Chase business account: Fees, features and how to open

Paying international contractors at scale can quickly become complex. Between different banking systems, currencies, compliance requirements, and rising transfer costs, what starts as a simple payment process can turn into an operational bottleneck.

Today, many companies are rethinking how they run bulk payouts, moving away from manual wires and toward more structured, cost-efficient systems that work across borders without friction.

Also read: How to choose a cross-border payments platform you can trust

Why traditional bulk payouts break at scale

Sending individual wire transfers to contractors in different countries is expensive and difficult to manage.

1. High transaction costs

Sending multiple wire transfers individually adds up quickly. Each payment can carry $20–$50 in fees, making bulk payouts extremely expensive for companies managing hundreds or thousands of international contractors.

2. Slow processing times

Traditional wire transfers often take 2–5 business days to complete. When managing large teams across different countries, delays can disrupt operations, project timelines, and contractor satisfaction.

3. Complex management

Handling multiple accounts, currencies, and intermediaries increases administrative burden. Finance teams must track each transaction manually, reconcile payments, and resolve errors, making scaling payouts cumbersome and error-prone.

How modern bulk payout systems transform payment

Modern payout systems centralise and automate the process. Instead of sending separate wires, companies fund a single account and distribute payments programmatically.

Here’s how it typically works:

1. The company uploads a payout list (contractor details, amounts, currencies).
2. Funds are deposited once into a payout platform.
3. Payments are routed locally, via ACH in the US, SEPA in Europe, or equivalent local rails elsewhere.
4. Contractors receive funds in their local or foreign currency accounts.

Also read: Grey Business vs Grey personal banking

Key factors companies optimise for in bulk payouts

Running bulk payouts efficiently is not just about sending money; it’s about control, visibility, and cost management. Strong systems are designed around:

• Fee efficiency at scale: Reducing per-transaction costs compared to traditional wires allows companies to save money on large payouts while ensuring contractors receive more of their earnings.
• Consistent FX rates: Transparent, stable exchange rates prevent losses due to fluctuating currency margins, protecting contractor earnings and providing predictable budgeting for the finance team.
• Speed and reliability: Predictable settlement timelines across regions ensure contractors are paid on time, reducing delays, disputes, and administrative follow-ups for finance and operations teams.
• Compliance and documentation: Proper record-keeping for tax reporting, anti-money laundering, and regulatory requirements ensures that payouts are legally compliant and auditable across multiple countries.
• Automation: API integrations or dashboard workflows minimise manual intervention, reduce errors, streamline reconciliation, and allow finance teams to manage bulk payments efficiently at scale.

Platforms to simplify international bulk payments

Grey

Grey Business allows companies to send mass payments in USD effortlessly. Using the “Bulk upload” feature, you can upload a simple CSV file containing multiple recipients and process all payments simultaneously. Transfers settle in 1–3 business days, with fees at 0.8% per transaction (minimum $2, maximum $10). Contractors can withdraw locally at competitive rates, and virtual USD cards enable direct online payments. With full KYC/KYB verification and fraud monitoring, Grey Business ensures secure, fast, and compliant bulk payouts at scale.

Payoneer

Payoneer allows bulk cross-border payments to freelancers and contractors globally. ACH deposits usually settle in 2–5 business days, with fees ranging from $1–$3 per ACH or $15 per wire. FX margins are applied on currency conversions. While it integrates well with marketplaces like Amazon or Upwork, direct client payments can incur additional fees. Payoneer is best suited for businesses managing multiple freelancers or recurring payments, providing reliable, scalable, and secure international payouts.

Wise

Wise enables bulk payments in multiple currencies, using real mid-market exchange rates with transparent fees between 0.35–1% depending on destination and currency. Transfers typically reach recipients in 1–3 business days. Wise is ideal for businesses and freelancers seeking cost-effective, predictable payments without hidden margins. It supports sending to local bank accounts globally, simplifying payroll, vendor payments, or freelancer settlements while offering fast, secure, and transparent transfers with minimal administrative overhead.

Veem

Veem is tailored for international B2B payouts, supporting ACH, local bank transfers, and PayPal settlements. Transfers typically complete in 1–3 business days, with ACH fees from $0–$5 and wire fees around $10, using competitive exchange rates. Veem integrates with accounting software to simplify bookkeeping and reconciliation for businesses paying multiple vendors or contractors. Its platform ensures secure, traceable, and compliant payments, making it efficient for scaling international operations while keeping costs low and processes transparent.

Read also: 5 red flags when choosing an international payment platform.

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Managing bulk payment with Grey business

Modern bulk payout platforms give companies full control, transparency, and speed, while keeping costs low and FX rates competitive. By automating processes and leveraging local payment rails like ACH, businesses can scale payments globally without friction. For contractors, this means faster access to funds and more predictable earnings.

Grey simplifies global payouts by providing real US banking details, low transparent fees, fast ACH settlements, and competitive FX rates, so contractors get paid quickly, and companies save on costs. Sign up today or download the grey app to get started

Running a remote team has its perks. From access to a global talent pool to reduced overhead cost, it looks straightforward on paper. It is looks interesting when the developers in Lagos, designers in Cape Town, content marketers in Nairobi, and operations in Accra now work for clients in the US, Europe, and the Middle East. But it is not as easy as it seems, particularly for African teams. The team is distributed across the continent, your clients are international, and communication gaps can occur. On the money side, there can be problems too. You are:

• Paying team members in multiple local currencies.
• Receiving client payments in USD, GBP, or EUR.
• Managing payments for software subscriptions, ads, and vendors in different currencies.

