ACH, Wire or FedNow? How Swiss Companies Get Paid by US Customers and Platforms

A US customer signs the contract, loves the work, and then asks: "How do I pay you?"

If the answer is "an international wire to our Swiss IBAN", expect delays. Their AP team may need extra approvals, their bank may charge them a fee, and your invoice drops to the bottom of the pile.

If the answer is a clean set of USD account details they can pay domestically, it's just another vendor payment.

This guide is for Swiss companies selling to US customers or getting payouts from US platforms. It explains ACH, wires and FedNow from the receiving side, what to put on your invoice, and the paperwork US customers will ask for.

How US companies like to pay vendors

US accounts payable teams typically pay vendors in one of these ways:

1. ACH credit. The customer pushes the payment from their account to yours through the ACH network. This is the default for routine vendor payments in the US.
2. Domestic wire (Fedwire). Used for larger or urgent payments. Settles in real time during Fedwire hours and is final.
3. Paper check. Still common in the US. For a Swiss company it's impractical, so ask customers to pay electronically instead.
4. Card. Some customers prefer to pay by company card.
5. Instant payment (FedNow). Growing, but only works if both sides' institutions participate, so don't count on it for B2B yet.

An international wire (SWIFT) is usually the exception, with its own approval steps.

ACH vs wire vs FedNow, from your side

• Speed — ACH: Standard: 1–2 business days. Same Day ACH: within the day; Fedwire: Same day, during operating hours; FedNow: Seconds, 24/7/365
• Final? — ACH: Credits can occasionally be returned under ACH rules; Fedwire: Final once settled; FedNow: Final once settled
• Typical use — ACH: Routine invoices; Fedwire: Large or time-critical; FedNow: Urgent, where supported
• Customer effort — ACH: Lowest; often built into their AP software; Fedwire: Moderate; often a separate approval; FedNow: Depends on their institution

What to ask for:

• Routine invoices: ACH.
• Large invoices or deposits before you start work: a wire.
• Customer offers instant payment: fine, if both sides support it.

For the full rail-by-rail picture, see SIC, SEPA, SWIFT, ACH, Fedwire, FedNow: Which Rail When? (Cheat Sheet).

What to put on a USD invoice

A US customer's AP team needs to set you up as a vendor and then pay you. Make both easy:

• Your company's legal name, exactly as on your USD account.
• Your address in Switzerland.
• Invoice number, date and due date. US terms are often written as "Net 30".
• Amount in USD.
• USD payment details: account holder name, account number, routing number, bank name and address, and which rail the details are for (ACH, wire or both).
• Payment reference: ask them to quote the invoice number.
• A remittance email address, so they can tell you which invoices a payment covers.

Tip: put the same details in a one-page "How to pay us" PDF and send it with your first invoice. AP teams love it.

No US account details to put on that PDF yet? Firma gives your company its own US account details, so US customers can pay you by ACH, Fedwire or FedNow. Open your Firma account →

The vendor paperwork: W-8BEN-E

US customers often ask foreign vendors for a tax form before the first payment. A foreign company usually provides form W-8BEN-E, which documents that you're a foreign entity. It's an IRS form, not a Swiss one, and you give it to the US payer, not the IRS. Ask your adviser how to complete it, particularly the treaty sections.

Expect other vendor-onboarding requests too: a bank letter or account confirmation, a certificate of insurance for some industries, and sometimes a security questionnaire for software vendors.

Swiss VAT on US sales, in one paragraph

If you're registered for Swiss VAT and sell services to a business in the US, those services are generally not subject to Swiss VAT, because the place of supply is where the recipient is (MWSTG Art. 8 para. 1). Goods exports follow different rules. Check your setup with your Treuhänder. See also Get Paid Faster by EU and US Clients: Invoice in Their Currency.

Getting paid by US platforms

Many Swiss companies earn USD through platforms: marketplaces, app stores, payment processors, ad networks or affiliate programmes. Platforms often pay out by ACH to a USD account, and some only support certain countries or require a US entity or tax ID.

Before you connect a payout account:

1. Check the platform's payout requirements for non-US companies: supported countries, currencies and account types.
2. Match the account holder name to the legal entity registered with the platform. A mismatch is the most common reason for failed payouts.
3. Complete the tax interview (often a W-8BEN-E) in the platform's dashboard.
4. Send a test payout if the platform allows it.
5. Map the payout to sales. Payouts are usually net of fees and refunds, so download the platform's payout report for your Treuhänder.

