How to accept payments from other countries with a Philippine business
Every way to get paid by clients and buyers abroad with a Philippine registration, what each costs, and how GCash for Business, HitPay and Airwallex compare.
Quick answer
With a Philippine-registered business you can accept payments from other countries through PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, a direct bank wire, or a local gateway such as HitPay, PayMongo or Xendit that takes international cards. Expect to pay roughly 4% to 7% per payment once card or PayPal fees and currency conversion are added together.[1][2]
What you can't use with a Philippine registration is Stripe or Shopify Payments.[3][4] That's the main reason some freelancers and sellers with mostly overseas customers register a company abroad.
Clients or buyers overseas? Read the free Chapter 0 of the Borderless Pinoy course to check whether registering a company abroad fits your business.
Get free Chapter 0Your options and what they cost
| Option | Best for | Main fees |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal | Clients who already pay by PayPal | 4.40% + US$0.30 (≈ ₱19)[5] per international payment, plus 3.0% above the base rate to convert to pesos. Withdrawals of ₱7,000 or more to a Philippine bank are free.[1] |
| Wise | Clients who pay by bank transfer in USD, EUR or GBP | Free account details. Receiving a USD wire costs US$6.11 (≈ ₱383); local EUR transfers are free. Conversion at the mid-market rate plus a small fee.[6] |
| Payoneer | Marketplaces and platforms that pay out through Payoneer | Often free to receive in the same currency; up to 2% above mid-market when withdrawing to a Philippine bank; US$29.95 (≈ ₱1,900) inactivity fee after 12 months.[7] |
| Direct SWIFT wire | Large invoices from companies | At BPI, at least ₱150 to credit a peso account or US$6.50 (≈ ₱408) to a dollar account, plus fees the sending and intermediary banks deduct.[8] |
| HitPay | Checkout pages and payment links for buyers anywhere | 4% + ₱15 for international cards, 3% + ₱15 for local cards, 2.3% for GCash, plus 1% on cross-border currency conversion.[9] |
| PayMongo | Cards and e-wallets on your site | 4.02% + ₱13.39 for international cards (VAT excluded), paid out in pesos.[2] |
| Xendit | Online checkouts and invoices | 4.50% + fees for international cards in pesos; separate USD pricing.[10] |
Which one to use
- Freelancers paid by overseas companies: Wise or a direct wire usually costs the least on large invoices. PayPal is convenient but the fees add up.
- Selling online to buyers abroad: a gateway that takes international cards, such as HitPay, PayMongo or Xendit, with a checkout page or payment link.
- Getting paid by platforms: use whatever the platform supports. Amazon KDP, for example, pays Philippine authors directly to a local bank account in pesos.[11]
GCash for Business, HitPay and Airwallex compared
These three come up a lot. Here's how easy each one is to set up with a Philippine registration:
| GCash for Business | HitPay (Philippines) | Airwallex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Registered sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations. The signatory needs a fully verified GCash account with 12 months of activity.[12] | DTI-registered sole proprietors and SEC-registered companies[13] | Philippine businesses are accepted and onboarded through Airwallex's regional entity[14] |
| Documents | DTI certificate and BIR Form 2303 for sole proprietors; SEC papers, GIS and a board resolution for corporations[12] | DTI or SEC papers, BIR Form 2303, a business bank account, proof of business, and ID with a selfie[13] | DTI certificate plus Form 2303 or a recent business bank statement; corporations add a certified GIS[15] |
| Approval | 1 to 2 business days[12] | Compliance review; no published timeline | 1 to 3 business days after a complete submission[16] |
| Fees | 1.0% for QR Ph, 3.2% for cards[17] | 1% for QR Ph, 2.3% GCash, 3% to 4% + ₱15 for cards[9] | Not published for Philippine businesses |
| International customers | Built mainly for local QR and card payments in pesos | Takes international cards and converts to pesos | Its main strength, but features for Philippine-registered businesses aren't published, so confirm before relying on it |
Easiest to set up: GCash for Business, if you already have a long-verified GCash account and only need local payments. Best all-round for a Philippine business: HitPay, which covers GCash, QR Ph and international cards, though online card payouts take about 7 days.[9] Airwallex works best for companies registered in the countries where all its features are documented. For example, GCash collection through Airwallex is available to companies registered in places such as the UK, the EU, Australia and some Asian hubs, but not to Philippine-registered ones.[18]
Tax and paperwork on foreign income
- Income from overseas clients is taxable in the Philippines when you do the work here. Report it in pesos on your BIR returns.