All the while, you also have to struggle with a traditional banking infrastructure that might not be optimised for managing international payments.

With all of these in play, the success of many African remote teams depends on having the right business account to support cross-border payments. It improves your cash flow processes, your team’s experience, and reduces the fees and conversion markups you lose on every transaction.

This article highlights the best business accounts for remote teams in Africa and how to set up a business account that works.

Also read: Best Payoneer and PayPal alternatives for freelancers in Africa

Why do remote African teams need business accounts?

A global business account helps remote African teams manage their finances better. They can better:

• Receive client payments in USD, GBP, or EUR without significant deductions.
• Pay team members and contractors in their local currencies across multiple African countries.
• Manage team expenses across Africa with foreign currency cards
• Convert currencies at transparent, competitive rates
• Integrate with accounting software for reporting and reconciliation.
• Operate without requiring a physical bank visit, excessive documentation, or a minimum balance that ties up working capital.

No single platform does all of this perfectly. Most remote teams end up with two or three tools that together cover the full scope. Understanding what each platform does well makes those combination decisions easier.

Best business accounts for remote teams in Africa

Managing international payments is not one-size-fits-all. Each payment option has its pros and cons, and understanding how each works will help you choose the option that is most suitable for your financial operation and team structure. In no particular order, these are some of the best business accounts for remote teams in Africa.

Wise Business

Wise Business offers multi-currency accounts, batch payment capability, and international cards that can be issued to individual team members with spending controls. The platform uses the mid-market exchange rate and charges a transparent, upfront fee on every conversion.

Key features of Wise Business for African teams include:

• Local bank details: Receive funds in major currencies (USD, GBP, & EUR) without high intermediary bank fees.
• Regional support: Direct transfers to M-PESA wallets in Kenya and competitive rates for South African Rand (ZAR).
• Multi-currency wallet: Hold balances in ZAR, MAD, and other currencies alongside major international currencies.
• Business tools: Issue employee expense cards, sync with accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks), and manage bulk payments.
• Team cards: Issue physical and digital expense cards for team members, with customisable access controls.
• Batch payments: Allow business users to send up to 1,000 payments simultaneously by uploading a single spreadsheet file. This feature is designed for businesses that manage international payroll, pay multiple suppliers, or handle recurring invoices across different currencies.

Wise Business doesn’t charge a monthly fee, but it does have a one-time setup fee that varies by region. A conversion fee of approximately 0.4% to 1.5% on most currency pairs, applied at the mid-market rate. There is a volume discount for monthly transfers over $25,000.

Here is how to open a Wise Business account:

• Register for a Wise account and select “Business”.
• Get verified by providing identification and business registration documents.
• Pay a one-time activation fee, which varies by region.
• Activate the specific currency accounts you will be managing.

Wise Business is great for teams with high-volume international transfers across multiple currencies who want transparent, mid-market rate conversions and batch payment capabilities. However, it has limited functionality in certain African countries. It is a good idea to check whether it works in your country and supports payouts in your desired currency before proceeding.

Payoneer Business

Payoneer’s business account is one way to manage multiple currencies and integrations with global marketplaces and freelancing platforms. This makes it particularly suited to teams whose revenue comes from platforms such as Amazon, Upwork, or Fiverr. It supports payments to contractors in over 200 countries and allows batch payouts to multiple recipients.

Here are the key features:

• Local receiving accounts: Get dedicated account details for major markets (including the US, UK, EU, Japan, Canada, and Australia) to receive payments from clients as if you had a local bank account.
• Marketplace integrations: Connect directly to over 2,000 marketplaces and platforms, including Amazon, eBay, Upwork, Fiverr, and Airbnb.
• Payoneer checkout: Accept credit card payments directly on your own website (supporting Shopify and WooCommerce) with 0% currency conversion fees for USD and EUR.
• Billing and invoicing: Use an integrated free invoice builder to request payments from clients via credit card, ACH bank debit, or local bank transfer.
• Payoneer commercial card: Access funds via physical or virtual Mastercards to pay for business expenses, such as digital advertising, or to withdraw cash at ATMs.
• Working Capital: Eligible businesses can apply for a Capital Advance of up to 140% of their monthly revenue, based on their payment history.

If a significant portion of your team’s revenue comes from platforms that support Payoneer as a payout method, it should be a strong consideration for managing your finances as a remote African team. However, conversion margins of 2% to 3% on the exchange rate might obscure the true transaction cost.

Raenest

Raenest provides multi-currency accounts in USD, GBP, and EUR to users across Africa. The payment platform offers a transparent fee structure. ACH deposits incur a 0.35% fee capped at $30. Raenest charges conversion fees of 0.4% to 1% for business transactions. The cost is usually capped and depends on the currency corridor. The platform supports transaction limits of up to $60,000 per month for fully verified accounts, making it more practical for agencies and teams operating at scale than platforms with lower caps.

