How to receive international payments in Nepal

Three paths work from Nepal today. Payoneer for small and recurring amounts, a SWIFT wire to your Nepali bank for large invoices, and a US company with a US bank account for US customers. PayPal does not work in Nepal, so do not build on it.

The rails change every year, so treat this as a snapshot. Everything below is true as of mid 2026, and we will update it as things shift. Where a rail is known to move, check the current status before you plan around it.

Option 1. Payoneer

Payoneer is the default for most people. Nepali freelancers and companies use it widely. You receive USD into a Payoneer account, then withdraw to an NPR bank account in Nepal.

Setup is fast. Your customer pays like they would pay anyone else, so there is no friction on their side. It works well for small and recurring invoices.

The catch is cost. Payoneer takes a percentage on receiving plus a currency conversion spread when you withdraw to NPR. On small invoices this is fine. On large ones it adds up. If your contracts grow, plan to move up to one of the other two options.

Option 2. A SWIFT wire to your Nepali bank

A direct SWIFT wire into a USD account at a Nepali bank is the old reliable path. It works, and it makes sense for larger invoices.

Your bank will ask questions, especially the first time, and the money takes days to arrive. Once the bank knows you, wires get boring in the best way.

The steps are simple. Open a USD account at your bank if you do not have one. Get your account details and the bank’s SWIFT code. Put them on your invoice. Have your documents ready before the wire lands, which we cover below.

Option 3. A US company with a US account

A US entity with a US bank account, Mercury being the common choice, is the cleanest setup for US customers. They pay a US account through their normal process, with no international friction on their side. You then transfer money to Nepal on your own schedule, in the amounts and at the times that suit you.

A US entity also unlocks Stripe, which matters if you sell software with card payments. If you are weighing this path, we wrote a separate guide on how to register a US company from Nepal.

This is the most setup work of the three. It pays off once your US revenue is steady or once you need card payments.

What does not work from Nepal

Here is the honest list.

PayPal cannot properly receive and withdraw money in Nepal. Do not build on it.

Stripe is not available for Nepal-registered businesses. A US entity fixes that, which is part of why option 3 exists.

Wise support for Nepal is limited to sending money into Nepal, not running business receiving. Their coverage changes, so check the current status before you plan around it.

What each option costs

Fees change often, so treat these as rough shapes rather than exact numbers, and verify before you rely on them.

Payoneer takes a percentage on receiving plus a conversion spread when you withdraw to NPR. Fine for small invoices, heavy for large ones.

SWIFT wires cost fixed fees on both sides, often twenty to fifty dollars total, plus whatever exchange rate your Nepali bank gives you on the day. The fixed fees make small wires expensive and large wires cheap.

A US account plus planned transfers costs you the wire and the conversion each time you move money. On big amounts this usually gives the best effective rate, because you control when and how you convert.

The real cost on every path is usually the exchange rate spread, not the visible fee. A quiet one percent on the rate costs more than the twenty dollar wire fee. Compare the NPR you actually receive, not the fee line.

How long it takes

Platform withdrawals from Payoneer land in your Nepali bank account in a few days. SWIFT wires take two to five working days when your documents are ready.

The slow case is the first ever wire to a new account. That one sits until the bank’s compliance questions are answered, and that can take a week or more if you are scrambling for paperwork.

The fix is simple. Set up your receiving path before you send the first invoice, not after the money is already in flight.

What your bank will ask for

For incoming service payments, expect to show the invoice, the contract or agreement with your customer, and sometimes a purpose of remittance declaration. Keep these ready before the wire arrives and the questions become routine.

Bring the money in through banking channels and declare it. Service export income that arrives clean is an asset, not a liability. Nepal gives income tax concessions for IT service export income, and the rates have changed in recent budgets, so check the current one before you count on a number. We are not accountants. A local CA is cheap insurance and worth every rupee.

How to write the invoice

Four things. Your company name matching the receiving account exactly. A clear description of the service. Your bank details including the SWIFT code. Your payment terms.

The name match matters most. A mismatch between the invoice name and the account name is the top reason wires bounce or sit in review. Check it character by character before you send.

The short version

Small and recurring amounts favor Payoneer. Larger contracts favor SWIFT wires or a US entity with a US bank account, then planned transfers to Nepal. Mixing paths is normal. What hurts founders most is not fees, it is surprise. Know the path, the documents, and the rough costs before you sign the customer.

If we got something wrong or the rails have moved since we wrote this, tell us and we will fix it. Questions welcome too, at hello@nepalaccelerator.com.