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From the Philippines · Asia-Pacific
The Philippines has one of the world's largest freelance and virtual-assistant workforces, and Stripe doesn't take Philippine businesses. Filipino founders form US companies to bill US clients and take card payments, but Mercury won't open accounts for people living in the Philippines, so plan the bank first.
Mercury doesn't open for founders living in the Philippines; Wise Business and Payoneer are the ones to check. The banks, in detail.
From
Philippines
··:··UTC+8
To
Cheyenne, Wyoming
··:··UTC−6
01What changes because you live here
The tax treaty, whether Stripe will take you, which banks will open an account, and the time difference. Each was checked against its source in September 2026.
The tax treaty
In force
The United States and the Philippines have an income tax treaty in force. It can lower the US tax withheld on dividends, interest and royalties paid to you, if you claim it on a W-8BEN with your Filipino tax number, and it settles which country taxes what when both could.
Stripe
Not available locally
Stripe doesn't take businesses registered in the Philippines. A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account is a US business, so it can apply for a US Stripe account, and that's often the main reason founders in the Philippines form one.
Banking
No Mercury
Mercury doesn't open accounts for founders living in the Philippines. It goes by where you live, not your passport, so a Filipino citizen living in another country may still qualify. Payoneer and Wise Business are the usual alternatives to check, and each has its own rules about where owners can live. Relay asks a non-US owner for a US address, an ITIN or Social Security Number and a US operating presence, so it rarely suits a founder living in the Philippines.
The time difference
UTC+8
New York is 12 hours behind the Philippines in summer. Everything we do is in writing, through your dashboard and email, and we reply within one business day, so the time difference rarely slows anything down.
Checked in September 2026 against the IRS list of tax treaties, Stripe's country page, and Mercury's and Relay's published country lists. If something here has changed, email us and we'll correct it the same day.
02What the Philippines expects
The Philippines taxes its residents on income from anywhere in the world. Whether the LLC's profit counts as yours as it's earned, or only when you take it out, depends on how the Philippines treats a US LLC, and that's a question for a local tax adviser.
What founders here build
04What it costs
Charged once, in US dollars, with the Wyoming state fee passed on at cost. Where you live changes which bank we introduce you to, not the price.
Extras are optional, and the order form asks about each one with its price. Filing yours ahead of our next batch costs $75, and we email you before anything renews. Delaware, and every extra with its price, are on the pricing page.
05Questions
If yours is not here, email us at [email protected] before you order.
Not while living in the Philippines. Mercury added the Philippines to its list in July 2024, and the list goes by where you live. Payoneer and Wise Business are the alternatives to check, and each has its own rules about where owners can live.
Yes. The United States doesn't require an LLC's owners to be US citizens or residents. You'll need a registered agent in the state, which every plan includes, and your passport for the bank. The filing is the same wherever you live. What changes is the tax treaty, the payment processors and the banks, which this page covers.
No. The filing, the EIN, the operating agreement, the bank application and the payment processors are all handled online. You don't need a visa or a trip.
The United States and the Philippines have an income tax treaty in force. It can lower the US tax withheld on dividends, interest and royalties paid to you, if you claim it on a W-8BEN with your Filipino tax number, and it settles which country taxes what when both could.
You can apply. A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account is a US business, and Stripe reviews it on its US terms. Approval isn't automatic: Stripe looks at the business, its website and the person behind it, and it can say no. Honest, consistent details and a real website give you the best chance.
Asia-Pacific
Ready when you are
It takes about four minutes. You see the whole order, state fee included, before anything is charged.
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