Raenest offers:

• Multi-currency accounts: Open business checking accounts in USD, GBP, and EUR to receive payments from international clients
• Local currency support: Supports transfers in Nigerian Naira (NGN), Kenyan Shillings (KES), Egyptian Pound (EGP), Rwandan Franc (RWF), Central African CFA franc (XAF), and Ugandan Shilling (UGX)
• Corporate cards: Create virtual and physical USD cards to pay for business tools, subscriptions, and global advertising (e.g., Google or Facebook Ads).
• Stablecoin support: You can receive payments in USDT and USDC, which are automatically converted to USD at a 1:1 value to avoid traditional banking delays.
• Smart invoicing: Generate professional invoices with automated VAT calculations and payment reconciliation.

Grey Business

Grey Business accounts are specifically designed to help African companies, startups, and agencies manage remote teams by streamlining international payroll and expense management across 170+ countries. Grey makes the list as one of the best business accounts for African remote teams for many reasons, including:

• Bulk payments: Pay your entire team at once by uploading a CSV file to the Grey Business dashboard. You can pay into bank accounts or mobile money wallets globally.
• International corporate accounts: African teams can open dedicated business accounts in USD, GBP, and EUR to receive client payments, pay salaries and vendors.
• Manage team expenses: Users can issue multiple virtual debit cards to team members, whether a programmer is paying for software subscriptions or the digital marketing team is paying for an ad. With "Smart Approvals," you can manage and control expenses to avoid overspending.
• Stablecoin support: Send and receive payments via USDC, providing an alternative for teams in regions with volatile local currencies.
• Branded invoicing: Grey allows you to generate professional invoices and track them to ensure your business gets paid on time.
• Local withdrawals: Convert foreign earnings to local currencies (e.g., NGN, KES, TZS, GHS, ZAR) and withdraw to local banks or mobile money in minutes.
• Cost efficiency: Grey is considerably cheaper than traditional banks. Currency conversion fee is 1% and capped at $6.

Grey is well-regulated by global authorities such as FinCEN (United States) and  FINTRAC (Canada), and well-secured to protect your business data and finances.

Also read: Grey Business vs Grey Personal Banking

Airwallex

This payment solution is designed for global businesses managing cross-border payments. Airwallex:

• Supports multi-currency accounts in over 23 currencies
• Issues virtual and physical team cards
• Integrates directly with accounting software, including Xero and QuickBooks.
• Handles expense management, reporting, and accounting reconciliation.
• Supports batch payments and API integrations

Airwallex’s FX rates are competitive, usually within 0.5% to 1% of the mid-market rate for major currency pairs.

Airwallex may have limitations in certain African countries and requires businesses to be registered before creating an account.

Deel

Deel is not a traditional business bank account, strictly speaking, but it works well for African remote teams. It is a contractor management and international payroll platform that handles the international payments chain from an employer to a team distributed across different countries and currencies. The platform also handles local compliance, documentation, conversions, agreements, and local currency payouts. It streamlines global payments and team management by offering:

• Diverse withdrawal options: Workers can receive funds via local bank transfers, mobile wallets, or international platforms such as PayPal, Wise, and Payoneer.
• Local currency support: Deel enables payments in over 200 currencies, helping teams reduce high currency conversion fees.
• Compliance and legal support: Helps companies operate in other countries without local offices by acting as an Employer of Record (EOR), handling local taxes, social security, and labour law requirements.
• Integrated HR tools: Offer HR tools to simplify administrative tasks for both the employer and the remote worker.

If you are managing finances across a diverse team across Africa, all you have to do is to pay Deel in USD or your base currency. Deel converts and distributes to each team member through local payout methods in their country.

Deel includes a conversion spread that may not be transparent enough to show the conversion loss. This might be up to 2%, and can add up over months.

How the platforms compare

Choosing the right payment solution for your team

Most remote teams operating from Africa do not run their entire financial operation through a single platform. The more practical approach is to identify the two or three tools that together cover your specific combination of needs.

A common setup for a small African agency billing international clients looks like this:

• A multi-currency receiving account (Grey or Geegpay) for inbound client payments in USD, GBP, and EUR, with the team’s expense card for international software and ad spend.
• Wise Business or Airwallex for batch payments to contractors across multiple countries, taking advantage of the batch payment functionality and accounting integrations.
• Deel for any contractor relationships that require formal compliance documentation, particularly in markets where local labour regulations make a Deel contract more appropriate than a direct bank transfer.

Your choice should consider where your clients and team members are, how formally incorporated your business is, your payment needs, and how much volume you are processing. Understanding these factors provides a clearer picture and helps you make an informed decision.

Manage your team’s international finances with Grey

Grey gives remote teams across Africa virtual USD, GBP, and EUR accounts with real foreign banking details, a multi-currency Visa card that draws directly from available balances across currencies, and a straightforward withdrawal to local bank accounts across the continent.

The Grey Virtual Card, a virtual Visa card, connects directly to available Grey balances across USD, EUR, GBP, and NGN. When a team member pays for AWS cloud hosting, renews a Figma subscription, or settles a Facebook Ads invoice, the card automatically draws from the relevant currency balance, without a manual top-up. Multiple cards can be created for different spending categories, each with its own limit. Built-in 3D Secure authentication requires cardholder verification for each transaction, reducing the risk of unauthorised charges going undetected on a shared team account. The card supports Apple Pay and Google Pay in eligible regions.

