Want to get paid faster?
Stop making your clients do currency maths.
When a German client gets an invoice in CHF, someone in their finance team has to work out the euro amount, arrange an international payment and accept whatever exchange rate their bank gives them. That's friction, and friction means delay.
Invoice them in euros, with euro account details, and you look like a local supplier.
This guide covers how to invoice EU and US clients in their own currency: what to put on the invoice, which account details to give, and how to handle VAT and FX cleanly.
Why invoicing in the client's currency works
- It's easier for them to pay. A domestic-style payment in their own currency, with no conversion on their side.
- The amount is predictable. They pay the invoiced amount in their own currency, without conversion on their side, so there's less risk of short payments.
- Approval is faster. Fewer questions from the client's accounts payable team.
- You control the conversion. If you need francs, you convert when you choose, not when the payment happens to arrive. See The FX Fee Your Bank Never Shows You.
The catch: you take on the currency risk between invoicing and converting. If you also spend euros or dollars, much of that risk cancels out.
Step 1: Have an account in each currency you invoice
Invoicing in EUR only works well if the money lands in a EUR account. Otherwise it gets converted automatically, often at a rate you didn't choose.
The rule of thumb: one account per currency you regularly earn or spend.
Step 2: Give the right payment details per currency
EUR clients (EU and other SEPA countries)
- Your EUR IBAN
- Your BIC (include it to be safe)
- Your company name and address, exactly as on the account
- The invoice number as the payment reference
Most EU clients will pay by SEPA credit transfer, which arrives the same day or the next business day. More on rails in How to Pay EU Suppliers from a Swiss GmbH (SEPA vs SWIFT).
USD clients (United States)
US companies usually prefer ACH (for routine payments) or a domestic wire (Fedwire) to an international wire. Give them:
- Account number and routing number for your USD account,
- your company name and address,
- the invoice number as the reference.
If they can only send an international wire, give your SWIFT/BIC details as well.
Some US clients ask foreign vendors for a tax form before paying. A foreign company usually provides form W-8BEN-E. Ask your adviser how to complete it.
GBP and other currencies
Same principle: give the local details for that currency where you have them, or SWIFT details where you don't.
Step 3: Put the right things on the invoice
A clean international invoice includes:
- Your company name, address and UID / VAT number (if registered)
- Client name and address (and their VAT number for EU business clients)
- Invoice number and date
- Description of the service or goods, and the period
- Amount and currency, clearly stated (e.g. "EUR 12,000.00")
- VAT treatment (see below)
- Payment terms (e.g. "30 days net")
- Payment details for that currency only
Tip: don't list five sets of account details on one invoice. Show only the ones for the invoice currency. Less choice, fewer mistakes.
Step 4: Handle VAT correctly
VAT depends on what you sell and to whom. Check your setup with your Treuhänder.
If Swiss VAT applies and you invoice in foreign currency
You can show VAT in the invoice currency. For your VAT return, convert it to CHF at the ESTV monthly average rate or the daily rate, and use one method consistently (MWSTV Art. 45). Many businesses also show the VAT amount in CHF for clarity.
Services to business clients abroad
For many services supplied to business clients abroad, the place of supply is where the client is established, so the service is not subject to Swiss VAT (MWSTG Art. 8 para. 1). The client may then have to account for VAT in their own country (reverse charge). The details depend on the type of service, so don't assume. Confirm with your Treuhänder before your first international invoice.
Goods
Exporting goods involves customs and export documentation. That's beyond this article, so get advice.
Step 5: Book foreign-currency invoices cleanly
Most Swiss companies keep their books in CHF. (You can also keep them in a foreign currency that's essential to the business, with CHF values shown in the financial statements; see OR Art. 957a para. 4 and 958d para. 3.) If your books are in CHF, foreign-currency invoices and payments need converting:
- When you invoice: record the receivable at the CHF value on the invoice date.
- When you get paid: record the payment at the CHF value on the day of receipt.
- The difference between the two is an exchange gain or loss.
Agree the rate source and method with your Treuhänder, then stick to it.
A worked example (hypothetical)
A Swiss software GmbH invoices a client in Munich EUR 12,000 for a project. The invoice shows EUR, the GmbH's EUR IBAN and BIC, and the invoice number as the reference. The client pays by SEPA, and the euros land in the EUR account the next business day.
The GmbH pays its Portuguese contractor EUR 4,000 from the same EUR balance and keeps the rest in euros for upcoming EU costs. It converts only what it needs for CHF salaries, on a day it chooses.
No conversion on the client's side. One conversion, deliberately, on the GmbH's side.
Common mistakes
- Invoicing in EUR, receiving into CHF. You pay a conversion you didn't choose.
- Missing BIC or routing number. The payment gets delayed or bounces.
- No VAT treatment on the invoice. It invites questions from the client and the tax authority.
- Converting VAT inconsistently. If Swiss VAT applies, convert it to CHF for the VAT return with one method (monthly average or daily rate) and stick to it.
- Changing bank details by email. Clients are rightly suspicious. Announce new details in a signed letter or through a verified channel, and expect them to call you.
Bottom line
Invoice in their currency. Give one set of matching account details. Get VAT right once.
You'll look local, and you'll get paid like it.
FAQ
Can a Swiss company invoice in EUR or USD?
Yes. Swiss companies can invoice in foreign currencies. If Swiss VAT applies, you can show it in the invoice currency and convert it to CHF for your VAT return.
How do I convert VAT on a foreign-currency invoice to CHF?
For your VAT return, use the ESTV's monthly average rate or the daily rate, and stick to one method (MWSTV Art. 45). The invoice itself doesn't have to show VAT in CHF.
Do I charge Swiss VAT to an EU business client?
For many services, no. The place of supply is where the business client is established, so the service isn't subject to Swiss VAT (MWSTG Art. 8 para. 1). Some services follow other rules, so confirm with your Treuhänder.
How do US clients usually pay a Swiss supplier?
Many prefer ACH or a domestic Fedwire transfer to a USD account, rather than an international wire.
Do I need a separate account for each currency?
It's the cleanest way to avoid automatic conversions. Open one for every currency you regularly earn or spend.
Invoice like a local, in every currency
A Firma account gives your company multi-currency balances in USD, EUR, CHF, GBP, CAD, MXN and BRL. Customers pay your account numbers by bank, card or stablecoin, you pay suppliers from the matching balance, and conversions use the Reuters rate, with the fee shown before you send. Money in is free.
Clients want to pay in stablecoins? Read How a Swiss Company Can Receive USDC (and What to Do Next). Need the account first? See How to Open a Swiss Business Account in Days, Not Weeks. And for the payment rails behind all this: SIC, SEPA, SWIFT, ACH, Fedwire, FedNow: Which Rail When? (Cheat Sheet)
This article is general information, not legal, tax, or investment advice. Talk to a qualified adviser about your situation.
Firma is a regulated financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided through banking partners. Balances are digital stablecoin tokens, not bank deposits, and are not covered by esisuisse.
Sources: Federal Tax Administration, VAT; Federal Act on Value Added Tax (MWSTG), Art. 8; VAT Ordinance (MWSTV) Art. 45; ESTV MWST-Info 16; Swiss Code of Obligations, Art. 957a and 958d; Firma.
