A US company, from Argentina.
The cepo cambiario was substantially lifted in 2025, and Argentina still has one of the largest freelance economies in Latin America. Stripe will still not onboard an Argentine merchant account regardless. The reform that was supposed to fix this did not touch the actual problem, a US LLC does.
What's included
- LLC or C-Corp filed in the state you choose, in 1-2 business days
- EIN from the IRS with no SSN required
- Registered agent and a US business address
- Operating agreement and your stamped formation certificate
- The domain, if you still need one, at the price you keep renewing at
- Bookkeeping and US tax filing when the company starts trading
What it costs
Plus the state filing fee, paid straight through to the Secretary of State. Wyoming $100, New Mexico $50, Delaware $110 with a $300 annual franchise tax on top.
What Argentine guides skip
The cepo easing did not open Stripe, and will not
Argentina removed the mandatory peso-liquidation requirement on service-export income through BCRA rule changes in September 2025 and April 2026, and the exchange rate now floats within a band. None of that changed Stripe's own classification of Argentina as a restricted settlement jurisdiction. Argentina is still not on Stripe's supported-country list for merchant accounts. A US LLC with a US Stripe account is not affected by that classification at all.
You must still bring foreign income into the official market within 20 business days
Even with the liquidation requirement gone, funds must enter Argentina's official FX market and post to an account in your name within 20 business days of receipt, and receipt is counted from the moment funds land in an intermediary like Payoneer or Wise, not when you move them further. A US LLC holding USD in a US bank account gives you control over timing that a direct payment into Argentina does not.
The Ley de Economia del Conocimiento is worth registering for even if you use a US LLC
This law cuts income tax to an effective 10% for micro and small companies in software, SaaS and related knowledge-economy activities where 70% or more of revenue is export-derived, with fiscal stability guaranteed through 2029. It applies to your Argentine-side structure, not the US LLC itself, but a growing freelancer formalising into a company should ask an ARCA-registered adviser whether it applies before assuming the standard rate is the only option.
Can you actually open a US bank account?
The honest answer, which is more than most providers will give you.
What actually works for Argentine founders
- Mercury accepts Argentine founders and is not on its own prohibited-countries list.
- Wise gives a real USD or EUR account number at close to mid-market rates.
- Payoneer is the most common route for Upwork and Fiverr payouts already, though receipts are ARCA-reportable.
- Stripe becomes usable once the LLC has its EIN, which is the whole reason to form one from Argentina.
What to know before you rely on it
- Relay requires a valid SSN from every beneficial owner, which is a hard blocker for most Argentine founders without existing US tax filings. Do not assume Relay is a fallback here.
- PayPal works but Argentine banks have a long history of rejecting or blocking its transfers, a problem that persisted even after the 2025 cepo easing.
- A registered agent address is not a business address, which matters for whichever provider you use.
- The EIN takes 4-6 weeks for non-US founders, and most payment tools need it before they fully activate.
Why we say this out loud. Every competitor advertises a US bank account as though it were part of the package. It is not, for anyone, and pretending otherwise just moves the disappointment to after you have paid. Form the company for the entity, the EIN and the ability to take Stripe payments. Treat the bank account as a separate application with a real chance of rejection.
Real platforms this comes up against
Everything else your US company needs
EIN without an SSN
The step that stalls most non-US founders. We run the SS-4 process end to end.
Form 5472 and US filings
Foreign-owned LLCs file every year even at zero income. The penalty for missing it is $25,000.
Form the company
LLC or C-Corp in any of the 50 states, with the EIN and registered agent included.
Founders from other countries
Exchange control, your SARS position, and the honest answer on US banking.
CBN currency rules, Stripe access, and which banks actually work.
BoG licensing rules, GRA filing, and the Stripe-Paystack workaround.
PayPal's 2026 freeze wave, CBK's no exchange controls, and the KRA position.
PayPal's 8% conversion tax, CBE forex rules, and the zero-rated VAT on exports.
BIR registration, remittance limits, and Mercury vs Relay.
SBP rules, why PayPal is not the answer, and what is.
PayPal's announced-but-not-live access, CBSL's 2026 repatriation rules, and IRD's new freelancer tax.
Bangladesh Bank's 2026 forex overhaul, the IT tax exemption, and Mercury's ban.
SBV forex rules, Decree 117's platform withholding, and why Stripe needs a US LLC.
Why Stripe is invite-only, Mercury's ban, and the DHE repatriation rules.
The 100% tax deduction that still needs a foreign bank, and why Stripe still says no.
The 9x IOF shock, why Stripe needs a CNPJ, and the Carne-Leao filing.
The ATO LLC classification trap, CFC rules, and the DTA.
IRD's foreign investment fund rules and the US-NZ DTA.
How this works. NameMarshal is not a law firm or an accountancy practice, and nothing on this page is legal or tax advice. Company formation, EIN and registered agent services here are fulfilled by our formation partner doola. Foreign-owned US LLCs generally have to file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even with no income, and the penalty for missing it is steep. Ask us and we will point you at someone licensed to handle it.