Managing an African remote team is better when you can receive international payments in various currencies and pay your team members across Africa. Sign up on Grey and download the app today to manage cross-border payments for your remote team with freedom.

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The dream of any business with international ambitions is landing its first major client. It’s fulfilling and justifies all the hard work you’ve put in. That email that reads “We’ll need your US bank account details for ACH transfer” just leaves you smiling.

If you don’t have US bank account details because you’re not operating from the US, the easy solution is for the client to send an international wire transfer. Unfortunately, this can be expensive and delay payments.

Ideally, you start researching. Many articles say you need a US business entity, a physical US address, and an in-person visit to a US bank branch. The cheapest path involves spending $2,000 to form a Delaware LLC, hiring a registered agent, obtaining an EIN, and then somehow convincing a US bank to open an account for a foreign-operated business. The entire process could take months.

There’s a gap between “I need US banking details to get paid” and “I need to incorporate in Delaware and maintain a US legal entity.” Many businesses fall directly into that gap. In this article, I explain how USD business accounts actually work, why the traditional path doesn’t make sense for most non-US businesses, and how modern financial infrastructure lets you access US banking capabilities without US incorporation, US addresses, or US travel.

What is a USD business account?

Confusion around terminology causes many businesses to pursue the wrong solutions.

Domiciliary accounts are USD-denominated accounts offered by banks in your local country. These accounts let you hold US dollars, receive international wire transfers, and store foreign currency.

They, however, don’t provide you with US routing numbers, US account numbers, or integration with the US payment system. You cannot receive ACH payments into a domiciliary account. US clients cannot pay you the way they pay domestic vendors. The account holds USD, but it functions outside the US banking infrastructure.

Foreign currency accounts are essentially the same as domiciliary accounts, just named differently in different countries. They have the same capabilities and the same limitations.

US bank accounts have actual US routing numbers and account numbers, integrated into the US banking system. They can receive ACH transfers and domestic US wire transfers, and they can integrate with US payment platforms. When someone asks for your “US bank account details,” this is what they mean: a routing number (9 digits identifying the bank), an account number (unique to your account), the bank’s name and address, and your account holder’s name.

Also read: Alternatives to domiciliary accounts in Nigeria

Why businesses outside the US need USD accounts

The need for USD banking infrastructure is driven by specific, practical requirements that emerge when serving US clients or operating in USD-denominated markets.

Client payment systems are built for domestic transfersThe accounting and procurement systems of many US companies are configured for ACH payments within the US banking network. International wire transfers trigger different workflows, require additional approvals, and often involve manual processing that slows everything down. Providing US bank account details removes friction from what would otherwise be a straightforward transaction.

International payments can be expensiveIf a US client sends you $10,000 via international wire transfer, the money will pass through multiple banks before reaching you. Your client’s bank will charge a wire fee, typically $30-50. Intermediary banks (correspondent banks that facilitate cross-border transfers) may charge about $20-40. Your local bank could also charge a receiving fee, often $15-25.

Then comes currency conversion. If your account is in local currency, your bank converts USD to your local currency at a rate that includes a 3-5% markup over the mid-market rate. A $10,000 payment can be reduced to $9,400 by the time it reaches your account. Over a year, across multiple clients, this adds up to thousands of dollars.

With a USD business account, the client pays via ACH (with minimal fees), the funds clear through the US banking system in 1–3 business days, and you receive the amount in USD. You decide when and how to convert it to local currency, giving you control over conversion timing and rates.

Many platforms require US accountsIf you’re selling through Amazon US, using Stripe for payment processing, or receiving payouts from US-based platforms, you’ll need US bank account details to receive your payments. International alternatives exist but are often slower, more expensive, or restricted. Having US banking details unlocks full platform functionality and faster access to your money.

Business credibility matters in contract negotiations.When negotiating with US clients, particularly larger companies or enterprises, having a US bank account signals operational maturity. It shows you’re set up to work professionally with US businesses. Some RFPs (requests for proposals) explicitly request US banking information. Being able to provide it removes a potential barrier to winning contracts.

How USD business accounts work without US entities

Modern financial infrastructure has created solutions specifically for this gap. Understanding the mechanics helps you evaluate whether these solutions are legitimate, safe, and suitable for your business.

The infrastructure supporting modern USD accounts relies on banking-as-a-service partnerships. Fintech platforms hold financial services licenses in regulated jurisdictions, such as FinCEN in the US. These platforms partner with FDIC-insured US banks. The partnerships allow them to issue US bank account details (routing numbers and account numbers) to their customers without those customers needing to open accounts directly with the US bank.

What to look for in a USD business account provider

Before committing to any provider, evaluate them across several critical dimensions, as choosing the wrong one creates problems that offset the benefits of having USD access.

Regulatory legitimacy is the foundation

• Verify the provider holds actual financial services licenses. Check whether they’re regulated by FinCEN.
• Find out who the partner bank is. The bank should be publicly named and verifiable through banking directories.
• Check how long the provider has been in operation. Although newer isn’t necessarily bad, track record matters when you’re trusting someone with business funds.
• Review their compliance history. Have there been regulatory actions, fines, or public complaints about frozen accounts, fund access issues, or regulatory violations?

