 29 October 2026.
Because of the payment rule, a Thai company should invoice and collect in baht or foreign currency through the banking system. Helm's USDC and USDT features are not available to companies based in Thailand.
Where a Helm USD account fits
Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank. Accounts are held with regulated partner institutions, and Helm's US dollar account services are provided by Bridge Building, Inc. (NMLS ID 2450917), a licensed money transmitter, with customer funds held at Lead Bank. 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 and GBP details.
For a Thai company, it fits beside the FCD account:
- Service businesses and exporters can give US customers domestic US payment details, so a customer pays by ACH as it would pay a US vendor.
- Importers can hold dollars and send international payments to suppliers by SWIFT or by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before sending. Under BOT rules, foreign currency received abroad may be used to pay obligations to non-residents.
- Repatriation still applies: receipts of USD 1 million or more must come home to Thailand within 360 days.
- Stablecoins: Helm's USDC and USDT features are not offered to Thai companies, in line with the SEC rule on payment use.
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. Each account has a named account manager, and review questions are answered in writing within one business day. Trade finance is arranged case by case.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
Can a Thai company open a USD account?
Yes. Authorized banks in Thailand offer foreign currency deposit (FCD) accounts in US dollars to companies, in the company's own name. Foreign currency received from abroad, such as export revenue and service fees, can be deposited without limit.
Do Thai exporters have to convert dollars to baht?
No. Under Bank of Thailand rules, repatriated foreign currency may be sold to an authorized bank or deposited in an FCD account. Receipts of USD 1 million or more must be repatriated within 360 days of the export or transaction date.
What is the USD 1 million rule in Thailand?
A person receiving foreign currency from abroad worth USD 1 million or more must repatriate it within 360 days from the export date or the transaction date. It may then be sold to an authorized bank or kept in an FCD account.
What documents do Thai banks need for foreign currency transfers?
Bank of Thailand rules require banks to ask for supporting documents for transactions of USD 200,000 or more. The requirement does not apply where the bank has completed its Know Your Business process on the customer.
How much do Thai banks charge to receive a USD wire?
Charges vary by bank. KBank publishes a fee of 0.25% of the amount, minimum USD 10 and maximum USD 25, to deposit an inward remittance to a USD FCD account.
Can a Thai business open a Wise account?
Wise lists Thailand among countries where money can be held but states that it has temporarily stopped issuing currencies and account details for customers in Thailand. Check the Wise page for the current position.
Does Airwallex accept Thai companies?
Airwallex lists Thailand as a supported registration location, onboarded through its Singapore entity. It states that being on the list does not guarantee approval.
Can a Thai business accept USDT or USDC as payment?
Thailand's SEC has barred digital asset businesses since 1 April 2022 from supporting or promoting the use of digital assets as a means of payment for goods and services. USDC and USDT were added to the SEC's approved list for trading pairs from 16 March 2025, which covers trading, not payment use.
Can a Thai founder get a US EIN?
Yes. The IRS instructions for Form SS-4 let international applicants call 267-941-1099 to obtain an EIN, and state that only international applicants can receive an EIN by telephone. Applicants can also fax Form SS-4 to 304-707-9471 from outside the US.
References
- Bank of Thailand: Exchange control regulation
- Securities and Exchange Commission, Thailand: Press release No. 39/2022 on the use of digital assets as a means of payment
- Tilleke and Gibbins: Thailand to add USDT and USDC to approved cryptocurrencies list (10 March 2025)
- KBank: Fees for foreign currency deposit and withdrawal
- Wise: Where can I open a Wise balance?
- Airwallex Help Center: Eligible countries and territories
- Mercury: Eligibility and requirements for opening a Mercury account
- Internal Revenue Service: Instructions for Form SS-4
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.