Reconciliation: match money to invoices

ACH payments can carry limited remittance information, and a customer may pay several invoices in one go. Make reconciliation boring:

• Ask customers to quote the invoice number and email a remittance advice.
• Match payments weekly, not at year-end.
• Keep platform payout reports with the payouts they explain.
• Include the USD balance and conversions in your The Month-End Pack Your Treuhänder Actually Wants.

Hold USD or convert?

USD that arrives in a USD account stays in USD until you decide otherwise. If you also pay USD costs, keep enough to cover them and convert the rest on a schedule. More on this: The Strong Franc and Your SME: Currency Risk Basics for Swiss Companies.

A worked example (hypothetical)

A Zürich UX agency wins a USD 60,000 project with a Boston startup: 30% up front, the rest monthly.

1. The agency sends its "How to pay us" PDF with USD account details for ACH and wire, plus a W-8BEN-E prepared with its adviser.
2. The startup's AP team sets the agency up as a vendor and pays the USD 18,000 deposit by wire, so work can start that week.
3. Monthly invoices of USD 6,000 are paid by ACH, quoting the invoice number.
4. The agency keeps USD to pay its US design-software subscriptions and converts the rest to CHF on the 25th of each month.

Common mistakes

1. Sending only a Swiss IBAN and BIC. You've turned a routine payment into an international wire.
2. Name mismatch between invoice, account and platform profile.
3. No routing number, or the wrong one (ACH vs wire).
4. No remittance information, so you can't tell which invoice was paid.
5. Accepting a paper check without a plan to deposit it.

Bottom line

Make paying you look like paying any US vendor: USD details, the right rail, the right form and a clear reference. The less "international" it feels to them, the faster you get paid.

FAQ

Can a Swiss company receive ACH payments?

Yes, if it has a USD account that can receive ACH. You give the customer the account holder name, account number and routing number.

Should I ask US customers for ACH or a wire?

ACH for routine invoices, a wire for large or urgent amounts. Both are domestic for the customer if you give them US account details.

What is a W-8BEN-E?

An IRS form a foreign company usually gives US customers to document that it's a foreign entity. Ask your adviser how to complete it.

Do US customers pay Swiss VAT?

Services to US business customers are generally not subject to Swiss VAT, because the place of supply is where the recipient is (MWSTG Art. 8 para. 1). Check your setup with your Treuhänder.

Can I receive payouts from US platforms into a Swiss company account?

Often yes, if the platform supports payouts to your company and your account is in USD with matching name details. Check each platform's requirements.

Give US customers details they recognise

Firma gives your company balances in USD, EUR, CHF and more in its own name, plus your company's own US account details. US customers pay you by ACH, Fedwire or FedNow, payers abroad can use SWIFT, and you can pay US suppliers on ACH, Fedwire and FedNow from the same balance. Money in is free. Every outgoing payment carries the plan fee (25 bps on Plus, 20 bps on Platform, custom on Enterprise), shown before you send. Conversions use the Reuters rate, and if an incoming payment is converted, there's no spread. Plus is Fr. 499 a month. Verification takes about two days, and if we can't verify your company, there's nothing to pay.

Open your Firma account →

Paying US suppliers too? Read Doing Business in Dollars: How a Swiss Company Can Pay and Get Paid on US Rails, Not SWIFT. Some clients prefer stablecoins: How a Swiss Company Can Receive USDC (and What to Do Next).

This article is general information, not legal, tax, or investment advice. Talk to a qualified adviser about your situation.

Firma is not a bank and is not licensed by FINMA. Firma Operations AG is a member of VQF, a FINMA-recognised self-regulatory organisation for anti-money-laundering, and does not hold client funds. Fiat payments are processed through partner banks. Balances are digital stablecoin tokens, not bank deposits, and are not covered by esisuisse.

Sources: Federal Reserve, Fedwire Funds Service; Federal Reserve Financial Services, Same Day ACH FAQ; Federal Reserve Financial Services, FedNow; IRS, About Form W-8BEN-E; VAT Act (MWSTG) Art. 8; Firma.