Confirm the account features

• Make sure you receive real US routing and account numbers. Not all “USD accounts” provide these, as some only offer USD balance storage without access to the US payment system.
• Confirm ACH receiving capability, which is essential for receiving payments from most US businesses.
• Check domestic and international wire support for clients who can’t or won’t use ACH.
• Evaluate multi-currency support if you need EUR, GBP, or other currencies beyond USD, as having everything in one platform is more efficient than juggling multiple providers.
• Understand account limits: receiving limits (maximum per transaction or per month), balance limits (maximum you can hold), and transaction limits (number of transactions allowed).

Cost structure requires careful analysis

• Look at account-opening fees, which are typically one-time charges ranging from $0–100, depending on the provider.
• Check monthly maintenance fees. Some providers charge $0, others charge $10–50 monthly.
• Understand FX conversion margins, which are the real cost for most users. This is the spread between the mid-market exchange rate and the rate the provider offers you.
• Check withdrawal fees for moving money from your USD account to your local bank account.

Speed and reliability

• Understand how long ACH payments take to settle and become available. It’s typically 1–3 business days, but confirm.
• Know whether you can access funds immediately upon arrival or if there’s a holding period.
• Research the platform’s uptime history. Platform downtime means you can’t access money, which can be critical during time-sensitive situations.

Integration and operational efficiency

• Check whether the platform integrates with accounting software such as Xero or QuickBooks.
• Evaluate the quality of transaction records and statements. Are they detailed enough for accounting and tax purposes?
• If you need programmatic access, verify the API availability and documentation quality.

Customer support

• Check how quickly their support team typically respond to queries and review the support channels: chat, email or phone.
• Verify business hours and whether they align with your timezone.
• Read reviews specifically about support quality, not just platform features.

Security features

• Ensure two-factor authentication is required and robust.
• Check what transaction monitoring and fraud detection systems are in place.
• Review their security incident history.
• Have there been breaches, and how were they handled?

Also read: Receiving foreign income as a solo founder

Grey Business: USD accounts for non-US businesses

Grey Business provides USD business accounts for companies operating outside the US who need US banking infrastructure to receive payments and manage USD income efficiently.

What Grey Business provides:

When you open a Grey Business account, you receive a USD business account that includes a US routing number and account number, enabling you to receive ACH payments exactly as US businesses do.

You can also deposit or withdraw USDC via the BEP20 network, send funds to any compatible wallet in seconds, and create multiple virtual USD cards. And if you want to make bulk payments, you can do that easily by uploading a CSV file with their details.

How account setup works:

• Visit www.business.grey.co to create an account
• Provide your business registration documents. The requirements vary by country, such as CAC documents in Nigeria, business registration certificates in Kenya, incorporation documents in South Africa, or equivalent from wherever your business is registered.
• Then you provide information about directors and beneficial owners, business address, and business activities.
• Once approved, you get access to your USD accounts with full banking details.

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Regulatory framework and fund protection

Grey is regulated by FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) and FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in the US). These regulatory bodies oversee anti-money laundering compliance, know-your-customer requirements, and financial services operations.

Your funds are held in segregated accounts at our partner banks, keeping them separate from operational funds and providing protection.

Also read: Meet Grey Business: the growth engine for global finances

Access, not relocation

Years ago, serving US clients from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, or India meant either navigating expensive, slow international payment infrastructure or forming costly US entities you didn’t actually need.

Today, that market gap is filled by modern financial infrastructure specifically designed for businesses operating globally without relocating their legal or physical presence.

Open your Grey Business account today and get a USD business account with local banking details as your business takes the next step in its globalisation.

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Working with clients around the world can be one of the smartest growth moves a US business can make, especially if done right. New markets, fresh revenue streams, and access to specialised talent are on the other side of expanding internationally.

However, some new complexities may arise. Things like different time zones, culture shocks, contracts, payments, and compliance suddenly matter.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to run a smooth and profitable relationship with global clients, from first contact to final invoice. I’ll cover how to understand clients in different markets, build scalable workflows, handle payments without losing money, and stay on the right side of the law.

Also read: Meet Grey Business: the growth engine for global finances

1. Know the client’s context before you start

Before pitching or signing, learn about the client’s market and the expectations.

Here are some practical checks:

• Time zones: Propose meeting windows that work for everyone.
• Business days & public holidays: Keep an eye out for important days and plan accordingly.
• Communication style: Confirm whether they prefer formal or informal, email or instant messaging, and, more importantly, the expected response times.
• Decision-making: Are approvals fast or routed through many stakeholders? Ask who signs off and what the approval timeline is.
• Local payment norms: Do clients prefer bank transfers, cards, or local wallets? Knowing this up front prevents invoicing friction.

Also read: What non-US residents need to open a US bank account at major banks

2. Write a detailed contract

A tight contract helps to define deliverables and keeps cash flow predictable.

Essential contract elements include:

• Deliverables & acceptance criteria: Define exactly what “done” looks like and how the client will sign off.
• Milestones & timeline: Include dates for drafts, feedback windows, and final delivery.
• Payment terms: This includes the currency, invoicing cadence, accepted payment methods, and who pays the fees (you or the client). If there will be late-payment penalties, state them clearly (e.g., 1.5% per 30 days).
• IP & licensing: Clearly state when ownership transfers and which rights you retain (templates, libraries).
• Confidentiality & data protection: You should have details of the minimum security standards, data residency concerns, and permitted data use.
• Termination & dispute resolution: The most important clauses are the notice period, refund rules for partially completed work, and whether disputes are resolved through mediation or arbitration.
• Force majeure & change orders: This will cover how unexpected events or added scope are handled.

