How to Accept Global Payments Without a US Company (2026 Guide)

You want to charge customers in USD. You don't have a US company. Stripe won't let you sign up. Sound familiar?

Here's exactly how to accept global payments as a non-US indie developer — three methods that actually work.

Method 1: Merchant of Record (Recommended)

A Merchant of Record (MoR) acts as the legal seller. They handle:

You just connect your bank account and collect money. The two best options:

| | Lemon Squeezy | Paddle |

|---|---|---|

| Fee | 5% + $0.50 | 5% + $0.50 |

| Best for | Digital products | SaaS subscriptions |

| Signup | 5 min, Chinese ID OK | Requires product review |

| PayPal support | ✅ | ✅ |

Recommendation: Start with [Lemon Squeezy](https://www.lemonsqueezy.com/?ref=chuhaitools). Signup is instant. Switch to [Paddle](https://paddle.com) when you need advanced subscription management.

Method 2: Stripe Atlas ($500 One-Time)

Stripe Atlas creates a US Delaware C-Corp for you. You get:

Worth it once you're making $1,000+/month. The 2.9% fee saves you money vs the 5% MoR fee over time.

Method 3: PayPal Personal

Fastest to set up — just link your Chinese bank card. But:

What About Wise / Payoneer?

Both let you open US bank accounts as a Chinese resident. You can then use them to receive Stripe payouts (once you have Stripe Atlas or a US LLC).

My Setup (As a Chinese Indie Developer)

Total monthly cost: $0 until you make your first sale.

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