How to Get Paid in USD from US Clients: The Complete LatAm Playbook (ACH + W-8BEN)
The full flow for getting paid by US clients: an account with a routing number, the difference between ACH and wire, and what the W-8BEN they'll ask for actually is.
Why your client keeps asking for "your bank details"
On the US side, paying you is an administrative task: your client enters a vendor into their system — Bill.com, QuickBooks, Gusto, their own bank — and that system asks for a routing number and an account number. That's it.
When you reply with a wallet address, an app username or a payment link, you are asking them to change their process for you. Small clients sometimes agree; mid-size and large ones almost never do, because their accounts payable department doesn't improvise.
So the right question isn't "which app do I use to get paid", but how do I get the payment to arrive through the lane my client already uses. That is exactly what a virtual dollar account with its own routing and account number solves: your client loads it once and pays you like any domestic vendor.
ACH and wire: which one you'll get, and how they differ
The two US domestic rails, without the jargon:
| ACH | Wire | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Batch payment network between US banks | Individual bank-to-bank transfer |
| Cost to the payer | Low or free | Typically $15–$50 |
| Usual timeline | 1–3 business days | Same day, if submitted within cutoff |
| Typical use | Payroll, vendor payments, subscriptions | Large amounts and urgent cases |
| Reversible | Can be reversed in certain cases | In practice, no |
For recurring service invoices, your client will normally use ACH: it's the one that costs them nothing or close to it. Wires show up when the amount is large or there's a rush. A USD virtual account receives both, so you never have to ask your client to change method.
One operational point: ACH takes what it takes. If your contract says "net 30" and the client issues on day 30, the money shows up on day 31, 32 or 33. That isn't a problem on the receiving end; it's how the network works. Plan your cash flow with that buffer instead of chasing the client the next morning.
The W-8BEN, explained without tax jargon
Before paying you, many US clients will ask for a Form W-8BEN. This is normal, it is not a sign of distrust, and there is nothing exotic about it.
What it is. The W-8BEN is the IRS Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner. It lets whoever pays you document that you are not a US person and determine how to treat the payment.
Who you give it to. Whoever requests it — your client or their withholding agent. The IRS instruction is explicit: do not send it to the IRS; give it to the person requesting it from you.
How long it lasts. From the date of signature through the last day of the third succeeding calendar year, unless your circumstances change. A form signed in September 2026 stays valid through December 31, 2029. If any information stops being correct — you change country of residence, say — you must notify within 30 days and file a new one.
What happens if you don't provide it. The IRS puts it plainly: failing to provide a W-8BEN when requested may lead to withholding at the 30% foreign-person rate, or to backup withholding. In other words: the form doesn't create a problem for you; its absence does.
The nuance that actually matters. That 30% applies to US-source income of certain kinds: interest, dividends, rents, royalties and other fixed or determinable periodic payments. Compensation for services a nonresident performs outside the United States is generally treated as foreign-source income — which is why, in practice, the W-8BEN of a Latin American freelancer working from their own country tends to function as documentation of status rather than a gateway to withholding. There are exceptions — work performed physically in the US, royalties, certain income types — and other forms exist for those, such as Form 8233 for personal services performed inside the country.
A necessary warning: if your client contracts with your company rather than with you as an individual, the right form is the W-8BEN-E (for entities), which is a different and much longer document.
This is not tax advice. We are a payments product, not tax advisors, and your situation depends on your tax residence, where you perform the service, and whether a treaty exists between your country and the United States. The primary source is the official Form W-8BEN instructions; for your specific case, consult an accountant in your country.
The complete flow, end to end
Putting the pieces together, the circuit looks like this:
- Open your account and verify your identity. KYC is 100% online with your local ID and a selfie, in under 5 minutes. No SSN or ITIN is requested — the detail is in USD account without SSN or ITIN.
- Generate your USD virtual account. You get your own routing number and account number, able to receive ACH and wires from any US bank. The details are reusable: you hand them to your client once and they work for every subsequent payment.
- Provide the W-8BEN when asked, signed and correctly filled in, and remember the three-year validity.
- Invoice and wait for the ACH. On arrival, the deposit is automatically converted to USDC (equivalent 1:1 to the dollar) with a 0.75% inbound fee for receiving dollars, per the fees table.
- Decide what to do with the balance: hold it in digital dollars, send it to another platform account (under 2 minutes, gas covered), or withdraw to your local bank — between 1.50% and 2.10% depending on the destination country, currency conversion already included, 20 USD minimum amount, 1–2 business days.
If you invoice the same client every month, the virtual account details work as a standing deposit instruction: nothing needs regenerating.
Where this differs from the other guide: if your case is specifically Mexico — with CLABE withdrawals and that corridor's numbers — the step by step is in how to get paid in USD as a freelancer in Mexico. This piece covers the flow with US clients, whatever your country.
Mistakes that cost money (or the whole invoice)
- Handing over account details before the rail is active. Availability is enabled progressively by country: check that your USD account is active — not "in progress" — before sending anything to a client.
- Filling the W-8BEN with the wrong name. It must match your ID; an inconsistency gets it bounced by accounts payable and delays payment by a full cycle.
- Forgetting the three-year expiry. An expired W-8BEN can make a long-standing client start withholding without warning.
- Confusing W-8BEN with W-8BEN-E. Individual and entity are different forms.
- Assuming your client's fee is yours. Some US banks charge the sender for wires; that isn't a charge on you, but it's worth agreeing who absorbs it before invoicing.
D-ONE CASH is a product of DIGITALROCKETS LLC. We are not a bank: stablecoin balances are not bank deposits and are not covered by the FDIC, SIPC, Fogafín or any deposit or investor insurance. We also do not provide tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need for a US client to pay me by ACH?
A routing number and an account number their payments system can load as a vendor. A virtual dollar account gives you both in your name, and receives both ACH and wires. The details are reusable: you provide them once and they work for every payment after that.
What is the W-8BEN and what is it for?
It is the IRS certificate by which a foreign person establishes to their payer that they are not a US person. It lets the payer determine the correct treatment of the payment. It is not sent to the IRS: you give it to whoever requests it, normally your client.
How long is a W-8BEN valid?
From the date you sign it through the last day of the third succeeding calendar year, unless your circumstances change. If any information stops being correct, you must notify your payer within 30 days and sign a new form.
Will 30% be withheld from what I invoice?
Failing to provide the W-8BEN when requested may lead to 30% withholding or backup withholding. With documentation in order, treatment depends on the nature and source of the income: compensation for services performed outside the United States by a nonresident is generally treated as foreign-source. Your specific case should be confirmed by a professional.
How long does an ACH payment take to arrive?
Usually 1–3 business days from when the client issues it, because ACH processes in batches. A wire typically lands the same day if submitted within cutoff, but costs the payer more. Build that buffer into your cash flow.
What fees do I pay to get paid by a US client?
Bank transfer deposits in dollars cost 0.75% and are credited as USDC. If you then withdraw to your local bank, the withdrawal costs between 1.50% and 2.10% depending on the destination country — currency conversion already included, so there is no second fee — has a 20 USD minimum amount and takes 1–2 business days. Holding the balance in digital dollars costs nothing.
Do I need an SSN or ITIN to open the account?
No. Verification uses your country's ID document and a selfie, fully online. Neither SSN nor ITIN is part of the account opening process.