Also read: How to open a USD bank account remotely without US citizenship

3. Build simple, repeatable workflows

Define a small stack and stick to it. Here are some core workflow components

• Project tracker: Asana, ClickUp, or Trello for tasks, deadlines and approvals.
• Single source of truth: A shared drive with a clear folder structure (e.g., /ClientName/Project/Deliverables/Final).
• Communication rules: Slack for day-to-day, Zoom for calls, email for official records and define expected response times (e.g., 24 hours).
• Meeting notes: After every call, send a summary with action items and owners.
• Version control: Label files with date and version to avoid confusion.
• Handover documents: For each milestone, provide a brief list of deliverables, acceptance criteria, and next steps.

Remember, the fewer tools you use, the easier it is for global teams to adopt your processes.

Also read: How Moroccan businesses receive payments from overseas customers

4. Pricing, taxes and compliance

Pricing internationally is not simply a matter of currency conversion.

Pricing approaches

• Value-based pricing: Price by impact rather than by the hour. This often yields higher margins.
• Tiered packages: Basic, standard and premium are the most common. This method is useful for clients with different budgets.
• Localised pricing: You can adjust for local market purchasing power where appropriate.

Tax and legal considerations

• Withholding taxes: Some countries require payers to withhold tax on payments to foreign recipients. Check ahead and consider gross-up clauses.
• VAT / GST / digital services tax: Digital services sold to EU consumers, for example, may be subject to VAT. B2B sales often reverse-charge but confirm.
• Permanent establishment risk: Avoid activities that create a taxable presence in client countries (e.g., hiring a local team without a local entity).
• US reporting: Track foreign income, and for payments to foreign contractors, you may need to file Form 1099 or Form 1042-S.

Always consult a tax advisor.

5. Building long-term global relationships

Long-term clients are gold. Here’s how to convert one-off projects into retainers.

• Deliver predictable results: Happy clients are more likely to sign extensions.
• Quarterly business reviews: Show ROI and propose next steps.
• Referral programmes: Incentivise referrals with discounts or bonuses.
• Case studies & testimonials: With the client’s permission, use success stories to win similar work.

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Scale globally but keep it simple

Expanding beyond the US unlocks growth, but it also tests your operations. The difference between businesses that struggle with international clients and those that thrive often comes down to infrastructure, specifically, having financial systems designed for cross-border work.

Grey Business is built specifically for companies working with global clients. You get a USD account that makes it easy for international clients to pay you.

When you need to pay contractors or vendors abroad, Grey Business handles it efficiently, avoiding the delays and excessive fees of wire transfers. You can also make bulk payments to multiple accounts at once in their preferred currency. And because everything is structured as a business account, your financial records stay clean and organised for accounting and tax purposes.

Open your Grey Business account today and give your company the financial infrastructure it needs to operate globally without friction.

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African startups are growing. A company incorporated in Lagos or Nairobi might be selling software to clients in San Francisco, contracting with developers in Berlin, and in conversations with investors in London, all at the same time. This is the trajectory for any ambitious African startup.

The problem is that the banking infrastructure most African startups use doesn’t work for true global payments. Local commercial banks are better suited for receiving local currency, paying local vendors, and, in general, processing local transactions. When your business starts crossing borders, those systems begin to fail and that costs you real money.

Multi-currency accounts solve this structural problem. In the subsequent paragraphs, I break down what multi-currency accounts actually do, exactly where traditional banking falls short, what to look for, and how to address the specific needs of African startups operating internationally.

What is a multi-currency account?

A multi-currency account lets you hold, receive, send, and convert multiple currencies from a single account. Instead of maintaining separate banking relationships across different countries, you have a single platform with multiple currency balances.

For example, when a US client pays in USD, the funds are credited to your USD balance. When a European client pays in EUR, you get the payment in your EUR balance. This way, you can hold these simultaneously, convert between them when you choose, or spend directly from each currency balance.

It’s also worth noting that it differs from a domiciliary account, which many African banks offer and allows you to hold foreign currency.

While they sound similar, domiciliary accounts have a fundamental limitation. They don’t provide full local banking details for the foreign currency, so you don’t get US routing numbers or EUR IBANs.

You can only receive expensive international wire transfers, and they often require minimum balances and charge higher fees. A domiciliary account lets you store USD. A multi-currency account lets you receive USD from US clients, as if you were a US company.

Why do African startups need multi-currency accounts?

The need for multi-currency banking comes down to three concrete operational realities.

Client payment preferences determine your banking needs
‍International clients usually have finance teams, accounting systems, and procurement workflows for their local banking infrastructure. A US company’s finance system is typically set up for direct ACH payments to US bank accounts. International wires are more expensive and take longer to clear. When you can’t provide local payment details, you create friction for your client and cost yourself money.

