Best business bank account for exporters
Account details buyers pay as a local transfer, balances held in hard currency, and the fee comparison that decides between providers.
- Put USD, EUR and GBP account details in your company's name on every invoice, so buyers pay a domestic transfer.
- Check each provider's receiving fee before you choose; a fixed fee per wire, not a percentage, is what to look for.
- Hold the balance and convert when the rate suits you, not on the day the money lands.
- Receivables finance pays you most of the invoice today and settles when the buyer pays.
- One document list; Helm accounts are usually live within days.
What an exporter needs from a business account
An exporter's money comes in from buyers abroad and has to be held, converted and paid out on the exporter's terms, not the buyer's. The account has to do four things.
- Give buyers in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom account details they can pay as a domestic transfer, in your company's name.
- Hold USD, EUR and GBP so you choose when to convert.
- Accept digital dollars from buyers who pay that way.
- Advance against invoices so you are paid before the buyer pays.
The checklist
| What to check | Why it matters | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Account details in your company's name | Buyers and marketplaces pay the name on the invoice; a payment to a provider's name gets queried | USD routing and account number, EUR IBAN, GBP sort code, all under your registered name |
| Local receiving rails | A domestic payment for the buyer costs them nothing and arrives faster | ACH in the US, SEPA in Europe, Faster Payments in the UK |
| Fee to receive | Receiving fees on every invoice add up across a year | Free on local rails; a fixed fee, not a percentage, on wires |
| Conversion fee | The largest cost for most traders is the spread on conversion | A stated percentage above the mid-market rate, shown before you confirm |
| SWIFT fee | Supplier payments outside local rails travel by SWIFT | A fixed fee per payment, with the arrival date shown first |
| Digital dollars | Suppliers and buyers in some markets settle in USDT or USDC | USDC and USDT supported, with conversion inside the account |
| Trade finance | Deposits and balances fall due before the goods sell | Supplier finance and receivables finance arranged around orders |
| Named account manager | Reviews and holds are resolved faster with a person who knows your trade | A named person reachable by phone, email and WhatsApp |
| Opening time | A new buyer or supplier will not wait a month | Days, with one document list |
How the main providers compare
Figures are taken from each provider's published pricing page on the review date.
| Provider | Account currencies with local details | Fee to receive by SWIFT | Conversion fee | Digital dollars | Trade finance | Published on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helm | USD, EUR, GBP | Agreed with your account manager | Agreed with your account manager | USDC and USDT | Yes | helm.business |
| Wise Business | 9 currencies with local details, 22 to receive | 6.11 USD (USD); 2.16 GBP; 2.39 EUR | From 0.23%, varies by currency | Not offered | Not offered | wise.com/us/pricing/business |
| Airwallex | 20+ currencies | Not stated on the pricing page | 0.5% majors, 1.0% others | Not offered on the business account | Not offered | airwallex.com/us/pricing |
| Payoneer | Local receiving accounts in several currencies | Not stated on the fees page | 0.5% between balances; withdrawals 1.2% to 4% | Not offered | Working capital for marketplace sellers | payoneer.com/about/fees |
| WorldFirst | 20+ local receiving currencies | Free to receive | 0.30% to 0.50% for major currencies | Not offered | Not offered | worldfirst.com/uk/pricing |
| Statrys | 11 currencies, Hong Kong based | HKD 60 | From 0.1% majors | Not offered | Not offered | statrys.com/pricing |
Getting paid like a local
The single largest improvement an exporter can make is to stop receiving international wires. A US buyer paying a routing and account number by ACH pays nothing and the money arrives the next business day. A German buyer paying an IBAN by SEPA does the same. The guide to receiving USD from overseas buyers walks through the set-up.
| Buyer is in | Account details to put on the invoice | Buyer pays by | Rail notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Routing number and account number | ACH or Fedwire | Domestic for the buyer |
| Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain | IBAN and BIC | SEPA | Domestic transfer |
| United Kingdom | Sort code and account number | Faster Payments | Domestic transfer |
| Anywhere else | Any of the above | SWIFT | Received in full, correspondent fees may apply |
Holding hard currency
Converting on the day the money lands means taking that day's rate. Holding USD, EUR and GBP balances lets you convert when the rate suits you, pay suppliers in the same currency without converting at all, and keep working capital in a currency that holds its value. Helm accounts hold all three with no fee to hold.
Paid before the buyer pays
Buyers on 60 or 90 day terms tie up cash. Receivables finance advances most of an invoice's value today and settles the balance when the buyer pays. The buyer's payment instructions do not change. Helm offers receivables finance against invoices to approved buyers; see Trade Finance. The exporters page shows the full set-up.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, international payments on bank rails and in digital dollars, and trade finance. A named account manager from the first call.
Open accountQuestions
Can a company outside the United States get a USD account number?
Yes. Helm, Wise Business, Airwallex, Payoneer and WorldFirst provide USD account details to companies registered outside the United States, subject to each provider's eligibility rules.
Is there a fee to receive USD by ACH?
Wise Business and WorldFirst publish free local receiving. Payoneer publishes 1% for ACH bank debit. Helm agrees receiving fees with each client before the account opens.
Should I convert as soon as I am paid?
Only if you need the local currency that day. Holding the balance lets you choose the rate and pay suppliers in the same currency without converting.
Can buyers pay me in USDC or USDT?
Yes, into a business account that supports digital dollars. Helm accepts USDC on Solana and Ethereum and USDT on Tron and Ethereum, and converts to USD inside the account.
How does receivables finance work?
The provider advances most of the invoice value today. When the buyer pays, the balance is settled less the agreed cost. The buyer pays the same account details as before.
References
- Nacha: What is ACH?
- European Central Bank: SEPA
- Pay.UK: Faster Payments
- Swift: Cross-border payments
- Circle: USDC
This guide is general information for businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Fees and timings quoted for other providers are taken from their published pages on the review date and may change.