A US company, from Egypt.
Stripe still does not operate in Egypt at all, and PayPal forces every withdrawal into pounds at its own rate plus a flat fee, costing freelancers roughly 8% of every payment with no way to hold dollars instead. A US LLC with its own Stripe account and a US bank sidesteps both problems at once.
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 or ITIN 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 Egyptian guides skip
PayPal's 8% is a platform cost, not a legal requirement
PayPal forces every Egyptian withdrawal into EGP at its own exchange rate, roughly 4-4.5% below the official rate, plus a flat 125 EGP fee, and new accounts face a 30-day hold on received funds. None of this is a CBE rule, it is PayPal's own policy. A US LLC with its own Stripe account and a US bank lets you hold and convert dollars on your own terms.
Egypt's forex controls eased in 2025 but the banking layer stays cautious
After the 2022-2024 EGP devaluation crisis and the March 2024 float, Egyptian banks began loosening restrictions from August 2025, cutting card FX markups from 5% to 3% and raising limits. Investment Law No. 72 of 2017 explicitly protects a foreign investor's right to repatriate profits, but outbound transfers still go through documentation review. Forming and funding a US LLC from Egypt is not restricted either way.
Exported services are zero-rated for VAT, which most guides never mention
Under VAT Law No. 67 of 2016, services an Egypt-based provider bills to a client outside Egypt are zero-rated. Income Tax Law No. 91 of 2005 still applies to the underlying income, and Law No. 6 of 2025 introduced simplified turnover-based tax brackets for businesses under EGP 20 million a year. A US LLC changes how you get paid, not this position.
Can you actually open a US bank account?
The honest answer, which is more than most providers will give you.
What actually works for Egyptian founders
- Mercury does not list Egypt as a prohibited country, and is the cleaner path of the two neobanks covered here.
- Wise is available with better FX rates than PayPal, though no physical card is issued to Egyptian residents.
- Payoneer is the most common tool for Upwork and Fiverr withdrawals already.
- Stripe becomes usable once the LLC has its EIN, solving the problem PayPal cannot.
What to know before you rely on it
- Relay is not on Egypt's prohibited list either, but its SSN or ITIN requirement is a real practical barrier for founders without a US tax filing already in place.
- PayPal remains available but expensive. Expect roughly 8% lost to conversion and fees on a typical withdrawal.
- 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.
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 cepo cambiario after 2025, why Stripe still won't onboard you, and the LEC.
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.