Multi-currency revenue requires multi-currency management
‍If you’re earning in foreign currency, for example, USD from US clients, and if you constantly convert everything to local currency, you’ll create unnecessary costs. Every conversion carries a spread, which is the difference between buy and sell exchange rates, typically 2-4% at traditional banks.

If you’re also paying for tools like AWS, Stripe, or any other US-based SaaS tool, you’re converting USD to naira or shillings, then effectively buying USD again when those bills come due.

You can avoid that double conversion.

Holding balances in the currencies you earn and spending from those balances directly eliminates this problem. This way, you only convert what you actually need for local expenses.

Fundraising and investor expectations are changing
‍Venture capital firms and international angel investors now expect African startups to have professional financial infrastructure. When a US fund wires $500,000 in seed funding, they often require USD account details, not a conversion through your local bank with opaque rates and processing delays.

Having proper multi-currency accounts signals operational maturity to investors who see hundreds of pitch decks from different founders.

Also read: How US startups pay remote workers outside the US

What should you look for in a multi-currency account?

Before evaluating any specific provider, establish what your business actually needs.

Currency coverage that matches your clients
‍Not every multi-currency account supports the same currencies. If you work with US clients, USD is non-negotiable. European clients require EUR. UK clients need GBP. Start by mapping your actual client base by currency.

Local banking details, not just holding currency
‍Verify specifically what you receive.

• For USD: a US routing number and account number for ACH.
• For EUR: an actual IBAN for SEPA transfers (some EUR accounts only support wire transfers, which defeats the purpose).
• For GBP: a sort code and account number for Faster Payments.

The ability to hold a currency isn’t the same as being able to receive it through local payment networks.

Transparent fee structure
‍Calculate what you’d actually pay on your typical transaction volume: receiving fees, sending fees, and currency conversion margins. Compare the mid-market rate to the provider's actual rate at the moment of conversion. The difference is the spread.

Geographic availability
‍Make sure your specific country is supported before investing time in applications. Availability varies meaningfully across African markets.

Regulatory legitimacy
‍Check for licences from recognised regulators, such as FINTRAC (Canada), FinCEN (US), FCA (UK), or their equivalent.

Business functionality beyond basic receiving
‍Can you add team members with different permission levels? Does it integrate with accounting software like Xero or QuickBooks? Can you send payments to international vendors and contractors, as well as receive them? Do you get proper transaction records suitable for audit and tax purposes?

Also read: Comparing global multicurrency platforms for non-US residents

Grey Business: USD accounts for African startups

Grey Business provides USD business accounts for startups and businesses operating internationally from Africa. For African startups serving US clients or earning in USD, it directly addresses the core problem.

What do you get with a Grey Business account?

‍When you open a Grey Business account, you receive a USD account with a US routing number and account number. These function exactly like a traditional US bank account from a payer’s perspective. The money clears in 1-2 business days and is added to your USD balance. Since it’s paid via ACH, you don’t need to worry about international wire fees.

Grey Business supports team access so you can give specific team members access to the account. You can also create virtual USD cards for specific spending purposes. For example, one card for software subscriptions, another for advertising, another for contractor payments, each with individual spending limits and the ability to freeze instantly.

Your transaction records are exportable for accounting software reconciliation and tax purposes.

You can also deposit or withdraw USDC via the BEP20 network, send funds to any compatible wallet in seconds, and create multiple virtual USD cards.

Grey charges no monthly maintenance fees.

Account setup

‍Sign up at grey.co/business and provide your business registration documents (CAC in Nigeria, business certificate in Kenya, company registration in South Africa).

Then, verify the directors and beneficial owners, and complete the KYC verification.

Once verified, you’ll get your USD account details, ready to share with clients.

Honest limitations

‍Currently, Grey Business only provides USD accounts and USDC wallets. If you need EUR IBANs for European clients or GBP sort codes for UK clients, you’ll need to combine Grey with other providers offering those currencies. Once we add more currencies, we’ll let you know.

Grey also provides payment infrastructure, not full-service banking, so no loans, credit facilities, or trade finance.

Also read: Meet Grey Business: the growth engine for global finances

The future for African startups

African startups are growing rapidly. That means serving clients in several countries, managing revenue in multiple currencies, and meeting investors and partners who operate with different banking infrastructures will happen more frequently.

Multi-currency accounts, particularly USD accounts through platforms like Grey Business, are designed for how international businesses actually operate. Your market is global, and your banking should match it.

Visit grey.co/business to open your USD account and get the banking infrastructure your international operations need.

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Let’s say you’ve just hired a brilliant developer in Poland to build a feature that your UK team doesn’t have time for. The work is excellent, delivered on schedule, and you’re ready to pay the £2,000 invoice. So you log into your bank account, initiate an international transfer, and assume everything will work smoothly.

Five days later, your developer sends a message asking when the payment will arrive. After checking the transfer status, you see that it’s still processing. When it finally clears three days after that, your developer receives the equivalent of £1,860. The missing £140 disappeared into a combination of intermediary bank fees, SWIFT charges, and an exchange rate that was far from what Google showed you.

Your developer is frustrated, you’re embarrassed, and you’ve just lost nearly 7% of the payment to a system that isn’t ideal for how international work functions in 2026. This is how most UK businesses pay international freelancers, and it’s expensive, slow, and unnecessarily complicated.