- Issue an invoice for every sale or service. Since 2024 the invoice is the main sales document for both goods and services.[19]
- If you're VAT-registered, services paid for in foreign currency by clients abroad may be zero-rated. Ask a CPA how it applies to you.
See how often you file and the BIR registration guide.
When a company abroad makes more sense
If most of your income comes from overseas, the fees and limits above add up. A company registered abroad can open multi-currency business accounts, use Stripe and Shopify Payments, and invoice clients in their own currency.[3][4] It has its own yearly costs, about ₱150,000 all-in in the setups the course compares, so it makes sense once your overseas sales are big enough.[20] As a Philippine resident you still have obligations here, so plan with a CPA.
Frequently asked questions
How can I receive payments from abroad in the Philippines?
Through PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, a direct SWIFT wire to your Philippine bank, or a local payment gateway such as HitPay, PayMongo or Xendit that accepts international cards. Stripe and Shopify Payments aren't available to Philippine-registered businesses.
What is the cheapest way to receive international payments in the Philippines?
For bank transfers from clients, Wise or a direct wire is usually cheapest on large amounts. PayPal is convenient but charges 4.40% plus a fixed fee and about 3% on currency conversion.
Can I get GCash for Business as a sole proprietor?
Yes, if your business is registered. GCash for Business asks sole proprietors for a DTI certificate and BIR Form 2303, and the signatory needs a fully verified GCash account with at least 12 months of activity. Review takes 1 to 2 business days.
Can a Philippine business use HitPay?
Yes. HitPay operates in the Philippines and accepts DTI-registered sole proprietors and SEC-registered companies. It takes GCash, QR Ph and local and international cards.
Can a Philippine business open an Airwallex account?
Yes, Airwallex accepts Philippine businesses, onboarded through its regional entity. It doesn't publish which features Philippine-registered businesses get, and GCash collection through Airwallex isn't offered to them, so confirm with Airwallex before relying on it.
Do I pay tax on income from foreign clients?
Yes, when you do the work in the Philippines. Report it in pesos on your BIR returns and issue invoices for every payment.
Most of your income from overseas?
See the setup the course teaches: a company registered abroad, with multi-currency accounts, Stripe and GCash collection, run from the Philippines. The course is ₱699, separate from what the company itself costs to set up and keep.
Sources
- PayPal Philippines, merchant fees (updated 28 September 2026)
- PayMongo, pricing
- Stripe, global availability (the Philippines is not listed)
- Shopify Help Center, Shopify Payments supported countries
- Exchange rates used for peso equivalents: US$1 = ₱62.70 and AED 1 = ₱17.07 (mid-market, 23 September 2026, the same rates as the course's Chapter 2 cost comparison). Amounts are rounded.
- Wise Philippines, fees to receive money
- Payoneer, fees and costs for Filipinos
- BPI, inward remittance fees
- HitPay Philippines, pricing
- Xendit Philippines, pricing
- Amazon KDP Help, payment methods by country
- GCash Help Center, GCash for Business requirements
- HitPay Docs, onboarding requirements for the Philippines
- Airwallex Help Center, supported business locations
- Airwallex Help Center, documents for Philippine businesses
- Airwallex Help Center, account review times
- GCash Help Center, GCash for Business merchant discount rates
- Airwallex Docs, GCash payment method (eligible merchant countries)
- KPMG, Philippines updated invoicing requirements (RR 7-2024)
- Borderless Pinoy course, Chapter 2 cost comparison (published provider and government prices, September 2026)
This guide is general information, not financial or tax advice. Payment providers change fees and eligibility often, so check each provider's site before you sign up. Sources checked 14 October 2026.