There’s a better way, but understanding it requires knowing why the current system fails and what modern payment infrastructure actually does differently.

Why are UK companies hiring freelancers abroad?

The shift toward global hiring isn’t a trend you can wait out.

UK businesses hire internationally because talent no longer respects borders. If you need a motion designer with specific experience in a niche industry or a developer fluent in a particular framework, limiting your search to the UK can reduce the odds of finding the right person.

Remote work tools like Slack, Notion, Figma, and Zoom make collaboration easier, so geography became less of a barrier once work became more digital.

Cost efficiency also matters, especially for early-stage startups and growing agencies managing budgets carefully. Freelancers in countries with lower costs of living often charge rates that UK businesses find sustainable without compromising on quality.

Flexibility is the other major driver. When you need specific skills for a short-term project, hiring a full-time employee isn’t a great financial decision. Freelancers give you agility. You scale up when projects demand it and scale down when they end, without the commitment and overhead of permanent staff.

The result is that UK startups, agencies, and growing companies now operate with distributed teams, hiring the best people regardless of location.

But payment infrastructure hasn’t evolved at the same pace as hiring practices, creating real operational problems.

The complexity of paying international freelancers

To pay a UK-based freelancer, you can just send a Faster Payment. Paying an international freelancer, however, introduces layers of complexity that many businesses don’t anticipate.

International bank transfers take days to settle‍

When you initiate a SWIFT payment from your UK business account, the money goes through your bank and one or more intermediary banks (often called correspondent banks) before finally arriving at the recipient’s bank. Each step takes time. A SWIFT transfer can take up to five business days.

Currency conversion happens automatically

‍When you send GBP to someone who needs USD, EUR, PLN, or any other currency, your bank converts it. The exchange rate applied is rarely close to the mid-market rate. Banks add a markup, typically between 2% and 5%, and this margin isn’t itemised as a separate fee.

Compounding intermediary bank fees

‍Your UK bank charges a fee for sending a wire transfer, often between £15 and £25. The correspondent bank charges another fee for processing it, typically £10–£20. The recipient’s bank may also charge a receiving fee. By the time the money arrives, a £1,000 payment has shrunk to £920.

Administrative complexity grows when you’re paying multiple accounts

‍Managing payments to many people across different countries requires navigating diverse banking systems, currency requirements, and documentation standards. Making payments becomes a multi-hour administrative task that doesn’t scale as your team grows.

Tracking and reconciliation become messy

‍Checking which payments have cleared, at what exchange rates, and reconciling this against your accounting records takes time that you can spend on actual business operations.

Also read: How to budget in foreign currencies using the Grey card

What should UK businesses consider before choosing payment platforms?

Before committing to any payment platform for international freelancer payments, consider these factors based on your actual usage patterns.

Payment volume and frequency: If you’re paying one freelancer once per quarter, optimising payment infrastructure probably isn’t your highest priority. The higher your volume, the more infrastructure matters.

Payment amounts: Percentage-based fees hurt more on large payments. A 3% fee on a £500 payment is £15. On a £5,000 payment, it’s £150. If you’re regularly paying large amounts, even small percentage differences in fees or exchange rate margins create significant cost variations.

Speed requirements: If your freelancers need payment within 24-48 hours, traditional SWIFT transfers won’t work. If week-long clearing times are acceptable, you have more options.

The right infrastructure matches your actual usage patterns and scales as your international team grows. Starting with infrastructure that works for five freelancers but breaks at 15 creates problems you’ll need to fix as you scale. Choose systems that handle your current volume comfortably and can expand as your needs grow.

Also read: Ways Nigerians receive money from international marketplaces

Grey Business: Modern infrastructure for UK companies paying globally

Grey Business provides USD accounts specifically structured for companies operating internationally. It handles the complexity of paying freelancers across borders without the delays and administrative overhead that traditional banking creates.

When you open a Grey Business account, you receive a USD account with proper local banking details as well as a USDC wallet for crypto payments.

Payments clear faster because they’re not routed through multiple international banking systems. Transfers to freelancers typically settle within 1 to 2 business days, not 5 to 7, depending on the payment infrastructure used.

Exchange rates are transparent. Grey’s rates typically sit 1-2% over the mid-market rate, compared to the 3-5% spread most traditional banks apply.

You can also make bulk payments to many people at the same time. Payment records are clear and detailed, suitable for business accounting and year-end reconciliation.

Grey Business supports international money transfers to over 170 countries, so if you’re paying contractors, vendors, or partners beyond your regular freelance team, you can handle everything from the same account rather than maintaining multiple payment systems.

Also read: Meet Grey Business: The growth engine for global finances

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Global payment infrastructure today

UK businesses have embraced global hiring because it works. The talent exists, the collaboration tools function well, and remote work has made location largely irrelevant for digital work.

International freelancers deserve to be paid as reliably and efficiently as UK-based ones. The fact that someone lives in Warsaw, Lagos, or Mumbai rather than London doesn’t mean they should wait days for their payments.

Businesses hiring globally deserve payment systems that don’t leak money to unnecessary fees, create hours of monthly administrative work, or damage relationships with talented people through slow, unreliable transfers.

A modern multi-currency business account solves these specific problems.

Open your Grey Business account today and pay your international freelancers quickly, fairly, and without losing money to outdated banking systems.

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